Find Deferred Adjudication Apartments in Texas
Felon Friendly Apartments pre-screens your deferred adjudication case against property-level policies in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth so you apply only where it counts.
It is part of our free, licensed felon friendly apartments locating service across five Texas metros.
What You Get
- ✓Why deferred adjudication still appears on screening reports
- ✓Which properties treat it as a non-conviction
- ✓How a non-disclosure order (Chapter 411) changes screening
- ✓How to present a deferred case factually on an application
- ✓Application fee rebated on approval
Felon Friendly Apartments is a free, TREC-licensed locating service (License #679806) that places renters with deferred adjudication into apartments across Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth. Most renters do not realize their deferred case still shows on screening reports until a non-disclosure order seals it. Deferred adjudication is not a conviction in Texas, but vendors like RealPage and TransUnion SmartMove flag it anyway. The Felon Friendly Apartments team knows which communities categorize deferred outcomes as non-convictions and which do not, and we pre-screen your specific case so you apply where it will be reviewed correctly.
When a non-disclosure order applies, we refer you to qualified legal aid - we do not provide legal advice.
What Is Deferred Adjudication?
Deferred adjudication is a Texas plea outcome. You plead guilty or no contest, the court withholds a formal conviction, and you complete a period of community supervision. If you complete it successfully, the case is dismissed and there is no conviction. If you do not, the court can enter the original conviction.
Because there is no conviction on successful completion, deferred adjudication does not legally constitute a conviction. In practice, it still appears on screening reports for two reasons.
Why Deferred Adjudication Still Shows on Screening Reports
- Database lag. Screening vendors like AppFolio and Yardi ScreeningWorks Pro pull from a mix of county, state, and national databases. Each updates on its own schedule. A deferred case that was dismissed in county records may still show on a national aggregator as an open or convicted case.
- Aggregator sloppiness. Commercial record aggregators cache old records. If they never see the dismissal, they never update.
- Non-disclosure timing. A Chapter 411 Subchapter E-1 Order of Non-Disclosure seals the record from most private screening. Until the order is filed and the vendors update, the record can still surface.
How We Match Your Case to the Right Property
- Screen you against property policies. Some Texas management companies - especially at garden-style and Class B communities - categorize successful deferred adjudication as a non-conviction and do not flag it. Others use vendor defaults and flag whatever comes back. Felon Friendly Apartments maps which is which in your metro.
- Send a shortlist that reviews correctly. Three to six properties in your metro that treat deferred adjudication as a non-conviction under Texas law.
- Refer for non-disclosure. If you qualify to seal the record under Chapter 411 Subchapter E-1, we refer you to qualified Texas legal aid: Clean Slate Texas, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Lone Star Legal Aid, or Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas depending on your county. We do not provide legal advice ourselves.
What to Prepare Before You Apply
- Certified court disposition from the county clerk showing successful completion and dismissal.
- Non-disclosure order if you have one. Even if the vendors have not caught up yet, having the order in hand helps at properties that review case-by-case.
- Waiting-period math. Non-disclosure waiting periods vary by offense under current 2026 Texas law. Some are two years, some are five, some longer. If you are not yet eligible, we can still place you into a reviewing apartment now while you plan the petition.
DWI Non-Disclosure and Other Special Cases
- First-time DWI. Texas §411.072 (H.B. 3016) allows non-disclosure of a first-time DWI after a waiting period. See DWI non-disclosure.
- Deferred that later became a conviction. If you did not complete deferred and the court entered the conviction, you screen as a felony conviction or misdemeanor going forward.
Related Record Types
- Felony convictions - if the underlying charge was a felony.
- Misdemeanor history - how minor deferred cases screen.
- Non-disclosure order - what a sealed record should hide.
- Expunged records - if you have an expunction rather than non-disclosure.
How We Compare
| Feature | Blind Apartment Search | Felon Friendly Apartments |
|---|---|---|
| Deferred adjudication policy known before applying | No | Yes - pre-screened per property |
| Application fee risk | $50-150 per blind attempt | Rebated on approval |
| Non-disclosure legal referral | Not included | Referred to Clean Slate Texas or Legal Aid |
| Turnaround | Weeks of trial and error | 24-48 hour shortlist |
Get Your Free Property Shortlist
Free intake takes about seven minutes. Send us the case type, date, disposition, and whether you have a non-disclosure order. We send back a pre-screened shortlist of apartments in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, or Fort Worth typically within 24-48 hours.
How It Works
Send us the case details
Offense, date, whether deferred is complete, and whether you have or plan to petition for non-disclosure.
We check property-level policies
Some properties treat deferred adjudication as a non-conviction; others do not. We know which is which in your metro.
Get a matched shortlist
24-48 hours to a small list of properties that will actually review a deferred case correctly.
Legal referral if you want to pursue non-disclosure
We do not provide legal advice, but we refer to qualified Texas legal aid for the non-disclosure petition process.
Why Us for This Record
Deferred-aware property list
We know which management companies categorize deferred adjudication as a non-conviction and which flag it anyway.
Correct terminology on your side
'Deferred' is not 'convicted.' We help you present the case factually without overstating or understating it.
Legal-aid referral for non-disclosure
If you qualify to seal the record, we refer to Clean Slate Texas, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, or Lone Star Legal Aid depending on your county.
Send Us Your Deferred Adjudication Details
Free, licensed, 24-48 hour shortlist. Application fee rebated on approval.
TESTIMONIALS
What Renters Say
Real feedback from Texas renters we've helped. First-initial only to protect privacy.
"I had a felony from seven years ago and every application came back denied. They sent me a shortlist of four properties that actually review case-by-case. I got approved at the second one."
"They were honest with me about which properties would even look at my record. No false hope, no runaround. That saved me from wasting more application fees."
"I was on a parole deadline and didn't know where to start. They moved fast and found a place my officer approved before the deadline. The fee rebate on approval was real."
"I didn't realize my deferred adjudication still showed on screening reports. They explained it plainly and matched me to a community that treated it correctly."
See Apartments That Accept Your Record
Free, confidential, and typically returned in 24-48 hours.
Questions About This Record Type
Is deferred adjudication a conviction?
Legally, no. Successful completion of deferred adjudication in Texas is a non-conviction disposition. Practically, many screening vendors flag it anyway because their databases pull the initial charge without checking the final disposition. That is the gap we help renters bridge.
Will my deferred adjudication show on an apartment background check?
Often yes, until a non-disclosure order is granted. Screening vendors pull from county records, state records, and national aggregators, and these databases update on different schedules. Even a successfully completed deferred case can surface if a vendor is behind on disposition updates. See [why deferred still shows on screening reports](/guide/why-deferred-adjudication-still-shows-on-screening-reports/).
How does an Order of Non-Disclosure change things?
A Chapter 411 Subchapter E-1 Order of Non-Disclosure seals the record from most private screening. Government entities can still see it, but most apartment screening vendors cannot report it after the order takes effect. Timing matters: the record may still show for a period as vendors update. See [when a non-disclosure order clears deferred adjudication](/guide/when-a-non-disclosure-order-clears-deferred-adjudication/).
Should I disclose deferred adjudication on the application if it does not show?
Applications usually ask about convictions specifically. Deferred that ended in dismissal is not a conviction, so an honest answer is often 'no' to a conviction question. If the application specifically asks about deferred adjudication or 'any criminal history,' answer factually. We help you understand what your specific property is asking for.
How long does deferred adjudication stay on a background check?
Indefinitely, until a non-disclosure order is granted. Texas does not automatically remove completed deferred adjudication from screening databases. Waiting periods for non-disclosure eligibility range from two to five years depending on the offense under current 2026 Texas law. We place renters into reviewing apartments now, regardless of non-disclosure status.
FREE GUIDES
Guides for This Record Type
Renting During Active Deferred Adjudication
For renters mid-supervision: how active deferred adjudication affects screening, which properties review, and move-in timeline pressures.
Read guide →
When a Non-Disclosure Order Clears Deferred Adjudication
The sealing path for deferred cases: Chapter 411 Subchapter E-1 eligibility and its screening effect. Not legal advice; legal-aid links.
Read guide →
Why Deferred Adjudication Still Shows on Screening Reports
Deferred adjudication isn't a conviction but appears on most screening until sealed. Why it shows, how it differs, and database lag.
Read guide →
Deferred Adjudication vs. a Conviction to a Landlord
How screeners categorize deferred outcomes vs. convictions: the non-conviction framing, which vendors flag it anyway, and what it means.
Read guide →
How to Explain a Deferred Case on an Application
Present a deferred case factually on a rental application: state the disposition plainly and what our team does and does not do.
Read guide →
What to Have Ready With a Deferred Record
Apply efficiently with a deferred case: disposition paperwork, supervision-completion proof, and income documents to have ready in Texas.
Read guide →