Updated for 2025 • SelfEmployedDocs

How to Prove Self-Employment Income for an Apartment (2025 Guide)

Renting an apartment while self-employed is stressful. Landlords want proof of income… but you don’t have pay stubs, HR letters, or traditional payroll paperwork.

The good news?

You can absolutely rent an apartment while self-employed — even without tax returns or a W-2 job.
You just need the right income documents, and they’re easier to get than you think.

What apartments look for (it’s not what people think)

Landlords care about three things:

Is your income steady?
Can you afford the rent?
Does your paperwork look organized and credible?

You’d be surprised how flexible most apartments are. They know self-employment is normal in 2025.

The 5 documents apartments accept from self-employed renters

1. A Self-Employed Pay Stub (Most Confident & Accepted Everywhere)

A pay stub is the easiest and most professional-looking document you can hand a landlord.

It shows:

your exact income
your pay schedule (weekly, biweekly, monthly)
year-to-date earnings
your occupation

A clean pay stub instantly makes you look established — even if you’re newly self-employed.

Need a self-employed pay stub for an apartment?

Create a professional, landlord-friendly pay stub in minutes. Just enter your details and download instantly.

Generate My Pay Stub →

2. Bank Statements (Usually Required)

Most landlords want 2–3 months of statements showing:

regular deposits
cash flow
a stable pattern

Your deposits don’t need to be huge — they just need to be believable and consistent.

3. Payment App Records

If you get paid through:

Cash App
Venmo
Zelle
PayPal

— these payments count as income as long as they come from work.

Transfer them into your bank regularly so they show up on your statements.

4. A Self-Employment Income Letter

A simple, short letter explaining:

what you do
how you earn money
how much you make per month

Many landlords accept this, especially when paired with a pay stub.

5. Gig App Summaries or Earnings Reports

If you work with DoorDash, Instacart, Uber, Lyft, Shipt, Fiverr, Upwork, or similar platforms, your earnings summaries are valid proof of income.

How much income you need to qualify

Most apartments follow the “3x rent rule.”

Example: If rent is $1,300/month, you need to show roughly $3,900/month in income.

But this isn’t a law — many places approve renters who make 2.5× or even 2× rent if their paperwork is strong.

What if you’re brand new to self-employment?

You can still qualify. Use:

a pay stub showing your projected income
recent bank deposits
your income letter

New freelancers rent apartments every single day.

How to package your income to look professional

Here’s how to present your documents so they’re taken seriously:

Use one PDF per document
Keep everything clean and readable
Make sure your name matches across documents
Include both a pay stub AND bank statements

If you hand landlords a clean pay stub with matching deposits, they almost never ask further questions.

FAQ: Renting an Apartment While Self-Employed

Do landlords accept self-employed income?

Yes. It’s extremely common now. You just need your income documented properly.

Do I need tax returns?

No. Tax returns show last year’s income and are not required in many cases.

What’s the easiest proof of income for an apartment?

A clean self-employed pay stub paired with your bank statements is almost always enough.

What if my income is irregular?

Use a monthly average on your pay stub. Most apartments only care about your ability to pay.

Need help documenting your income so you can get approved? Start on the homepage, generate your self-employed pay stub, or visit our About and Contact pages.