Move-In and Move-Out Inspection Checklist
Most security deposit fights come down to one question: was that damage already there when you moved in? Without a record, it's your word against your landlord's, and they're the one holding the money. This checklist gives you that record, room by room, with notes and photos to back it up.
Fill it in right here. It saves in your browser as you type, and you don't need an account to use it. Downloading the PDF to sign and share takes a free account. At move-out, switch to the move-out inspection and you'll see your move-in notes next to each item.
Last updated: September 2026
Rental details
Your home's layout
Entry and Living Room
0/14
Kitchen
0/15
Bedroom
0/13
Bathroom
0/15
Safety and Systems
0/11
Keys and Meter Readings
0/7
Saved in this browser as you type. Nothing is sent anywhere until you download.
Before you unpack
- Do the walkthrough before your furniture goes in. A couch can hide a carpet stain for your whole lease.
- Photograph or video every room, including inside the fridge, oven, cabinets and closets. Email the files to yourself so the dates are easy to prove.
- Be specific: "2-inch scratch on bedroom door, left side, knee height" beats "door scratched."
- Test things, don't just look at them. Run every faucet and the shower, flush each toilet, open the windows, turn on every burner and press the smoke detector test buttons.
- Ask your landlord to sign the checklist, and keep a copy. If they won't, email it to them so there's a dated record.
- If your landlord hands you their own checklist, read it before you sign and add anything they missed. Some states give you only a few days to respond.
When you move out
- Ask for a walkthrough before you hand back the keys. In some states you have a right to one, and it's your chance to fix things before they turn into deductions.
- Clean first, then use this as your move-out checklist, comparing each item with what you wrote at move-in.
- Retake your photos from the same angles, and photograph the meter readings.
- Return every key, fob and remote, and get a written receipt for them.
- Give your landlord your forwarding address in writing so your deposit, and any list of deductions, can reach you.
- Keep the lease, both checklists, your photos and your messages together until your deposit is settled.
Does the law require a move-in checklist?
It depends on your state. Some states make the landlord offer a walkthrough before you move in, some require a written condition report, and some give you just a few days to flag problems in writing. We checked the examples below against each state's official statutes in September 2026, but they're not a complete list. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the law where you live. And if your state doesn't require anything? Make your own record anyway. It's the best evidence you'll have.
Connecticut and New York require the landlord to offer a walkthrough before you move in. In Connecticut (for leases made on or after January 1, 2024), if you accept, you and the landlord fill in the state's walkthrough checklist, both sign it and each keep a copy. In New York, if you ask for the inspection, you both sign a written agreement listing any existing defects or damage. Either way, the landlord can't keep deposit money for anything recorded. New York's rule doesn't cover rent-controlled apartments or certain senior housing and care facilities.Sources: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-7c; N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108; N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-107 (rent-stabilized units)
In Washington, Montana and Hawaii, skipping the move-in report costs the landlord. A Washington landlord can't collect a deposit without a written lease and a written checklist or statement of the unit's condition at move-in, signed and dated by both of you. If they collect one without the checklist, they're liable to you for the amount of the deposit. In Montana, a landlord who requires a deposit but doesn't give you a written condition statement can't charge you for damage or cleaning unless they prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that you, your family or your guests caused it during your tenancy. And if a Hawaii landlord doesn't inventory the unit in writing before you move in, the law presumes it was in the same condition at move-out as when you moved in, unless shown otherwise.Sources: RCW 59.18.260; Mont. Code Ann. § 70-25-206; Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Other states also require a written record at move-in. North Dakota landlords must give you a statement of the unit's condition when you enter the rental agreement. Once you both agree to it and sign, it counts as proof of the starting condition unless someone shows otherwise. In Kansas, you and the landlord inventory the unit together within 5 days of move-in and both sign the written record. Arizona landlords must give you a move-in form for listing existing damage, plus written notice that you can be present at the move-out inspection. And Nevada lists a signed record of the unit's inventory and condition among the things a written rental agreement must cover.Sources: N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.2; K.S.A. 58-2548; A.R.S. § 33-1321(C); NRS 118A.200(3)(k)
Kentucky's rule applies only in cities and counties that have adopted the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. There, you must get a list of existing damage, with estimated repair costs, before you pay a deposit, and you have the right to inspect the unit to check it. Once you both sign the list, it's conclusive evidence of its accuracy (hidden defects aside). If something's wrong, the law has you write down the specific items you dispute and sign that statement instead.Sources: KRS 383.580(2); KRS 383.500 (local adoption)
Some states give you a deadline. A Virginia landlord must give you a written report of existing damage within 5 days after you move in, and it's treated as correct unless you object in writing within 5 days of getting it. A Massachusetts landlord who takes a deposit must give you a signed statement of the unit's condition. You then have 15 days (from getting it or moving in, whichever is later) to return it: signed if it's right, or with your own signed list of damage if it's not. If you don't return it, a court may treat that as agreement that the list is correct in a later case over your deposit. Michigan landlords who require a deposit must give you two blank checklists at move-in, and you return one, filled in, within 7 days after you get possession.Sources: Va. Code § 55.1-1214; Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B; MCL 554.608
In a few states, you start the process. In Maryland, you can ask the landlord by certified mail, within 15 days of moving in, to inspect the unit with you and make a written list of existing damage. New Hampshire landlords must tell you in writing to give them a list of anything needing repair within 5 days of moving in. These windows are short, so put the date in your calendar the day you get the keys.Sources: Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203.1(a); N.H. RSA 540-A:6, I
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a move-in checklist if my landlord didn't give me one?
Yes. Make your own. Without a record, it's your memory against your landlord's when they say that stain or scratch is new. Fill in this checklist, take photos, and email a copy to your landlord so there's a dated record of what you reported. In some states, the landlord was actually supposed to give you one. In Washington, for example, a landlord who collects a deposit without giving you a written move-in checklist is liable to you for the amount of the deposit.Source: RCW 59.18.260
Can I fill out a move-in checklist after I've already moved in?
Yes, and the sooner the better. The longer you've lived there, the easier it is for a landlord to argue a problem is yours. Put the date you actually did the inspection, not your move-in date, and point out anything that's obviously old, like rust, faded paint or water stains. Check for a deadline, too. Michigan gives you 7 days after you get possession to return the landlord's checklist, and New Hampshire landlords must tell you to report anything needing repair within 5 days of moving in.Sources: MCL 554.608; N.H. RSA 540-A:6, I
What if my landlord won't sign the checklist?
Send it anyway. Email it with your photos attached and ask them to reply if they disagree with anything. That gives you a dated record of what you reported and when, which is what you'll want if there's a dispute later. Keep the sent email and any reply. Some states spell out the landlord's side, too. In Massachusetts, when you answer the landlord's condition statement with your own list of damage, they have 15 days to send back a copy with either their signed agreement or a clear statement of disagreement.Source: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B
Can my landlord charge me for normal wear and tear?
In many states, no. Deposit laws in California, Massachusetts, New York and Washington, for example, don't let a landlord take ordinary wear and tear out of your deposit. Where the line falls depends on your state's wording and the facts. But think of the difference between carpet that's worn thin along the path to the kitchen after a few years and a burn from a dropped curling iron. That's why your move-in notes matter so much: they show what was already worn before you got there.Sources: Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5; Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B; N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108; RCW 59.18.260
Can I be there for the move-out inspection?
In some states, yes, and it's worth asking for anywhere. In Virginia, the landlord must tell you in writing that you have the right to be present. If you want to be there, tell them in writing. California and New York go further: you can ask for an inspection shortly before you move out, so you find out what needs fixing while there's still time to fix it. Bring your move-in checklist and compare as you go.Sources: Va. Code § 55.1-1226(G); Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5; N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108
How long should I keep my move-in checklist?
At least until your deposit is back or any dispute over it is completely settled. Keep the signed checklist, your photos, the lease and any messages about the unit's condition together in one folder. Digital copies cost nothing to keep, so there's no real reason to ever delete them.
Haven't signed your lease yet?
Upload it for a free check. Then, if you want the details, a paid renter report spells out what your lease says about your deposit, damage charges and move-out rules before you commit.
Get My Free Lease Check →Legal Disclaimer: This checklist and the information on this page are for general information only. They aren't legal advice, LeaseParser isn't a law firm, and using them doesn't create an attorney-client relationship. Landlord-tenant laws vary by state and city and change over time; the state examples above were checked in September 2026 and may not fit your situation. For advice about your rental, talk to a licensed attorney or your local legal aid organization.