<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000950134-02-009520
<TYPE>8-K
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>3
<PERIOD>20020812
<ITEMS>7
<ITEMS>9
<FILING-DATE>20020812
<FILER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>RENT A CENTER INC DE
<CIK>0000933036
<ASSIGNED-SIC>7359
<IRS-NUMBER>481024367
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>8-K
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-25370
<FILM-NUMBER>02727344
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>5700 TENNYSON PARKWAY
<STREET2>THIRD FLOOR
<CITY>PLANO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75024
<PHONE>2144192613
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>13800 MONTFORT DRIVE
<STREET2>SUITE 300
<CITY>DALLAS
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75240
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>RENTERS CHOICE INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19941128
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</FILER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>d98971be8vk.txt
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 8-K
<TEXT>
<PAGE>

================================================================================


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 ---------------


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

                                 AUGUST 12, 2002

                                ----------------

                               RENT-A-CENTER, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)


DELAWARE                                0-25370                 48-1024367

(State or Other Jurisdiction of       (Commission              (IRS Employer
Incorporation)                        File Number)           Identification No.)


                              5700 TENNYSON PARKWAY
                                   THIRD FLOOR
                               PLANO, TEXAS 75024
               (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES) (ZIP CODE)

                                 (972) 801-1100
                             (REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE
                          NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE)

                                    NO CHANGE
          (FORMER NAME OR FORMER ADDRESS, IF CHANGED SINCE LAST REPORT)



================================================================================



<PAGE>

ITEM 9.  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

                  On August 12, 2002, Mark E. Speese, Chairman of the Board and
                  Chief Executive Officer, and Robert D. Davis, Senior Vice
                  President-Finance, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, of
                  Rent-A-Center, Inc. each submitted a certification to the
                  Securities and Exchange Commission relating to Rent-A-Center,
                  Inc.'s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
                  June 30, 2002, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted
                  pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

         (a)      FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BUSINESSES ACQUIRED.

                  Not applicable.

         (b)      PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

                  Not applicable.

         (c)      EXHIBITS

                  99.1     Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as
                           adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
                           Act of 2002 by Mark E. Speese.

                  99.2     Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as
                           adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
                           Act of 2002 by Robert D. Davis.



<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       RENT-A-CENTER, INC.





Date: August 12, 2002                  By:  /s/ Robert D. Davis
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Robert D. Davis
                                            Senior Vice President-Finance,
                                            Treasurer and Chief Financial
                                            Officer



                                        3
<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


<Table>
<Caption>
         EXHIBIT
         NUMBER            DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
         -------           ----------------------
<S>                        <C>
         99.1              Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as
                           adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
                           Act of 2002 by Mark E. Speese.

         99.2              Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as
                           adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
                           Act of 2002 by Robert D. Davis.
</Table>



                                        4

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.1
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>d98971bexv99w1.txt
<DESCRIPTION>CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
<TEXT>
<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1


                            CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                             18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002


         In connection with the Quarterly Report of Rent-A-Center, Inc. (the
"Company") on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2002 as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, Mark E.
Speese, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, hereby
certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to the best of my knowledge,:

(1)      The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or
         15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2)      The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
         material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of
         the Company.


                                       /s/ Mark E. Speese
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Mark E. Speese
                                       Chairman of the Board
                                       and Chief Executive Officer
                                       August 12, 2002


The foregoing certification is being furnished solely pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350 and is not being filed as part of the Report or as a separate
disclosure document.

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.2
<SEQUENCE>4
<FILENAME>d98971bexv99w2.txt
<DESCRIPTION>CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
<TEXT>
<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.2


                            CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                             18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002


         In connection with the Quarterly Report of Rent-A-Center, Inc. (the
"Company") on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2002 as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, Robert
D. Davis, Senior Vice President - Finance, Treasurer and Chief Financial
Officer of the Company, hereby certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as
adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to the
best of my knowledge,:

(1)      The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or
         15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2)      The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
         material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of
         the Company.


                                       /s/ Robert D. Davis
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Robert D. Davis
                                       Senior Vice President-Finance,
                                       Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
                                       August 12, 2002

The foregoing certification is being furnished solely pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350 and is not being filed as part of the Report or as a separate
disclosure document.

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
