Free Mississippi Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Checklist

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Mississippi Move-In / Move-Out Checklist — Step-by-Step Guide

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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 separately — refrigerator, stove or oven or range, microwave and vent, dishwasher, and garbage disposal. Note the make and any existing dents or scratches on appliances.
• Bedrooms: walls and paint, flooring or carpet, closet and closet doors, windows and screens, light fixtures, and the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, which are a life-safety item you should confirm work at every inspection.
• Bathrooms: walls, flooring or tile, toilet, sink and vanity, tub or shower, grout and caulking, mirror or medicine cabinet, and the exhaust fan. Bathrooms are where mildew, grout, and caulk disputes most often arise, so document them precisely.
• Exterior and building systems: entry and hallway, stairs and railings, laundry hookups or provided washer and dryer, HVAC and heating, water heater, patio or balcony, garage or parking, yard and landscaping, mailbox and keys, and window locks.

Be specific in your notes. “Small nail hole three inches above the light switch on the east wall” is far more useful in a dispute than “minor damage,” and it pairs cleanly with a close-up photo. If your checklist offers a line for the estimated cost to repair or correct an item, fill it in at move-out so both parties understand exactly what is being charged and why.

Mississippi law lets a landlord deduct for damage but never for ordinary wear and tear. Courts generally treat ordinary wear and tear as the natural, gradual deterioration of a unit from normal use over time, while damage is harm beyond ordinary use. Getting this line right is the whole reason the checklist exists.

• Ordinary wear and tear (NOT deductible): faded or slightly worn paint, minor carpet wear in walking paths, small scuff marks near door knobs, minor nail or pin holes from hanging pictures, loose cabinet handles, and lightly worn grout.
• Damage (deductible): large or numerous holes requiring patching, carpet stains, burns, or pet-urine saturation, broken fixtures or appliances, smoke damage from indoor smoking, missing items, and unauthorized alterations.

A worn traffic pattern on a carpet is wear and tear; a bleach stain or cigarette burn on that same carpet is damage. Pin holes from a picture frame are wear and tear; a fist-sized hole in the drywall is damage. Because the distinction is fact-specific, the move-in / move-out checklist plus dated photos is the evidence that decides it. For the broader statutory framework, see the Mississippi security deposit laws guide.

A Mississippi landlord must return the deposit or mail a written itemized statement of deductions within 45 days. The 45-day clock under Miss. Code §89-8-21 starts on termination of the tenancy, surrender of possession, and demand by the tenant. The tenant should provide a forwarding address; if none is given, the landlord must mail the itemized statement to the tenant’s last known address. The statement must itemize the amounts claimed — a lump-sum “deductions: one month’s rent” with no breakdown is exactly the kind of vague accounting that loses in court.

Failure to return the deposit or provide the itemized statement within the 45-day window can forfeit the landlord’s right to retain any portion of the deposit. Wrongful withholding can expose the landlord to the wrongfully withheld amount plus damages and reasonable attorney fees under Miss. Code §89-8-21. Notably, Mississippi has no statutory deposit cap and no requirement to hold the deposit in a separate escrow account — which gives landlords flexibility but also means they must be able to account for the funds when the 45-day deadline arrives. The completed checklist and photos are what let you produce a specific, defensible itemization on time. For the accounting document itself, use the Mississippi itemized deductions form and the Mississippi deposit return letter.

Permissible deductions in Mississippi are generally limited to a familiar set of categories: (1) unpaid rent, (2) repair of damage caused by the tenant or the tenant’s guests beyond ordinary wear and tear, (3) reasonable cleaning costs to return the unit to the level of cleanliness at the start of the tenancy, and (4) other amounts authorized by the lease and consistent with the statute. Based on the deposit disputes that most often reach Mississippi courts, these avoidable errors recur:

• Missing the 45-day itemization deadline, which forfeits withholding rights.
• Failing to keep documentation that supports each deduction.
• Writing a vague itemization without a specific description of the damage.
• Not retaining the move-in checklist as the evidentiary baseline.
• Charging the deposit for ordinary wear and tear, which is never deductible.

Photos are the second pillar of a defensible claim, and a written checklist without them is easy to challenge. Photograph every room and every Fair- or Poor-rated item at both move-in and move-out, keep the camera’s date stamp on, and capture both a wide shot of the room and a close-up of any defect. Store the images in a dated cloud backup so the metadata is preserved, and keep them with the signed checklist. Video walkthroughs narrating the condition of each room are an excellent supplement. Retain everything for at least four years so you can defend the accounting long after the tenant has moved on.

If a tenant disputes a deduction, Mississippi deposit claims are typically resolved in justice court (small claims), where each side presents its evidence. This is where the two-pillar record earns its keep: the landlord who can produce a signed move-in checklist, a signed move-out checklist, side-by-side condition ratings, and dated photos of the specific damage is in a far stronger position than one relying on memory or a lump-sum figure. Conversely, a tenant who documented pre-existing conditions at move-in can defeat a charge for damage that was already there. Keep communications in writing, respond within the statutory deadline, and let the contemporaneous documentation carry the argument.

The most reliable way to minimize move-out disputes is to screen tenants thoroughly at the application stage. A clean credit history, verifiable income, and a clean eviction record are the strongest predictors of a clean, low-damage move-out. A comprehensive tenant screening report covers credit, eviction filings, criminal background, and employment verification — catching most red flags before the tenancy ever begins, which is the cheapest deposit protection there is. See also tenant screening laws by state for the compliance rules that apply.

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