How to Apply for Section 8: Steps and Waiting Lists

What Section 8 is and how it works

Section 8 usually means the Housing Choice Voucher program. HUD explains that it helps low-income families, older adults and people with disabilities rent safe housing from private landlords. Local public housing agencies (PHAs) run it. The PHA pays part of the rent directly to the landlord, and you pay the rest.

A regular voucher moves with you. Some PHAs also have project-based vouchers, where the help is tied to a specific unit and stays with it. Before you learn how to apply for Section 8, ask your PHA whether those units have separate waiting lists. If you want to compare other kinds of affordable housing, see our low income housing guide.

Who qualifies for Section 8

Each PHA decides eligibility under HUD rules. The main factors are:

Income. Under 24 CFR 982.201, most applicants must be very low income: no more than 50% of the area median income. At least 75% of the families a PHA admits from its waiting list each year must be extremely low income: no more than 30% of the area median, or the federal poverty guideline if that is higher.
Household size and area. The dollar limits change with family size and location. Look up yours on HUD User's income limits page.
Status. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens, and HUD says the head of household must have a valid Social Security number.
Background. HUD notes that some criminal histories can make an applicant ineligible.

How to apply for Section 8, step by step

Here is how to apply for Section 8 with most agencies. Details vary, so follow your PHA's own instructions:

Find the PHAs near you. Use HUD's PHA contact list, call HUD's PIH Customer Service Center at 800-955-2232, or ask 211. Some areas have more than one agency.
Check whether the waiting list is open. Look at the PHA's website and social media, or call and ask how it announces openings.
Fill out the preliminary application. HUD's waiting-list flyer says it typically asks about household size, income, disability or elderly status, and any local preferences.
Gather documents. HUD lists pay stubs, bank information, paperwork for other benefits, proof of citizenship and Social Security cards. Each PHA sets its own list.
Save proof. Keep a copy of what you sent, the date and any confirmation number.
Apply to more than one PHA. HUD says you may need to, because demand is high. You do not have to live in an agency's area to apply, but it may require you to live there for the first 12 months if you lived elsewhere when you applied.

If a disability makes the process hard, ask for a reasonable accommodation, such as applying another way. HUD's flyer says PHAs must also provide meaningful access for people with limited English.

Section 8 waiting list: what happens after you apply

Most people wait. When a PHA opens its Section 8 waiting list, HUD rules require public notice of where and when to apply, and a PHA may close the list once it has enough applicants. Knowing how to apply for Section 8 is only half the job; staying on the list is the other half.

Lotteries. Some PHAs open a list for a short time and randomly select a set number of applications. Others go by the date and time you applied.
Preferences. A PHA may give priority to groups such as older adults, people with disabilities, working families or veterans. Not meeting a preference does not disqualify you, but it can affect your place.
A spot is not approval. Your eligibility is checked again when a voucher becomes available.
Stay current. Answer every letter on time, report a new address, phone number or household size, and check your status now and then. HUD warns that you may be removed if you do not keep the PHA informed.

HUD says your wait depends on how many vouchers are available, when you applied and any preferences that apply to you. A voucher is a long-term option, so look for short-term help too in our rental assistance guide.

When you are selected: briefing and voucher

When your name comes up, the PHA verifies your information. You then attend a briefing that must explain how the program works, your and the landlord's responsibilities, where you can rent and how portability works. You also get an information packet.

Your voucher comes with a search period. Federal rules set the initial term at no less than 60 days, and HUD says PHAs typically allow 60 to 120 days. A PHA may grant extensions, must extend the term when needed as a reasonable accommodation for a disability, and pauses the clock while it reviews a unit you have asked it to approve.

Finding a unit, the inspection and your rent share

Search early and widely. Ask the PHA for listings and tips, and ask landlords up front whether they accept vouchers. HUD says refusing vouchers can count as source-of-income discrimination where protections exist, and those protections vary by state and city.
Request approval. You and the landlord complete a Request for Tenancy Approval for the PHA.
Inspection and rent check. The PHA inspects the unit to make sure it meets health and safety standards, and checks that the rent is reasonable compared with similar unassisted units.
Your share of the rent. HUD says it is usually about 30% of your adjusted monthly income. If the unit costs more than the PHA's payment standard, your share when you first move in cannot exceed 40% of your monthly adjusted income.
After you move in, report income and household changes right away and complete the yearly recertification.

Moving with your voucher (portability)

Portability lets you use your voucher in another PHA's area anywhere in the U.S., as long as that agency runs a voucher program. HUD says whether you can move may depend on how long you have had assistance and where you lived when you applied. Tell your PHA before you move, end your lease properly, and ask how the transfer works.

How to apply for Section 8 without getting scammed

The FTC warns that fake websites copy Section 8 waiting list sign-ups and can show up near the top of search results. They charge fees and collect Social Security numbers, but they do not put you on a real list.

There is no fee to register for a Section 8 waiting list.
Housing authorities do not call or email you to suggest joining a waiting list, and never ask you to wire money or pay with a prepaid card.
Find your PHA yourself on HUD's list, and apply only through that agency's own website or office.
Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Where HomelessHelper fits

HomelessHelper is a free directory of essential services, with no account needed to search. On the website you choose a state and a county. It lists 3,449 public housing agencies from HUD records, covering public housing and voucher administration, so you can see which agencies serve your area. It also lists 1,302 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies.

Each listing shows its source and links to the original record, and the site works in English and Spanish. It is not a government agency or a housing program: it cannot put you on a waiting list, check your status or decide eligibility. Agency details can change, so confirm waiting-list news with the PHA itself. See how HomelessHelper works.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for Section 8?

Find your local public housing agency on HUD's PHA list or by calling 800-955-2232, check whether its waiting list is open, and submit its application. If you can, apply to more than one PHA.

How long is the Section 8 waiting list?

It varies by agency. HUD says waits can be long and depend on how many vouchers are available, when you applied and any preferences that apply to you.

How do I know when a Section 8 waiting list opens?

PHAs must give public notice when they open a list. Watch the PHA's website and social media, local newspapers and social service agencies, or ask the PHA how it announces openings.

Can I apply for Section 8 in another city or state?

Yes. You do not have to live in a PHA's area to apply, but the agency may require you to live there for the first 12 months of assistance.

How much rent will I pay with Section 8?

Usually about 30% of your adjusted monthly income. When you first move in, your share can be up to 40% if the rent is above the PHA's payment standard.

Does it cost money to apply for Section 8?

No. The FTC says there is no fee to register for a Section 8 waiting list. If a site charges you to learn how to apply for Section 8 or to sign you up, treat it as a scam.

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How to Apply for Section 8: From Application to Voucher, Step by Step