In the United States, a guarantor usually means a cosigner: a person with US income and credit who signs the lease and becomes legally responsible if you miss rent. That is different from Japan's default private-market pattern of paying a guarantor company as a near-standard fee. Plenty of US apartments approve applicants with no cosigner when the file looks strong. The friction shows up when you are a student, a new arrival with little US credit history, or you fall short of the landlord's income screen.
When do landlords ask for a cosigner?
Large management companies and competitive metros screen hard. New York City listings often use an informal rule of thumb that annual household income should be around forty times the monthly rent. If you earn less, or your Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion file is thin, the building may ask for a US-based cosigner who meets a higher income bar. University towns and luxury towers use similar filters even when local law does not force them.
A cosigner request is a landlord policy, not a federal requirement. Texas suburbs, Midwest midsize cities, and smaller landlords sometimes approve remote workers on pay stubs and bank statements alone. State security-deposit caps still matter: some states limit how much cash a landlord can collect up front, so "just pay three months extra" is not always legal. Check deposit rules for the state you are moving to in Rental contracts deposits.
What alternatives work without a personal cosigner?
Stronger paperwork helps before you look for a human guarantor. Offer recent US or foreign pay stubs, an employment letter, tax transcripts, and proof of savings. Building a thin US credit file with a secured card that reports to the three bureaus (see Build credit history) reduces the chance a Brooklyn or San Francisco application stalls on "no score."
Putting a roommate or partner on the lease can combine incomes so the household clears the screen. Prepaid rent or a larger deposit can persuade some owners, but only within state deposit limits and written lease terms. Corporate apartments and employer-arranged housing often skip the cosigner dance because the company is the credit party.
Paid guarantor services (commercial companies that stand in for a cosigner for a fee) exist in some US cities. They are optional products, not the national default the way hosho kaisha screening is in Japan. Read the fee, the income they require from you, and what happens if you miss a payment. Treat cold messages that demand wire fees before a viewing as scam risk; follow Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rental-scam guidance and Avoid rental scams.
Common misconceptions
Needing a cosigner does not mean foreigners cannot rent in the United States. It usually means that landlord's income or credit bar is higher than your current file.
Another mistake is assuming every US city runs Japan-style guarantor companies. Most US leases either approve you, reject you, or ask for a person (or paid service) to cosign. The fee-based company path is niche, not automatic.
Summary
You can often rent in the United States without a guarantor if income proof and US credit screening clear the landlord's bar. Cosigners matter most for students, thin-credit newcomers, and high-bar cities such as New York.
If you lack a US cosigner, stack stronger documents, roommates on the lease, legal prepaid or deposit options, corporate housing, or a carefully vetted guarantor service, and keep scam filters on while you search.
Sources
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