Free Kentucky Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Checklist
Document a Kentucky rental room by room at the start and end of a tenancy. Under Ky. Rev. Stat. §383.580 a landlord must give a signed move-in AND move-out damage list — skip either and the landlord keeps none of the deposit. Fill it in, then download a signable multi-page PDF.
A Kentucky 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. In Kentucky it is not optional paperwork: Ky. Rev. Stat. §383.580 requires the landlord to present a comprehensive, signed listing of existing damage before the tenant tenders the deposit (§383.580(2)), to compile a comprehensive signed damage listing again at the end of the tenancy (§383.580(3)), and it bars a landlord from keeping any of the deposit if the deposit was commingled or either listing was skipped (§383.580(4)). Paired with date-stamped photos, this checklist is exactly the record that separates deductible damage from non-deductible wear and tear.
Kentucky Deposit Rules at a Glance
Governing Statute
Ky. Rev. Stat. §383.580
Move-In Damage List
Required & Signed
Move-Out Damage List
Required & Signed
Miss Either List
No Retention
The Two-Pillar Documentation Standard
A defensible Kentucky 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 Kentucky Move-In / Move-Out Checklist
1. Walk the unit together before the deposit is tendered
Kentucky requires the landlord to present a comprehensive written listing of existing damage and the estimated repair cost before the tenant tenders the deposit (Ky. Rev. Stat. §383.580(2)). 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 Kentucky deposit disputes.
4. Both parties sign, or the tenant signs a dissent
The landlord and tenant sign the listing; signatures are conclusive evidence of its accuracy except for latent defects. If the tenant disagrees with an item, the tenant states the specific dispute in writing and signs a statement of dissent (§383.580(2)).
5. Repeat the walk-through and compile the final listing at move-out
Use the same form to record the move-out condition. Kentucky requires the landlord to inspect and compile a comprehensive listing of any damage that is the basis for a charge, with the estimated cost, and the tenant again has the right to inspect and sign or dissent (§383.580(3)).
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. Account for the deposit and keep the record
A landlord who commingled the deposit or skipped either listing may keep none of it (§383.580(4)). Send any refund due to the tenant’s last known address, and retain the signed checklist and photos for at least four years.
Build Your Kentucky Checklist
Complete the fields below to generate a printable, room-by-room Kentucky 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 a retention is based on damage, the same record feeds directly into the Kentucky itemized deductions form and the Kentucky 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.