Free Wisconsin Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Checklist
A landlord-and-tenant room-by-room condition record for the start AND end of a Wisconsin tenancy. Document every surface, generate a signable multi-page PDF, and protect the deposit under the 21-day return rule and the Wis. Stat. §704.08 check-in sheet.
A Wisconsin move-in / move-out inspection checklist is a written, room-by-room record of the condition of a rental unit at the start of the tenancy (move-in) and again at the end (move-out). The move-in record sets the baseline; the move-out record is compared against it to separate ordinary wear and tear from chargeable damage. Under Wis. Stat. §704.28 and administrative rule ATCP 134.06, this documentation is the evidentiary foundation for any security-deposit deduction, and the landlord must return the deposit or send an itemized statement within twenty-one days of surrender. Wisconsin also requires the landlord to give a new tenant a §704.08 check-in sheet and allow seven days to return it. A signed checklist plus date-stamped photos is the strongest evidence either side can carry into a deposit dispute.
Wisconsin Deposit Documentation at a Glance
Deposit Return
21 Days
Check-In Sheet
7-Day Return
Governing Law
§704.28 / ATCP 134.06
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 descriptions — but together they are the strongest possible defense in any Wisconsin deposit dispute. Always do both, at both move-in and move-out.
How to Run the Wisconsin Inspection
1. Do the move-in walk-through at occupancy
On the day the tenant takes possession, walk the unit room by room with the tenant present and rate each item Good, Fair, Poor, or not applicable. This baseline is what every later comparison is measured against, so be thorough — note even small defects like nail holes or a chipped baseboard.
2. Give the tenant the §704.08 check-in sheet
Wisconsin law requires the landlord to hand every new residential tenant a check-in sheet at occupancy. The tenant has seven days to add their own comments and return it, so both sides’ observations are on the record. This generated checklist serves as that check-in sheet.
3. Record utility meter readings
Note the water, gas, and electric meter readings at move-in and again at move-out. Recording them keeps final utility charges and any usage dispute cleanly separate from the deposit accounting, and protects the tenant from being billed for consumption outside their tenancy.
4. Photograph every room and every defect
Take date-stamped photos or video of each room plus a close-up of every Poor-rated item. Keep the timestamps intact and store the images in a cloud backup. The written record and the photos together are the two pillars of a defensible claim.
5. Repeat the walk-through at move-out
After the tenant returns the keys, run the same room-by-room checklist again and compare it directly to the move-in record. The difference between the two is what distinguishes ordinary wear and tear (never chargeable) from tenant-caused damage (chargeable).
6. Sign, share, and retain the record
Have both parties sign, give the tenant a copy, and keep the signed checklist and photos for at least four years. The landlord then has twenty-one days from surrender to return the deposit in full or send a written, itemized statement of deductions.
Build Your Wisconsin Checklist
Complete the fields below to generate a printable, room-by-room Wisconsin inspection checklist as a multi-page PDF. Use the same form for the move-in walk-through (which establishes the baseline condition) and the move-out walk-through (which documents the condition at the end of the tenancy). Both walk-throughs should be done with the tenant present whenever possible and paired with date-stamped photographs. If you are also placing a new renter, start with thorough tenant screening so a clean move-out is likely in the first place.
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 box below and photograph it.
4. Photo Documentation
Date-stamped photos are the second pillar of any defensible deposit claim. Photograph each room AND each Poor-rated item, at both move-in and move-out. Retain the photos for at least four years in a cloud backup with the timestamps intact.
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 the tenant’s legal rights.
Wisconsin’s Distinctive Deposit Framework
Wisconsin’s move-in / move-out process is anchored to Wis. Stat. §704.28 (withholding from and return of security deposits) and the administrative rule ATCP 134.06, enforced by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Two features set Wisconsin apart from most states, and both directly shape how you should use this checklist.
The §704.08 Check-In Sheet (a Wisconsin requirement)
Under Wis. Stat. §704.08, a landlord must give every new residential tenant a check-in sheet at the start of occupancy that the tenant may use to comment on the condition of the premises, and the tenant has seven days from the date occupancy begins to complete it and return it. The landlord is not required to provide it again when a lease renews, and the rule does not apply to a plot of ground for a manufactured or mobile home. Most states have no equivalent s