An Overview of the Rent Reporting Landscape for State and Local Policymakers

A person’s credit record has a significant influence on their options for participating in the US economy. Yet it can be difficult for people, and particularly renters, to find reliable ways to build credit. Homeowners can build credit by making mortgage payments. But rent payments have not traditionally been reported to credit bureaus or included in credit scores, even though rent payments are often renters’ largest monthly expense. That is changing.

Rent reporting is the practice of providing data on rent payments to at least one of the three major consumer credit bureaus. Rent reporting has grown substantially over the last decade. The major credit scoring models, such as FICO and VantageScore, have begun adjusting scoring algorithms to factor in reported rental payments. And recent analysis shows that participating in positive-only rent reporting leads to an increased likelihood of a person having a credit score (Theodos, Teles, and Lieberman 2025).

State and local policy can play a role in expanding access to rent reporting as a credit-building tool for low- and moderate-income renters and in protecting renters from the potential risks of rent reporting. Several jurisdictions across the country have already taken steps to encourage, require, or regulate rent reporting for their residents. This brief describes the policy landscape and key decision points for state and local policymakers.