Quick Answer: Here's what documents you need to apply for a New Braunfels apartment: a government photo ID, recent pay stubs or other income records, your rental history and the application fee. Pet owners also need vaccination and registration records. Texas law requires landlords to make their printed tenant selection criteria available when you get the application, so read those first.
New Braunfels reached an estimated 122,492 residents in July 2025, up 35.5% since 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. With that many people moving in, having your paperwork ready is the simplest advantage an applicant can give themselves. Here's what documents you need to apply for a New Braunfels apartment, put together by Compass Flats, serving renters along I-35 between San Antonio and Austin.
What is required on a rental application in New Braunfels?
A rental application in New Braunfels usually asks for four things: photo ID, income records, your rental history and a fee that pays for screening. Each property sets its own standards. Texas law requires landlords to make those standards available in print when they give you the application, so ask for them before you pay anything.
Government photo ID
A driver's license or passport usually works. Moving from another state? Your current license is fine for most applications, and Texas DPS lets new residents drive on a valid out-of-state license for up to 90 days before they need a Texas one.
Proof of income
Landlords want to see that rent fits your budget. Many set an income minimum tied to the monthly rent, and that figure changes from one property to the next. Check the printed criteria instead of guessing.
Bring your most recent records. Screeners compare current income against the criteria, not what you earned two jobs ago.
Rental history and references
Expect to list past addresses along with landlord names and phone numbers. Screening companies often pull credit and eviction records too. Applying with a roommate? Coordinate early, because under the Texas Property Code a landlord's rejection of one co-applicant counts as a rejection of every co-applicant on that application.
Pet records and New Braunfels permits
Pet owners have extra rental documents to gather. At Compass Flats, every household registers through PetScreening before move-in, and households without pets file a no-pet affidavit. Each pet profile needs a recent photo, a current rabies certificate, core vaccinations, a vet exam from the past 12 months, proof of spay or neuter, and local licensing.
That last item ties back to the city. The City of New Braunfels requires registration for dogs and cats older than 4 months that live inside city limits. As of October 2026, registration is free and takes a current rabies certificate plus a photo of each pet.
What income documents work on an apartment application?
Pay stubs are the standard, but they aren't the only option. What a leasing team wants is steady income it can verify. Self-employed renters, retirees, new hires and students each have a document that fits, and two federal agencies offer free income records online.
| Your situation | Documents that usually work | Where to get them |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly or salaried employee | Recent pay stubs, last year's W-2 | Your employer's payroll portal |
| Starting a new job | Signed offer letter showing pay and start date | Your new employer's HR team |
| Self-employed, gig or freelance | Tax return transcript, 1099 forms, recent bank statements | IRS Individual Online Account or by mail |
| Social Security, SSI or disability benefits | Benefit verification letter | my Social Security account or 800-772-1213 |
| Student or limited income | Financial aid award letter, a guarantor's ID and income records | Your school's financial aid office and your guarantor |
| Every applicant | Government photo ID, rental history, application fee | Your own records |
Freelancers and gig workers can download a tax return transcript through their IRS Individual Online Account. Can't register? The IRS mails transcripts in 5 to 10 calendar days, so order one before you start apartment hunting. Retirees and anyone receiving SSI or disability benefits can download a benefit verification letter from Social Security, which the agency describes as a proof of income letter.
One caveat: not every property accepts every document in that table. Ask the leasing office which ones count before you upload anything.
What apartment requirements does Texas law put on landlords?
Texas Property Code Chapter 92 gives applicants two useful protections. Landlords must make their tenant selection criteria available in print when they hand over an application. And if you don't receive notice of acceptance by the seventh day after you submit a completed application, you're considered rejected. Both rules affect your money and your timeline.
The printed criteria list the grounds for denial, including criminal history, previous rental history, current income, credit history, and inaccurate or incomplete answers on the form. You'll sign an acknowledgment that you had the chance to review them. If a landlord rejects you without having made that notice available, Section 92.3515 requires it to return your application fee and any application deposit.
Know which payment is which. An application fee is nonrefundable money that offsets screening costs. An application deposit is refundable if you're rejected.
What to do if you're denied
A denial based on a tenant screening report brings in federal rules as well. The landlord has to give you an adverse action notice that names the screening company and how to reach it. That notice also explains two rights: a free copy of the report if you ask within 60 days, and the right to dispute errors. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, being asked for a co-signer or a larger deposit than other applicants can also count as adverse action.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long does apartment approval take in Texas?
State law sets the outer limit. If a landlord doesn't give notice of acceptance on or before the seventh day after you turn in a completed application on its form, you're deemed rejected. Uploading every document at once keeps your file from sitting while the leasing team waits on a missing pay stub.
2. Can I apply for an apartment before I move to New Braunfels?
Yes. At Compass Flats, the online rental application lets you create an account, save your progress and log back in to finish later. A valid driver's license from your current state is usually enough ID for the application, and you can switch to a Texas license after you move.
3. What should be on my application checklist?
Gather these before you open the form:
- Government photo ID for every adult applicant
- Recent pay stubs or the income document that fits your situation
- Past addresses with landlord names and phone numbers
- Pet vaccination records and a current photo, if you have a pet
- A debit or credit card for the application fee
4. Is an apartment application fee refundable in Texas?
Usually not. Texas law defines an application fee as a nonrefundable payment that covers screening costs. The exception: if the landlord rejects you without having made its printed selection criteria available, it must return the fee and any application deposit. A separate application deposit, if you paid one, is refundable when you're rejected.
5. Do I need to set up utilities before move-in?
It depends on the property. Some New Braunfels apartments ask you to open your own electric account and bring a confirmation number on move-in day. Compass Flats bundles utilities and rent into one monthly payment, according to its website, so that's one less account to open. Ask the leasing office which services the bundle covers before you sign.
Conclusion
The paperwork behind a New Braunfels rental application is easy to pull together once you know the list, and most of it can be ready before you open the form. Ask for the printed selection criteria first. Then pull the income records that match your situation and, if a dog or cat is moving with you, finish the free city registration early.
Before you apply, compare studio and one-bedroom layouts on the Compass Flats floor plans page and take the photo tour so you know which unit you want. With everything in one folder, you'll know exactly what documents you need to apply for a New Braunfels apartment, and the form goes quickly.
