Document the unit's condition. Get the move-in/move-out checklist →
A move-in inspection is a walk-through, done before the tenant moves in their belongings, where you record the condition of every room and both of you sign the result. You do it because it is your evidence. At move-out, a deduction for damage holds up only if you can show the damage was not there at the start, and a signed, dated condition report with photos is how you show that.
In some states it is more than good practice. Washington, Georgia (for larger landlords), Kentucky (in localities that adopted the uniform act), Massachusetts, Virginia, Montana and Michigan require a written move-in condition checklist or statement, and in several of them a landlord who skips it loses the right to keep the deposit for damage. Arizona, Nevada, Maryland, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and California have related rules on move-in forms, tenant notices or photos.
This guide covers which states require what (with the statute for each), then how to run the inspection itself: timing, who attends, what to check room by room, photos, signatures, and how the move-in record is used at move-out. For the document itself, use the free move-in/move-out checklist.
Do landlords have to do a move-in inspection?
In most states, no statute forces you to. But everywhere you need proof to keep any part of a deposit for damage, and a report made on day one is far easier to defend than your memory of the carpet two years later.
In the states below, the statute itself requires a written condition record. Rules are as of October 2026; read the linked statute before you rely on any row.
States that require a written move-in condition report
| State | What the law requires | If you skip it | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | No deposit unless the lease is in writing and you give a written checklist or statement of the unit's condition (walls, floors, furniture, appliances, existing damage) at the start of the tenancy. Landlord and tenant sign and date it; tenant gets a copy. | You are liable to the tenant for the full deposit, and you cannot deduct for fixtures, appliances or furnishings whose condition was not reasonably documented on the checklist. | RCW 59.18.260, 59.18.280 |
| Georgia | Before taking a deposit, give the tenant a comprehensive list of existing damage. Tenant may inspect before move-in; both sign or the tenant signs a written dissent. Landlord makes a move-out damage list within 3 business days. Does not apply to an individual who owns 10 or fewer units and uses no paid management agent. | You may not keep any part of the deposit, and missing a required list forfeits your right to sue the tenant for damage. | O.C.G.A. 44-7-33, 44-7-35 |
| Kentucky | In cities and counties that adopted the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act: before taking a deposit, give a comprehensive list of existing damage with estimated repair costs. Tenant may inspect; both sign, or the tenant signs a specific written dissent. | Without the move-in and move-out lists and a separate deposit account, you may not keep any of the deposit. | KRS 383.580 |
| Massachusetts | If you take a deposit, give a signed statement of the unit's condition, listing existing damage and certain code violations, within 10 days after the tenancy starts (or when the deposit is paid, if later). It must carry the statutory notice in 12-point bold type. Tenant has 15 days to sign it or attach their own list. | No deduction for damage that was listed on the statement. The statute does not attach a separate penalty to skipping it, but you lose your best evidence. | G.L. c. 186, s. 15B(2)(c), (4) |
| Virginia | Within 5 days after occupancy, give the tenant a written report itemizing existing damage, including whether there is visible evidence of mold. Tenant has 5 days to object in writing, or the report is deemed correct. | No penalty in the inspection section itself, but an unchallenged report is "deemed correct," which works in your favor only if you made one. | Va. Code 55.1-1214, 55.1-1215 |
| Montana | If you take a deposit, give a separate written statement of the unit's condition when the lease is signed or the tenancy starts, signed by you or your agent. On written request, also give the prior tenant's damage and cleaning charges. | You cannot recover anything for damage or cleaning unless you prove by clear and convincing evidence that the tenant caused it. | MCA 70-25-206 |
| Michigan | Use inventory checklists at move-in and move-out. Give the tenant two blank copies at move-in with the statutory notice in 12-point bold type; tenant returns one within 7 days. | The section states no specific penalty. | MCL 554.608 |
States with related move-in rules
| State | Rule | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | On move-in, give the tenant a signed copy of the lease, a move-in form for noting existing damage, and written notice that the tenant may be present at the move-out inspection. | A.R.S. 33-1321(C) |
| Nevada | Every written rental agreement must include "a signed record of the inventory and condition of the premises" under the tenant's exclusive control. | NRS 118A.200(3)(k) |
| Maryland | The deposit receipt must tell the tenant they can have the unit inspected with you to make a written list of existing damage, if they request it by certified mail within 15 days of moving in. | Md. Real Prop. 8-203.1 |
| New Hampshire | You must tell the tenant in writing that they should give you a written list of conditions needing repair within 5 days of occupancy. | RSA 540-A:6 |
| Wisconsin | Before accepting a deposit, give written notice that the tenant may inspect and report preexisting damage within at least 7 days of the start of the tenancy, and may request the list of damage charged to the prior tenant. | Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06(1) |
| California | No statewide checklist requirement, but for tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025, you must photograph the unit immediately before or at the start of the tenancy. Move-out photos (before repairs or cleaning) and post-repair photos have been required since April 1, 2025. | Cal. Civ. Code 1950.5(g) |
Georgia's and Kentucky's signed lists are "conclusive evidence" of condition, except for latent defects. Kentucky's rule depends on where the unit is, so check your city or county. Deposit caps and return deadlines are on the security deposit laws hub.
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How to run a move-in inspection
When
Do it after cleaning and repairs are finished and before you hand over keys, while the unit is empty. Statutory timing overrides this: Georgia and Kentucky want the list before you take the deposit, Massachusetts within 10 days, Virginia within 5 days of occupancy. If your state gives the tenant a window to add notes (Michigan 7 days, Massachusetts 15, Virginia 5, New Hampshire 5), tell the tenant the deadline in writing.
Who attends
You (or your manager) and every adult tenant on the lease. If a tenant cannot attend, complete it yourself, photograph everything, deliver a copy, and invite written additions by a set date.
Rating scale
Define a simple scale at the top of the form so ratings mean the same thing at move-out:
- New: installed or replaced within the past few months
- Good: clean, works, no visible wear
- Fair: works, with normal wear (light scuffs, minor fading)
- Poor: damaged, stained, or not working; describe it
"Fair" alone tells a judge nothing. Add a short note: "2-inch scratch on counter left of sink, photo 14."
What to check, room by room
Every room: walls and ceiling (holes, stains, paint), floors (scratches, carpet stains, loose tiles), doors and locks, windows, screens and blinds, outlets and switches, light fixtures, closets, vents.
Kitchen: each appliance turned on (range burners, oven, fridge temperature, dishwasher cycle, microwave, disposal), cabinets and drawers, countertops, sink and faucet, under-sink leaks.
Bathrooms: toilet (flush, base, seat), tub or shower (caulk, grout, drain speed), sink, mirror, exhaust fan, towel bars, signs of mold.
Systems and exterior: heating and AC, water heater, laundry, garage door, yard, fences, parking.
Photos and video
Take wide shots of each room from the doorway, then close-ups of every flaw you write down. Number the photos and put the number in the notes column. A narrated video walk-through is a good backup. Keep the original files, since their metadata shows the capture date, and give the tenant access to the set.
In California, move-in photos are mandatory for tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025, and they support any repair or cleaning deduction on your itemized statement. See the California security deposit page.
Smoke and CO detectors
Test every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm in front of the tenant and record the location and result. Detector requirements are set by state and local code, so check yours. A signed line showing the alarms worked at move-in documents that you delivered them working.
Meters, keys and remotes
Record electric, gas and water meter readings (photograph each) so the first utility bill splits cleanly. List every key, fob, garage remote and mailbox key you hand over, with counts. At move-out, you will compare the returned items against this list.
Signatures, copies and tenant notes
Both sides sign and date the report and initial each page. Give the tenant a complete copy the same day. Leave room for the tenant's notes and let them add items found in the first days; in Georgia and Kentucky, a tenant who disagrees signs a specific written dissent. Washington requires one free replacement copy on request.
Using it at move-out
Bring the signed move-in copy to the final walk-through and record move-out condition on the same rows, so each item's before and after sit side by side. Several states set rules for this step: Georgia requires the move-out damage list within 3 business days, Virginia requires the move-out inspection within 72 hours after the tenant gives up possession (and written notice of the tenant's right to attend), and California lets the tenant ask for an initial inspection before moving out with 48 hours' written notice.
Charge only for damage beyond ordinary wear and tear that is not on the move-in report. Then follow your state's deadline for the itemized statement. The steps are in how to return a security deposit; New York adds a pre-move-out inspection, covered in New York security deposit return rules. Inspecting during the tenancy with the same checklist makes the comparison easier; see routine rental inspections.
A hypothetical example: the move-in report notes "bedroom carpet, Fair, light traffic wear, photos 22-23." At move-out the same carpet has a large bleach stain. The move-in entry and photos show the stain is new, which supports a deduction for the carpet's remaining value rather than the cost of new carpet.
Storing the record
Keep the signed report, photos and video together for the whole tenancy plus the time a tenant has to sue over the deposit in your state, with a digital copy off-site. (Maryland, for comparison, requires keeping the deposit receipt for 2 years after the tenancy ends.) Add mid-tenancy repairs to the file, since your maintenance checklist records change the baseline.
Printable move-in inspection checklist
Use this as your process list; record room-by-room conditions on the move-in/move-out checklist form.
Before the walk-through
- Unit cleaned, repairs finished, utilities on
- Your state's rules checked (deadline, statutory notice wording, who must sign)
- Inspection scheduled with all adult tenants
During
- Rating scale explained to the tenant
- Every room rated, with notes on each flaw
- Wide and close-up photos taken and numbered
- Every appliance, faucet, toilet and fixture tested
- Smoke and CO alarms tested and recorded
- Heating and cooling run
- Meter readings recorded and photographed
- Keys, fobs and remotes counted and listed
- Mold check noted (required in Virginia)
After
- Both parties signed and dated
- Tenant given a complete copy the same day
- Tenant told in writing how many days they have to add notes
- Tenant additions or dissent attached and signed
- Report, photos and video stored with the lease file
Sources
Official sources cited above (checked 2026-10-27):
- RCW 59.18.260, deposit and condition checklist (Washington)
- RCW 59.18.280, return of deposit and deductions (Washington)
- Georgia HB 834 (2018), enacted text of O.C.G.A. 44-7-33 to 44-7-35
- Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook
- KRS 383.580, security deposits (Kentucky)
- Mass. G.L. c. 186, s. 15B, security deposits
- Va. Code 55.1-1214, inspection of dwelling unit; report
- Va. Code 55.1-1215, disclosure of mold
- Va. Code 55.1-1226, security deposits and move-out inspection
- MCA 70-25-206, written statement of condition (Montana)
- MCL 554.608, inventory checklists (Michigan)
- A.R.S. 33-1321, security deposits and move-in form (Arizona)
- NRS 118A.200, rental agreements (Nevada)
- Md. Code, Real Property 8-203.1, security deposit receipt
- RSA 540-A:6, security deposits (New Hampshire)
- Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06, security deposits
- Cal. Civ. Code 1950.5, security deposits
- California Department of Real Estate, California Tenants guide (2026 edition)
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the tenant never returns the move-in checklist?
In some states that helps you. In Virginia the landlord's report is deemed correct if the tenant does not object in writing within 5 days, and the Massachusetts statement warns that a court may treat an unreturned list as agreement. Keep proof of when you delivered it.
Can I deduct for damage that is not on the move-in report?
Yes, if it is new damage beyond ordinary wear and tear and you can show the tenant caused it. The move-in report is how you show it was not there before; without one, some states (Washington, Georgia, Kentucky, Montana) sharply limit or bar damage deductions.
Does a small landlord in Georgia need a move-in damage list?
Not under the statute if you are an individual who owns 10 or fewer rental units and does not use a paid management agent. You still must give a written statement of reasons if you keep any of the deposit, so a move-in record is still worth making.
Document the unit's condition
A move-in/move-out checklist gives you a dated record of the unit for repairs and deposit decisions.
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