Guide

How to apply for Section 8

"Section 8" usually refers to the Housing Choice Voucher program, which is administered locally by Public Housing Agencies (PHAs). With a voucher, you choose any private rental that meets HUD's quality standards and accepts vouchers; the PHA pays your landlord directly each month, and you pay roughly 30% of your adjusted income toward rent. This page walks through the application process step by step.

Step 1: Find your local PHA

Every county in the United States is covered by at least one PHA, and many large cities have their own. Some PHAs cover a single town; others cover an entire region. To find yours, search HUD's "PHA Contact Information" page for your state. Write down the PHA name, phone number, and website. If multiple PHAs serve your area, you can usually apply to all of them.

Step 2: Check whether the waitlist is open

PHAs open and close their voucher waitlists periodically — sometimes for only a few days at a time. Check the PHA's website or call directly. If the list is closed, ask:

When is the list expected to open again?
Do you maintain an email/text notification list for openings?
Are there special-purpose vouchers (VASH for veterans, Foster Youth to Independence, Family Unification, Mainstream for non-elderly disabled) that may have separate, shorter lists I might qualify for?

Step 3: Submit a thorough application

Most PHAs now accept online applications. You will need:

Names, dates of birth, and Social Security Numbers (where applicable) for every household member.
Proof of all household income — pay stubs, benefit award letters, child support, pensions, etc.
Current address and the past several years of address history.
Proof of citizenship or eligible immigration status for at least one household member.
Information on any preferences you may qualify for (homelessness, displacement, working family, veteran, elderly, disabled, domestic-violence survivor).

Apply at every PHA where you'd be willing to live. Vouchers can sometimes be "ported" between PHAs after you receive one, but getting on multiple lists vastly improves your odds.

Step 4: Wait — and keep your contact info current

Waitlist times vary widely. Some rural areas issue vouchers within months; major metros routinely have multi-year waits. Whatever your wait looks like, the single most important thing you can do is keep your contact information current with every PHA you applied to. PHAs typically remove applicants who don't respond to mailed notices within 10–14 days.

Step 5: When your name comes up

You'll be asked to attend an eligibility briefing, verify your income and household composition, and undergo background checks. Once approved, you'll receive a voucher with a "Payment Standard" (the maximum rent the PHA will subsidize for your bedroom size) and a search period — usually 60 to 120 days — to find a unit and sign a lease.

Step 6: Find a unit

You can use your voucher anywhere in the PHA's jurisdiction at any rental that:

Falls within (or near) the Payment Standard.
Passes a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection.
Is offered by a landlord willing to accept vouchers and sign a HAP contract with the PHA.

Several states and cities now make "source of income" — including vouchers — a protected class under their fair housing laws, meaning landlords cannot refuse to consider voucher holders. Check your local rules.

While you wait: apply at project-based properties

Voucher waitlists can be long, but project-based properties listed in this directory maintain their own separate lists. Many of them have shorter waits, especially in smaller cities or for properties serving the elderly or disabled. Browse properties by state and apply directly at any that interest you.