Free Georgia Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Checklist
Document a Georgia rental room by room at the start and end of a tenancy. This checklist is the evidence that protects the deposit under O.C.G.A. §44-7-34, which gives the landlord 30 days to return the deposit or itemize deductions. Fill it in, then download a signable multi-page PDF.
A Georgia move-in / move-out inspection checklist is a written, room-by-room record of the rental unit’s condition at the start of the tenancy and again at the end. It is the single most important document in any Georgia deposit dispute. Georgia law requires the landlord to hand the tenant a comprehensive list of existing damage before the deposit is tendered (O.C.G.A. §44-7-33), to inspect and compile a damage list within three business days of the tenant vacating, and to return the deposit or deliver a written statement of the exact reasons for any deduction within 30 days (O.C.G.A. §44-7-34). Paired with date-stamped photos, this checklist is what separates deductible damage from non-deductible wear and tear.
Georgia Deposit Rules at a Glance
Governing Statute
O.C.G.A. §44-7-34
Return / Itemize
Within 30 Days
Move-Out Inspection
3 Business Days
Bad-Faith Penalty
Treble Damages
The Two-Pillar Documentation Standard
A defensible Georgia deposit deduction rests on two pieces of evidence: (1) this written room-by-room checklist signed by both parties, and (2) date-stamped photographs of the same items at the same time. The checklist describes the condition; the photos prove it. Descriptions without photos are challengeable, and photos without descriptions are ambiguous — together they are the strongest possible defense. Always do both, at move-in and at move-out.
How to Use the Georgia Move-In / Move-Out Checklist
1. Walk the unit together before the deposit is paid
Georgia requires the landlord to present a comprehensive written list of existing damage before the tenant tenders the deposit (O.C.G.A. §44-7-33). Walk the unit together, record the condition of every item, and let the tenant inspect it before anyone signs.
2. Rate every item room by room
For each surface, fixture, and appliance mark Good, Fair, Poor, or N/A. The generator below covers the living room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, and common or exterior areas. Note every Poor-rated item by exact location.
3. Take date-stamped photos of every room
Photograph each room and every Poor-rated item, close up and wide. The written checklist plus date-stamped photos is the two-pillar evidence standard that wins Georgia deposit disputes.
4. Both parties sign, and keep a copy
The landlord and tenant sign the move-in list; a signed list is conclusive evidence of its accuracy except for latent defects. If the tenant disagrees with an item, they may note the specific dispute in writing and sign a statement of dissent.
5. Repeat the walk-through at move-out
Use the same form to record the move-out condition. Georgia landlords must inspect and compile a comprehensive list of damage within three business days of the tenant vacating (O.C.G.A. §44-7-33).
6. Compare move-in to move-out and separate wear from damage
Put the two records side by side. Ordinary wear and tear can never be charged to the deposit; only damage beyond ordinary use is deductible. The comparison is where the checklist earns its keep.
7. Return the deposit or itemize within 30 days
The landlord must return the full deposit, or deliver a written statement of the exact reasons for any retention, within 30 days of obtaining possession (O.C.G.A. §44-7-34). Retain the signed checklist and photos for at least four years.
Build Your Georgia Checklist
Complete the fields below to generate a printable, room-by-room Georgia move-in / move-out inspection checklist as a multi-page PDF. Use the same form for the move-in walk-through (which establishes baseline condition) and the move-out walk-through (which documents condition at the end of the tenancy). Conduct both with the tenant present whenever possible, and pair both with date-stamped photographs. When the retention is based on damage, the same record feeds directly into the Georgia itemized deductions form and the Georgia deposit return letter.
1. Parties & Tenancy
2. Property
3. Room-by-Room Condition
For each item select Good (no defects), Fair (minor wear), Poor (visible damage), or N/A (not present). Describe any Poor-rated item in the Detailed Notes below and photograph it.
4. Photo Documentation
Date-stamped photos are the second pillar of any defensible deposit claim. Photograph each room and every Poor-rated item, and retain the photos for at least four years in a dated cloud backup.
5. Signatures
Both parties should sign and retain a copy. A tenant signature acknowledges the accuracy of the inspection findings; it is not a waiver of legal rights.
Georgia’s Distinctive Deposit Framework
Georgia’s security deposit statute runs from O.C.G.A. §44-7-30 through §44-7-37, and it is stricter on procedure than most people expect. The move-in / move-out checklist is not a nice-to-have here — it is woven directly into the statutory duties that decide whether a landlord may keep any part of the deposit. Four provisions do the heavy lifting.
O.C.G.A. §44-7-33 — the move-in list Georgia landlords miss
Before a covered landlord may accept the deposit, the tenant must be presented with a comprehensive written list of existing damage, and the tenant has the right to inspect the unit to confirm that the list is accurate. Both parties sign it, and a signed list is conclusive