Apartments and Weapons Offenses - Texas Property Reviews
We match renters with weapons charges to Texas apartments that review by charge severity and offense age.
It is part of our free, licensed felon friendly apartments locating service across five Texas metros.
What You Get
- ✓How weapons records screen by severity and age
- ✓Which properties review individually
- ✓What to prepare before applying
- ✓Application fee rebated on approval
Weapons charges screen differently depending on severity and age. Felon Friendly Apartments, a TREC-licensed Texas locating service (#679806) with 20+ years of real estate experience, pre-screens properties across Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth to identify which communities run individualized review for weapons records. We match your charge details against property-level screening policies before you apply so you are not burning $50-$150 application fees at properties that auto-decline.
What Screening Factors Drive the Decision
- Charge class. Class A misdemeanor unlawful carrying screens differently from a third-degree felony unlawful possession or a federal firearms violation. Most Class B and Class C apartment communities in Texas weight the charge class before anything else.
- Offense age. Age is the biggest single factor at properties that run individualized review. Screening platforms like RealPage and TransUnion SmartMove report the conviction date, and as of 2026, many management companies apply a five-to-seven-year lookback window for weapons charges.
- Disposition. A conviction reports differently than a dismissed or reduced charge. A non-disclosure order can seal the record from most private screening companies, though database lag at national screening vendors sometimes causes sealed records to surface.
How pre-screening compares to applying blind
| Feature | Without a Locator | Felon Friendly Apartments |
|---|---|---|
| Policy visibility | Hidden - leasing agents often do not know the weapons-charge policy | Pre-screened against property-level weapons-charge screening rules |
| Application fees | $50-$150 per attempt, non-refundable | Application fee rebated on approval |
| Turnaround | Days or weeks calling and touring blind | Property shortlist in 24-48 hours |
| Cost to renter | Free to search, but wasted fees add up fast | Free - communities pay referral fees |
| Specialization | General apartment search with no criminal-record filtering | Criminal background screening only (TREC #679806) |
Related Criminal Records in Texas
- Assault or violent offenses - often paired with weapons cases at garden-style and suburban apartment communities.
- Felony convictions - the felony screening framework that applies to third-degree and higher weapons charges.
- Multiple convictions - how stacking affects approval at properties across Texas metros.
Get Your Free Apartment Shortlist
The Felon Friendly Apartments team provides free intake covering Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth. Property shortlist in 24-48 hours, application fee rebated on approval.
How It Works
Send us the charge, class, and date
Unlawful carrying, unlawful possession, felon in possession, prohibited weapon - each screens differently.
We pre-screen properties
Property policies range from 'flags any firearm charge' to 'reviews unlawful carrying case-by-case.'
Matched shortlist in 24-48 hours
Small list of properties likely to review your specific record.
Tour, apply, rebate on approval
Standard rebate applies. Free service.
Send Us Your Weapons Offenses 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
Do apartments treat all weapons charges the same?
No. Unlawful carrying of a weapon (typically a Class A misdemeanor per the Texas Penal Code) screens very differently from felon in possession or possession of a prohibited weapon. Charge severity and offense age drive most of the difference.
What is 'felon in possession' and does it block me?
Felon in possession refers to a felony conviction for possessing a firearm as a person previously convicted of a felony. It screens as a felony. Recency matters most - an older conviction with intervening years opens more properties.
What if my weapons charge was reduced or dismissed?
A reduced charge screens under the reduced classification. A dismissal is not a conviction, though disposition-status lag can still cause it to surface. See [dismissed charges](/dismissed-charges/).
Are there lease clauses restricting firearms?
Some Texas apartment leases include clauses restricting firearms on the premises. These are lease terms separate from criminal background screening. They come up after approval, not during the application review, and they apply to all residents regardless of record.
How long do weapons charges affect apartment screening in Texas?
Most Texas management companies that review weapons records use a five-to-seven-year lookback for misdemeanor weapons charges and a seven-to-ten-year window for felony weapons convictions. Older offenses with completed sentences open significantly more properties. We pre-screen your specific charge age against current (2026) property policies before you apply.