Ultimately, it is up to you as the landlord to determine whether or not you want to require a Social Security number on your rental application. I was told I needed to fill out a rental application (where ssn is required) before viewing it because he gets several requests a day.A tenant background checks does not require a social security number. Landlords often use services such as RentPrep, which offer ways to conduct thorough screenings even without Social Security numbers. The good news is that you do not need an SSN on an apartment rental application to screen a prospective tenant. Since the SSN is a required field, have them temporarily enter any 9-digit number so they can continue filling out their rental application and complete it. Any screening service compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) should be able to pull these reports without a Social Security Number. If the applicant does not have a social security number, you generally can't run a credit report or nationwide criminal check. There is no federal law that requires an SSN to be provided on an application. Furthermore, no law prohibits renting to an illegal immigrant.