Move-in move-out checklist template

A move-in and move-out inspection checklist by room with condition at move-in and move-out, notes and signatures of tenant and landlord.

  • 🇺🇸 US format · Letter size
  • Free

Fill in what you need. The preview updates as you type.

Usually left empty at move-in and written in by hand later.

One room per line. Names with kitchen, bath, bedroom, laundry or exterior in them get the items for that kind of room. Empty uses the list in the placeholder.

What you type is not saved on our server.

A general form, not legal advice

This is a general template, not legal advice. A few states require their own move-in inspection form or a set number of days for the tenant to add items; check your state's landlord-tenant rules and keep the signed checklist with the lease.

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How to use it

Type the property, the tenant and the landlord, and list the rooms one per line. Each room gets a short table: walls and ceiling, floors, windows and coverings, doors and locks, lights and outlets, plus the lines that belong to that room, such as cabinets and appliances in the kitchen or the tub and tile in a bathroom. A safety table covers detectors, heating and cooling, meter readings and the key count.

Walk the unit together on move-in day, write a condition code in the move-in column for every line, describe anything that is not good in Notes, and both sign the move-in line at the bottom. Keep the same sheet, and on move-out day fill the second column, compare, and sign the move-out line. Photos with dates make the sheet hard to argue with.

Things to watch

Normal wear and tear, such as small nail holes, faded paint and worn carpet in traffic areas, is not damage and cannot come out of the deposit. Fill the move-out column against the move-in column line by line, and send the itemized deposit statement within your state's deadline, which is often 14 to 30 days. A missing or unsigned move-in checklist is the most common reason a landlord loses a deposit dispute.

Calculators that go with this

Frequently asked questions

Can I add rooms or items?

Rooms, yes: type one per line and the table for each is built from its name, so a line called Dining room gets the standard items and a line called Half bath gets the bathroom items. Items are fixed per room, about six each so the sheet stays at two or three pages; use the Notes column for anything the list does not name, or add a room line called Other.

Who keeps the signed checklist?

Both. Make a copy or scan it after the move-in signatures and give one to the tenant. At move-out, use the same original so the two columns sit side by side.

What comes next?

At move-in, the rent ledger template to track payments from month one. At move-out, the notes on this sheet become the itemized deposit statement, and a tenant who left the unit in good shape may ask for the landlord reference letter.

Is what I type saved anywhere?

No. Everything stays in your browser and nothing is sent to our server. If you refresh the page it is gone, so print, save a PDF or download the DOCX when you are done.