Move-in checklist
By Claire Navarro - updated
A move-in checklist records the condition of a rental, room by room, on the day the tenant gets the keys. You and the tenant walk the home together, mark each item, take photos and both sign. Download the CSV for Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers, or print the blank checklist with the rooms and items already listed.
Download the free move-in checklist
Enter your email to get the CSV and the printable copy. The CSV opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers.
The printable copy is blank, ready to fill in by hand or save as a PDF from your browser's print dialog. It is one portrait letter page with blank lines at the top for tenant, property, unit, move-in date, inspected by and tenant signature, and 22 rows, 20 of them already listing the rooms and items to check, with columns for room, item, condition, notes and photos.
A filled-in move-in checklist
Unit 1 at the Cedar Court triplex on August 18, 2026, the day J. Rivera moved in. Of the 20 items, 17 are in good condition and 3 are marked fair, each with a note and a photo. The dripping faucet noted here is the one the tenant had repaired in October, credited at $85 on the rent ledger.
| Room | Item | Condition | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | Front door, lock and doorbell | Good | Lock rekeyed Aug 16 |
| Entry | Keys and remotes | Good | 2 door keys and 1 mailbox key handed over |
| Living room | Walls and ceiling | Good | Three small nail holes by the window |
| Living room | Floors or carpet | Fair | Light scratches by the entry |
| Living room | Windows, screens and blinds | Good | One bent blind slat, left window |
| Living room | Lights, switches and outlets | Good | All work |
| Kitchen | Refrigerator | Good | Clean, shelves and drawers intact |
| Kitchen | Stove, oven and hood | Good | All four burners work |
| Kitchen | Dishwasher | Good | Ran one cycle |
| Kitchen | Sink, faucet and disposal | Fair | Faucet drips at the base |
| Kitchen | Cabinets and countertops | Good | Burn mark left of the stove, about 1 inch |
| Bathroom | Toilet | Good | - |
| Bathroom | Tub, shower and caulk | Fair | Caulk discolored along the tub |
| Bathroom | Sink, vanity and mirror | Good | - |
| Bedroom 1 | Walls, closet and doors | Good | Fresh paint Aug 2026 |
| Bedroom 1 | Floors or carpet | Good | Carpet cleaned Aug 15 |
| Bedroom 1 | Windows, screens and blinds | Good | - |
| Whole home | Smoke and CO alarms | Good | All three tested Aug 18 |
| Whole home | Heating and air conditioning | Good | Filter replaced Aug 16 |
| Whole home | Water heater | Good | Installed 2021 |
When to use a move-in checklist
Fill it in on move-in day, before the tenant's furniture arrives, with the tenant beside you. An empty home shows scratches, stains and holes that boxes and sofas would hide.
Keep the signed copy with the lease. When the tenant moves out, you compare the home against it line by line, so both sides can see what changed during the tenancy. Deposit rules, including what may be deducted and when a deposit must be returned, vary by state, so check your state's rules as well.
What a move-in checklist includes
- The tenant, property, unit and move-in date at the top.
- One line per item, grouped by room: entry, living room, kitchen, bathroom, each bedroom and the whole home.
- A condition for each item, such as good, fair or damaged.
- A short note on anything less than good, with where it is and how big it is.
- Photo numbers, so each note points at the picture that shows it.
- Safety items: smoke and carbon monoxide alarms tested on the day.
- The keys and remotes handed over.
- Who did the inspection, and the signatures of you and the tenant.
How to use this move-in checklist
The CSV holds a filled-in example for unit 1 at the invented Cedar Court triplex and blank rows for more items. The printable checklist lists the same 20 rooms and items, with two spare lines for anything your home adds.
- Download the CSV or print the blank checklist, one copy per unit.
- Add lines for extra bedrooms, a second bathroom, a garage, a yard or appliances the home has.
- Walk the empty home with the tenant on move-in day, room by room in the checklist's order.
- Mark each item good, fair or damaged, and describe anything less than good: what it is, where and how big.
- Take a dated photo of every note and write the photo number on its line.
- Test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and list the keys and remotes you hand over.
- Sign it with the tenant, give them a copy and keep yours with the lease.
Common move-in checklist mistakes
- Writing "good" on every line without looking. A checklist only helps at move-out if it records the marks that were already there.
- Vague notes such as "some damage". Say what, where and how big: "burn mark left of the stove, about 1 inch".
- Skipping photos, or taking them without dates. Number them and write the number on the line.
- Doing the walk-through alone. The tenant's signature shows they saw the same condition you did.
- Filing the checklist where nobody can find it in two years. Keep it with the lease.
Frequently asked questions
Who fills in the move-in checklist?
You and the tenant, together. Walk the home side by side, agree on each line, then both sign. If the tenant finds something after move-in, add it in writing within a few days and keep that note with the checklist.
Should I take photos as well as fill in the checklist?
Yes. The checklist says what you saw and the photos show it. Write each photo's number on its line so the two match up at move-out.
What is the difference between a move-in and a move-out checklist?
The move-in checklist records the condition when the tenancy starts. The move-out checklist records it again when the tenant leaves, next to the move-in condition, so the change on each item is easy to see. This template and the move-out checklist list the same rooms and items in the same order.
Is a move-in checklist required?
Some states and cities require a written condition report when you collect a security deposit, and others leave it optional. Check your state's rules. Either way, a signed checklist is the clearest record of the home's condition on day one.
Send the move-in checklist from KeyRing
KeyRing sends your tenant a move-in checklist from their lease, and keeps the lease, its documents and your photos filed with the property and unit. Your first subscription starts with a 14-day free trial.