Move-In / Move-Out Condition Checklist
A room-by-room condition report both landlord and tenant sign at move-in and move-out — the evidence that makes deposit deductions stick (or proves the tenant right).
Reviewed by Milo, our property management expert · Updated July 20, 2026
When to use this
Complete together at move-in, walk the same list at move-out, and photograph everything both times. Deposit disputes are evidence contests: the signed checklist plus timestamped photos is what turns 'he said, she said' into an itemized deduction that survives small claims.
Check your state first
Some states require a written condition report at move-in (and give tenants a window to amend it); a few require offering a pre-move-out inspection. Check whether yours does — skipping a required report can void deductions entirely.
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Property and parties
Property: [PROPERTY ADDRESS, UNIT] Tenant(s): [TENANT NAMES] Move-in inspection date: [MOVE-IN DATE] Move-out inspection date: [MOVE-OUT DATE] Condition codes: N = New, G = Good, F = Fair (wear), P = Poor / damaged. Note details and photograph anything rated F or P.
Every room (repeat per room)
Room: [LIVING ROOM / BEDROOM 1 / etc.] - Floors / carpet: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Walls / paint: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Ceiling / light fixtures: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Windows / screens / blinds: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Doors / locks: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Outlets / switches: [CODE] — [NOTES]
Kitchen
- Countertops / cabinets: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Sink / faucet / disposal: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Refrigerator: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Range / oven / hood: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Dishwasher / microwave: [CODE] — [NOTES]
Bathrooms (repeat per bathroom)
- Toilet / seat: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Tub / shower / caulk: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Sink / vanity: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Exhaust fan: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Tile / flooring: [CODE] — [NOTES]
Systems, safety, and exterior
- Heating / cooling (tested): [CODE] — [NOTES] - Water heater: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Smoke / CO detectors (tested, count: [X]): [CODE] - Keys issued: [HOUSE x_, MAILBOX x_, GARAGE x_] - Exterior / yard / garage: [CODE] — [NOTES]
Signatures
Move-in — Tenant: ______________ Date: ______ Landlord: ______________ Date: ______ Move-out — Tenant: ______________ Date: ______ Landlord: ______________ Date: ______ Photos taken at move-in: [COUNT / STORAGE LOCATION]. Photos taken at move-out: [COUNT / STORAGE LOCATION].
Educational starting point, not legal advice — the PDF carries the same note. Have a local professional review before signing.
The annotated reference
[BRACKETS] mark fill-in fields
Property and parties
Property: [PROPERTY ADDRESS, UNIT] Tenant(s): [TENANT NAMES] Move-in inspection date: [MOVE-IN DATE] Move-out inspection date: [MOVE-OUT DATE] Condition codes: N = New, G = Good, F = Fair (wear), P = Poor / damaged. Note details and photograph anything rated F or P.
Milo's note
The codes force specificity. 'G' at move-in and 'P' at move-out with photos of both is a complete deduction case.
Every room (repeat per room)
Room: [LIVING ROOM / BEDROOM 1 / etc.] - Floors / carpet: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Walls / paint: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Ceiling / light fixtures: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Windows / screens / blinds: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Doors / locks: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Outlets / switches: [CODE] — [NOTES]
Milo's note
Walk one room at a time, in the same order every tenancy, so nothing gets skipped and reports stay comparable.
Kitchen
- Countertops / cabinets: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Sink / faucet / disposal: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Refrigerator: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Range / oven / hood: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Dishwasher / microwave: [CODE] — [NOTES]
Milo's note
Run every appliance during the walkthrough — 'the oven never worked' is a move-out classic that a two-minute test at move-in eliminates.
Bathrooms (repeat per bathroom)
- Toilet / seat: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Tub / shower / caulk: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Sink / vanity: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Exhaust fan: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Tile / flooring: [CODE] — [NOTES]
Milo's note
Photograph the caulk and grout specifically — moisture damage arguments turn on whether it was sealed at move-in.
Systems, safety, and exterior
- Heating / cooling (tested): [CODE] — [NOTES] - Water heater: [CODE] — [NOTES] - Smoke / CO detectors (tested, count: [X]): [CODE] - Keys issued: [HOUSE x_, MAILBOX x_, GARAGE x_] - Exterior / yard / garage: [CODE] — [NOTES]
Milo's note
Detector testing at move-in, in writing, matters beyond the deposit — it's liability protection.
Signatures
Move-in — Tenant: ______________ Date: ______ Landlord: ______________ Date: ______ Move-out — Tenant: ______________ Date: ______ Landlord: ______________ Date: ______ Photos taken at move-in: [COUNT / STORAGE LOCATION]. Photos taken at move-out: [COUNT / STORAGE LOCATION].
Milo's note
Both signatures, both times. An unsigned checklist is a diary; a signed one is evidence.
These templates are educational starting points, not legal advice. Real estate law varies by state — and sometimes by county — so adapt the bracketed fields to your situation and have a local professional review anything before you sign it or send it.
Common questions
What counts as normal wear and tear?
The aging any careful occupant causes: faded paint, worn carpet paths, minor scuffs, loose door handles. Damage is the rest: holes, burns, stains, broken fixtures, unauthorized paint. You can deduct for damage, never for wear — and the checklist plus photos is how you tell them apart credibly.
Goes with this template
Questions about filling this in?
Milo covers property management — ask anything, free.