🔍 How to Do a Move-In Inspection

What to Check, How to Document, The Checklist & Why This Protects Your Security Deposit

✓ UPDATED 4-STEP PROCESS SECURITY DEPOSIT PROTECTION

The move-in inspection is one of the most important steps in the entire tenancy. A thorough, signed, and photographed move-in inspection is the foundation of your security deposit rights. Without it, you cannot prove that damage at move-out was caused by the tenant rather than pre-existing. This guide ensures you do it right every time.

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How to Do a Move-In Inspection | Step-by-Step Landlord Guide
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Several states require a move-in checklist — including Washington, California, Georgia, and others. In many of these states, failing to provide a move-in checklist forfeits your right to make deductions from the security deposit. Even where not required, not having one costs you in disputes.

When to Do the Inspection

Complete the move-in inspection together with the tenant on move-in day, before they bring in their belongings. This ensures the documented condition is the baseline for the tenancy. An inspection done after furniture is moved in can miss damage hidden by belongings or create disputes about what was pre-existing.

What to Inspect Room by Room

Every room

  • Walls — note scuffs, holes, stains, paint condition
  • Ceilings — water stains, cracks, damage
  • Floors — scratches, stains, damage to carpet/hardwood/tile
  • Windows — glass condition, screens, locks, blinds/curtains
  • Doors — condition, locks, hardware, alignment
  • Light fixtures and switches — working, condition
  • Outlets — test with a lamp or phone charger

Kitchen specifically

  • All appliances (stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher) — test each one
  • Cabinet interiors and exteriors
  • Sink — drainage, faucet condition, under-sink area
  • Countertops — chips, burns, stains

Bathrooms

  • Toilet — flush, seat condition, no running
  • Sink and vanity — drainage, faucet, caulk
  • Shower/tub — tiles, caulk, door or curtain, drainage
  • Exhaust fan — test it

Photographing and Videoing

Take photos AND video of every room. Photos capture detail; video provides context. Date and timestamp everything. Key tips:

  • Open all closets and cabinets and photograph inside
  • Photograph any existing damage close-up and from a wider angle showing location
  • Include a newspaper or your phone’s timestamp in wide shots to establish date
  • Email the photos to yourself immediately to create a timestamped digital record
  • Store the photos in a folder labeled with the tenant’s name and move-in date

The Signed Checklist

The written checklist and signatures are what make the documentation legally binding. Both you and all adult tenants should sign and date the checklist. Each party keeps a fully executed copy. Some states require the landlord to provide the tenant with the checklist within a specific number of days.

Download a free move-in inspection checklist at our landlord forms library.

❓ What if the tenant refuses to sign the checklist?
Note on the checklist that the tenant declined to sign, sign it yourself, and give them a copy. Document your attempts to have them sign in writing. Some states allow the landlord’s signed checklist with a note of tenant refusal to serve as evidence. Going forward, your photos and video provide the documented baseline even without the tenant’s signature.
❓ How does the move-in inspection protect the security deposit?
The signed, photographed move-in inspection establishes the baseline condition of the unit at the start of the tenancy. At move-out, you compare current condition against that baseline. Any damage beyond normal wear and tear that appears after move-in is presumptively caused by the tenant. Without a documented baseline, tenants can claim any damage was pre-existing and courts often side with them.
📚 Related:Security Deposit Laws by StateMove-Out ChecklistRental Property Inspection GuideFree Landlord FormsHow to Write a Lease

⚠️ Legal Disclaimer

This guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary significantly by state and locality. Always verify requirements for your jurisdiction and consult a licensed landlord-tenant attorney before taking legal action. See our editorial standards for accuracy details.