Free Missouri Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Checklist
Document your Missouri rental room by room at the start and the end of the tenancy. A signed checklist plus date-stamped photos is the strongest way to protect the deposit and meet the 30-day return rule under Mo. Rev. Stat. 535.300. Download a signable multi-page PDF.
A Missouri move-in / move-out inspection checklist is a written, room-by-room record of a rental unit’s condition at the start of the tenancy and again at the end. It is the single most important document in any deposit dispute: paired with date-stamped photos, it separates pre-existing conditions from tenant-caused damage. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. 535.300, the landlord must return the deposit or furnish a written itemized statement of deductions within 30 days of the end of the tenancy and return of possession, and this checklist is the evidence that supports (or defeats) each line of that statement. Use the same form twice, sign it both times, and keep it for at least four years.
Missouri Deposit & Documentation at a Glance
Governing Statute
Mo. Rev. Stat. 535.300
Return Deadline
30 Days + Itemize
Deposit Cap
Two Months’ Rent
Keep Records
4 Years Min
The Two-Pillar Documentation Standard
A defensible deposit deduction needs two pieces of evidence working together: (1) this written, room-by-room checklist signed by both parties, and (2) date-stamped photos or video of the same items at the same time. The checklist alone is often challenged as one-sided, and photos alone lack context, but together they are very hard to dispute. Always do both, at move-in and at move-out.
How to Run a Missouri Move-In / Move-Out Walk-Through
The move-in walk-through sets the baseline; the move-out walk-through records the ending condition; the comparison between the two is what a small-claims judge actually looks at. Run both inspections the same way, in the same room order, so the two records line up item for item. In Missouri the move-out inspection also carries a statutory wrinkle: the landlord must give the tenant reasonable written notice of when it will happen, and the tenant is entitled to attend.
1. Schedule the walk-through and notify the tenant
Do the move-in inspection before the tenant takes possession and the final move-out inspection right after possession is returned and the unit is empty. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. 535.300 the landlord must give the tenant reasonable written notice of the date and time of the move-out inspection, and the tenant has the right to be present, so walk it together whenever possible.
2. Go room by room and rate every item
Work each room in a fixed order and rate every surface, fixture, and appliance Good, Fair, Poor, or N/A. Do not skip closets, screens, outlets, or the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, which are the items most often missed.
3. Describe every defect precisely
For each Poor-rated item, note the exact location and size, for example a three-inch gouge in the hardwood at the bedroom doorway not present at move-in, rather than a vague floor damage. Specific notes are what hold up later.
4. Photograph and video each room
Take a wide shot of every room plus close-ups of each defect. Place a coin or tape measure next to damage to show scale, and keep the camera date stamp on. A slow video walk-through captures what a still misses.
5. Both parties sign and keep a copy
The landlord and tenant sign and date the checklist, and each keeps a copy. The tenant signature confirms the recorded condition; it is not a waiver of any legal right, and that should be understood by both sides.
6. Compare move-out to the move-in record
At move-out, set the two checklists side by side. Anything worse than move-in beyond ordinary wear and tear is potentially chargeable; anything unchanged or only naturally worn is not deductible.
7. Return the deposit or itemize within 30 days
Mo. Rev. Stat. 535.300 gives the landlord 30 days after the end of the tenancy and return of possession to refund the deposit or furnish a written itemized statement of deductions with the remaining balance.
Build Your Missouri Move-In / Move-Out 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 walk-throughs: pick Move-In at the start of the tenancy to set the baseline, then generate a fresh Final Move-Out version at the end. Conduct each walk-through with the tenant present where possible, and pair every checklist with date-stamped photos. If you are also placing a new renter, start with thorough tenant screening so you begin the tenancy with the right person in the unit.
1. Parties & Tenancy
2. Property
3. Room-by-Room Condition
For each item choose Good (no defects), Fair (minor wear), Poor (visible damage), or N/A (not present). Describe every Poor-rated item in the notes box below and photograph it.
4. Photo Documentation
Date-stamped photos are the second pillar of any defensible claim. Photograph each room and each Poor-rated item, place a coin or tape measure next to damage for scale, and retain the files in cloud backup for at least four years.
5. Signatures
Both parties should sign and keep a copy. The tenant signature acknowledges the accuracy of the recorded condition; it is not a waiver of any legal right.
How to Document Condition: Photos, Video, and the Ruler-for-Scale Rule
The written checklist tells a reader what you found; the images prove it. For every inspection, capture a wide shot of each room so the overall condition is unmistakable, then move in for close-ups of every defect. When you photograph damage, place a coin, a dollar bill, or a tape measure next to it so the image shows the true size — a photo captioned “scratched floor” is arguable, but a photo of a six-inch gouge with a ruler beside it is not.
A slow video walk-through is an excellent supplement because it captures the whole unit in one continuous, hard-to-fake pass and records the date automatically. Narrate as you go — say the room and note anything unusual out loud. Keep the camera’s date stamp turned on, and never crop or edit the originals; store the untouched files. Label everything by inspection: a folder named with the property address and the inspec