Once you have found an apartment, you will need to fill out an application and give the landlord permission to run a credit check and verify income and employment.  There is usually an application fee of approximately $65.  You should be prepared to supply a letter of employment, recent pay stubs, bank statements and a government issued form of identification such as a driver’s license or passport. If you are self-employed, you will need to supply copies of past two years tax returns.  Most landlords use a third-party service to run the credit check and verify employment.  In many cases, the application fee is paid directly to the third-party service.

Living in NYC is very expensive as compared to many other parts of the country.  Newcomers are often faced with sticker-shock and sometimes are unable to meet the income requirements set by the landlord.  If you do not personally meet the income requirements, you may need to use a Guarantor to secure the apartment.