Do I have to send my ID to rent an apartment?
Not before you need to, and never a clean copy. Scheduling a tour doesn't require your DNI (Spanish national ID); signing the lease does. When you do send it, cover the data the process doesn't need and mark the copy with the agency's name and the date.
Why they ask for it
In a tight market, agencies and landlords screen applicants by asking for paperwork up front: ID, pay stubs, work contract. Sometimes before they've even shown you the apartment.
Every application leaves your ID in the hands of people you don't know, for apartments you may never visit. Multiply that by every listing you reply to.
The real risk
Fake rental listings exist precisely to harvest documents: with your ID and your pay stubs, someone can impersonate you with proof of income attached. And copies held by legitimate agencies leak too.
How to send it with Ofuska
- 1
Store
Your DNI encrypted on your phone. You generate a fresh copy for each application instead of re-forwarding the same photo.
- 2
Redact
Cover the signature, support number and date of birth. Leave visible what the landlord needs for the contract: your full name and DNI number.
- 3
Trace
An "Agency X — Calle Mayor rental — date" mosaic. Every application stays in your history: if your ID turns up somewhere else, you'll know which agency leaked it.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it normal to be asked for ID before touring an apartment?
- Increasingly common, but not essential for a tour. If you don't want to lose the apartment, send a redacted, watermarked copy: it's more than enough for shortlisting applicants.
- How do I spot a fake rental listing?
- Below-market price, pressure to pay a deposit fast and requests for full paperwork without showing you the apartment are the classic signs. Never send a clean copy of your ID to a listing you haven't verified.