Move-In Checklist for Landlords (Free)

How to fill in the move-in checklist

Do the inspection after the unit is cleaned and repaired and before the tenant moves any furniture in. An empty unit shows everything.

Header and condition key

Fill in the names on the lease, the address, unit, move-in date and inspection date. Tick who was present. If you take photos or video, write where they’re stored (a dated folder in cloud storage works).

Use the condition key consistently: N for new, G for good, F for fair or normal wear, P for poor, D for damaged or missing. A column of G’s tells a judge very little on its own, so the notes column is where the useful detail goes.

Room-by-room tables

Go room by room, left to right, and write specifics. “Carpet stained” is weak. “Living room carpet: 4-inch brown stain near the window, faded strip by the sliding door” will hold up. Note sizes, locations and counts (two nail holes above the bed, one cracked outlet cover).

Test things as you go. Run every faucet, flush every toilet, open every window, turn on each burner, run the dishwasher for a minute and press the test button on every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. Write “tested” next to the alarms with the date.

Delete bedroom or bathroom tables you don’t need, or add rows for things the template doesn’t list, such as a ceiling fan remote or a basement dehumidifier.

Keys, remotes and meters

Count every key and device you hand over. At move-out, the same table tells you what’s missing. If the tenant pays utilities, record meter readings so the transfer date is clear.

Signatures and the added-notes window

Both of you sign and date it, and the tenant gets a copy the same day. Fill in the number of days the tenant has to add notes (many landlords allow 3 to 7) and stick to it.

Photos and video to go with the checklist

The checklist and the photos work together. Shoot a slow video walk-through of the whole unit first, with the date visible or spoken at the start, then take still photos of each room from the doorway and close-ups of every item you marked F, P or D. Open the oven, the fridge and the dishwasher on camera. Photograph the inside of closets and cabinets, the floors in bright light, and the walls near outlets and doors, where scuffs collect. Then write the folder name on the checklist so you can find it at move-out.

State rules for move-in condition records

Most states don’t require a checklist, but several tie your right to keep a deposit to one:

• Washington: a written move-in condition checklist is required to collect a deposit at all.
• Georgia: you must give the tenant a move-in list of existing damage, signed by the tenant, and inspect within 3 business days after move-out.
• Massachusetts: a signed statement of condition is due within 10 days of the tenancy starting. Mistakes in Massachusetts deposit handling can mean treble damages.
• Michigan: move-in and move-out inventory checklists are required under the Security Deposits Act.
• California: under AB 2801, dated photos at move-in (from July 1, 2025) and move-out (from April 1, 2025) are required to support deposit deductions.
• Kentucky and Tennessee: in localities and counties that adopted the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, move-in and move-out inspections or lists are required.
• New York and Maryland: New York landlords must offer a pre-move-in inspection, and Maryland tenants may request one.

Mistakes to avoid

• Filling it in from memory. Do it in the unit, on the day.
• Vague notes. “Some wear” can’t be compared to anything at move-out.
• No tenant signature. In Georgia and Washington, an unsigned or missing list can cost you the right to deduct.
• Losing the photos. Name the folder with the address and date, and back it up.
• Not giving the tenant a copy. A checklist the tenant never saw is hard to rely on later.