Free Mississippi Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Checklist
A room-by-room move-in and move-out inspection checklist for Mississippi landlords and tenants. Document the unit’s condition at the start AND end of the tenancy to support any deposit deduction under Miss. Code §89-8-21, which sets a 45-day deposit return and itemization deadline. Then download a signable multi-page PDF.
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Mississippi Move-In / Move-Out Checklist — Step-by-Step Guide
Covers Miss. Code §89-8-21, the 45-day deposit return deadline, permissible deductions, and wear-and-tear standards
A Mississippi move-in / move-out inspection checklist is the foundational record for any security deposit dispute. Under Miss. Code §89-8-21, a landlord has 45 days after the tenant surrenders possession to either refund the deposit in full or mail a written, itemized statement of deductions. The written checklist — paired with date-stamped photographs — is the evidence that separates deductible damage from non-deductible ordinary wear and tear. Use the same form twice: once at move-in to set the baseline, and again at move-out to prove what changed.
Mississippi Move-In / Move-Out at a Glance
Governing Statute
Miss. Code §89-8-21
Deposit Deadline
45 Days
Itemization
Written & Required
Keep Records
4 Years Min
The Two-Pillar Documentation Standard
A defensible deposit deduction in Mississippi requires two pieces of evidence: (1) this written room-by-room checklist signed by both parties, AND (2) date-stamped photographs of the same items taken at the same walkthrough. The written checklist alone is often challenged, and photos without written descriptions are ambiguous — but together they form the strongest possible defense. Always do BOTH, at move-in and again at move-out.
How to Complete a Mississippi Move-In / Move-Out Inspection
1. Walk the unit room by room at move-in
Before the tenant takes possession, inspect every room and rate each item Good, Fair, Poor, or Not Applicable. This baseline is what later separates pre-existing conditions from tenant-caused damage.
2. Take date-stamped photos of every room and defect
Photograph each room and every Poor-rated item at the same inspection. The written checklist plus date-stamped photos is the two-pillar evidence a Mississippi deposit deduction rests on.
3. Have both parties sign and keep a copy
Both landlord and tenant should sign the move-in checklist, and each keeps a copy. A signed, jointly witnessed record is far stronger than a one-sided one and heads off most disputes.
4. Offer a pre-move-out walkthrough
Mississippi does not require it, but offering a joint walkthrough one to two weeks before move-out lets the tenant cure minor issues and sharply reduces deposit disputes.
5. Repeat the same inspection at move-out
Use the identical checklist at final move-out and compare item by item against the move-in baseline. Record any change of condition in the detailed notes and photograph it.
6. Itemize deductions and return the deposit in 45 days
Under Miss. Code §89-8-21, return the deposit or mail a written itemized statement within 45 days of termination and surrender of possession. Charge only for damage beyond ordinary wear and tear.
7. Retain the checklist and photos for four-plus years
Keep the signed move-in and move-out checklist and all photos for at least four years to defend against any later deposit or contract claim.
Build Your Mississippi Checklist
Complete the fields below to generate a printable, room-by-room inspection checklist as a multi-page PDF. Use the same form for both walkthroughs: the move-in walk sets the baseline condition, and the move-out walk documents the condition at the end of the tenancy. Conduct both with the tenant present whenever possible, and pair both with date-stamped photographs. If you are also placing a new renter, pair the checklist with thorough move-in condition documentation.
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). Document any Poor-rated items in the Notes section below and photograph them.
4. Photo Documentation
Date-stamped photos are the second pillar of any defensible deposit claim. Photograph each room AND each Poor-rated item. Retain photos for at least 4 years in cloud backup.
5. Signatures
Both parties should sign and retain a copy. Tenant signature acknowledges accuracy of inspection findings (not a waiver of legal rights).
About the Mississippi Move-In / Move-Out Checklist
The Mississippi move-in / move-out inspection process is anchored to Miss. Code §89-8-21, the statute that governs security deposits and the end-of-tenancy accounting. The written checklist is the documentary spine of that process. It establishes baseline condition at move-in, creates a contemporaneous record at each later inspection, and provides the evidentiary support for any deduction the landlord may claim. A move-in / move-out checklist is not itself a statutory notice — it is practical, best-practice documentation — but it is the single most effective tool for keeping an end-of-tenancy accounting out of dispute.
The checklist serves both sides. For the landlord, it documents that observed damage arose during the tenancy (and is therefore chargeable) rather than being pre-existing (and not chargeable). For the tenant, it proves the landlord cannot reach into the deposit for conditions that existed before the tenant ever occupied the unit. A well-documented move-in record is the strongest defense against an unfair deduction on either side, and it is far easier to build at move-in than to reconstruct months later from memory.
Move-In vs. Move-Out: The Two-Walkthrough Workflow
The power of the checklist comes from using it twice with an item-by-item comparison in between. The move-in walkthrough, done before the tenant takes possession, records the starting condition of every surface, appliance, and fixture and becomes the immovable baseline. The move-out walkthrough, done after the tenant removes belongings and surrenders possession, records the ending condition of those same items. Laying the two side by side is what makes a deduction provable: an item that was Good at move-in and Poor at move-out, with a photo of the new damage, is a defensible charge; an item that was already Fair at move-in cannot be billed as if the tenant caused it.
Do both walkthroughs with the tenant present whenever possible and have both parties sign each time. Although Mississippi does not statutorily require a pre-move-out inspection (unlike California), offering a joint pre-move-out walkthrough one to two weeks before the tenant leaves is a strong best practice: it gives the tenant a written chance to clean or cure minor issues before the final inspection, which removes the most common source of deposit friction. Give the tenant a copy of the move-out checklist in advance so they know exactly what will be inspected.
What to Inspect Room by Room
A thorough Mississippi inspection walks every room and rates the condition of each fixed component. The fillable form above covers all of the following, and you should photograph anything rated Fair or Poor:
- Living room and common areas: walls and paint, flooring or carpet, ceiling, windows and screens, doors and hardware, light fixtures, electrical outlets, and blinds or curtains.
- Kitchen: walls, flooring, countertops, cabinets and drawers, sink and faucet, and each appliance separatel