Move-In Inspection Checklist and Photo Tips for Renters

A move-in inspection is a walk-through of your new rental, ideally with the landlord or property manager, where you record the condition of every room before your things arrive. Write down every existing scratch, stain and broken part with its location and size, photograph it, and sign the checklist only if it matches what you see. Keep a copy: at move-out, it's the baseline for any deduction from your security deposit.

Skip it, and a dent in the floor can turn into your word against your landlord's two years later. At TrustCamera we're building a camera app for photos anyone can check, so we think a lot about what makes a record of a room's condition trustworthy. Below you'll find a room-by-room checklist, photo tips, what happens at the move-out inspection and what a few states require. Rules vary by state, so we point you to official sources along the way.

What is a move-in inspection?

It's a documented walk-through at the start of a lease. You and the landlord go room by room, note existing damage on a checklist or condition report, sign it and each keep a copy. Photos and video back up the written notes. At move-out, the unit is compared against this record of what was already there.

Try to schedule it before the movers come. Furniture and boxes hide exactly the things you need to see: carpet stains, scuffed baseboards, cracked tiles behind the toilet. If the landlord only offers a quick look on move-in day, do your own detailed walk-through as soon as you have the keys and send your notes the same day.

For a new rental, move-in day shouldn't be the first time you see the place or meet the landlord. Check that both are real beforehand by touring the unit in person with the landlord or property manager. If you're asked to pay a deposit or rent before you've seen the inside and signed a lease, stop there. Our guide to rental scams shows the warning signs. If you've already paid, how to report a rental scam walks you through the next steps.

Move-in inspection checklist: room by room

A good checklist covers every surface, fixture and appliance, plus keys and outdoor areas. Use it as a starting point and add whatever your unit has, like a fireplace or a washer and dryer.

Be specific. "Carpet stained" won't help you in two years, but "Bedroom 2, carpet by the closet door, brown stain about 3 inches wide" will. Where something is fine, write "no damage" instead of leaving the line blank. And test things rather than just looking at them: run every faucet, flush the toilet, open every window and turn on each burner.

If utilities are transferred into your name, photograph the meters on day one too. That way the readings you're billed from are on record.

What state law says about rental inspections

There's no single national rule. Landlord-tenant law is mostly state law, and some cities add their own rules on top. Three examples show how different it can look.

In Washington, a landlord can't collect a deposit unless the rental agreement is in writing and the tenant gets a written checklist or statement of the unit's condition at the start of the tenancy, according to RCW 59.18.260. It has to cover walls, flooring, furniture and appliances, be signed and dated by both sides, and the tenant gets a copy. A landlord who collects a deposit without that checklist is liable to the tenant for the deposit amount.

Massachusetts requires a signed "statement of condition" whenever a landlord takes a security deposit. According to Mass.gov, it's due when the deposit is paid or within 10 days after the tenancy begins, whichever is later. If the landlord never sends one, the state says tenants should write their own, send a copy and keep one.

If you disagree with the statement, Massachusetts tenants return a corrected copy within 15 days of receiving it or of moving in, whichever is later. Skip that step, and if you later sue to get your deposit back, a court may treat it as your agreement that the list was complete.

California puts the photos on the landlord. Under Civil Code section 1950.5, landlords must photograph the unit immediately before or at the start of tenancies that began on or after July 1, 2025. Since April 1, 2025, they also have to take photos after the tenant moves out, before any repairs or cleaning they plan to charge for, and again once that work is done.

Your state may have none of these rules or different ones. USA.gov points you to your state agency for tenant rights, which can be the attorney general, a housing agency or a state tenant handbook. A local legal aid office or tenant union can tell you what applies to your lease.

How to photograph your rental's condition

Photos back up your checklist, they don't replace it. The written notes say what matters, and the pictures show what it looked like. Our guide to photos as evidence explains what makes pictures persuasive if a dispute comes up. These habits make your photos much more useful later:

1. Wide shot first, then the close-up: Photograph each room from two opposite corners, then every defect up close.
2. Show the scale: Hold a tape measure next to scratches, cracks and holes so the size is obvious.
3. Get the light right: Shoot in daylight with the lights on. Floor scratches show up better when you hold your phone's flashlight low and to the side.
4. Keep the same order: Walk through the unit in the same direction every time. At move-out, repeat that route so the photos are easy to compare.
5. Add a video: A slow walk-through shows things photos miss, like a door that won't latch or a sink that drains slowly.
6. Keep the originals: Don't edit or filter the photos, and back up the original files somewhere other than your phone.

Your phone stores the date and time of each shot in the file's metadata. Our guide on how to see photo metadata shows where to find it. Check that your phone's clock is right before you start. Keep in mind that these details can be edited later, and messaging apps often strip them when you send a photo. So email the original files to your landlord and to yourself on move-in day, which also gives you a dated record of what you shared.

The same idea works on vacation. If you photograph damage in a short-term rental as soon as you arrive and message the host, it's easier to show the damage was already there. For the scams that target travelers, see our guide to Airbnb scams.

Before you sign the move-in inspection report

The form your landlord hands you is often called a move-in inspection report or condition report. Read it line by line before you sign. If something is missing or wrong, add it in writing on the form, not just out loud. Don't sign a report that says "good condition" for a room you haven't checked.

Watch for anything that goes beyond describing the unit, such as a line saying you'll repaint or pay for carpet cleaning at move-out. Those are terms, not observations, and they belong in the lease discussion. If you're unsure what you're agreeing to, ask before you sign.

Get a copy right away. If the landlord fills out the form on a tablet, ask for a PDF that includes all the photos. If there's no inspection at all, do your own, email it to the landlord and ask them to confirm they got it.

Found more problems after moving in, like an air conditioner that fails on the first hot day? Report them in writing with photos as soon as you notice, and keep those messages with your move-in report. This guide explains the basics and isn't legal advice. If a disagreement starts, legal aid or a local tenant union can help.

Move-out inspection: how to prepare and what happens

At the move-out inspection, the landlord compares the unit to your move-in record and notes damage beyond normal wear and tear. Whether you have a right to be there, or to a walk-through before you leave, depends on your state. In California, Civil Code section 1950.5 says landlords must tell you in writing that you can request an initial inspection and be present for it. It happens no earlier than two weeks before the tenancy ends.

After that initial inspection, California landlords have to give you an itemized list of the repairs or cleaning they plan to deduct for. You then have until you move out to fix those items and avoid the charges. If the unit was clear of your belongings at that inspection, the landlord generally can't deduct later for repairs or cleaning that weren't on the list. Exceptions are damage that happens afterward or was hidden by your things.

A little preparation makes the day far less stressful:

• Go through the unit a few days early with your move-in report and photos.
• Move everything out, so no damage hides behind furniture or boxes.
• Photograph the empty, clean unit right before the inspection, in the same order as at move-in.
• Be there in person if you can, ideally with someone who can describe the condition later.
• Return every key, get the return confirmed in writing and give the landlord your forwarding address in writing.

Normal wear and tear usually isn't yours to pay for. Washington's statute, for example, says no deposit may be withheld for wear from ordinary use. California's attorney general lists what deposits can't be used for, including damage that was already there when you moved in, which is exactly where your move-in record helps. What counts as normal wear and how to push back on unfair charges is covered in our guide to security deposit deductions.

Share photos your landlord can verify on the spot

A regular phone photo shows the condition, but it doesn't reliably show when it was taken or whether it's been edited since. That's the problem we're building TrustCamera for. You take photos and videos up to 20 seconds directly in the app, and uploads from your camera roll aren't possible. Each capture gets a check code.

Hand the codes to your landlord or property manager right at the inspection, for example by text or written on the report. They can check them on the spot for free in the browser, without an account. The check shows that the file hasn't changed since capture, when it was taken and approximately where, to within about 10 kilometers (around 6 miles) and never the exact position. Keep your own copies of the photos as well.

A check code documents the condition in a way others can check, and it can help as a record. It doesn't settle a dispute, and it doesn't replace a signed report or legal advice. Nor can it show whether something was staged or hidden from the camera. The app isn't public yet; versions for Android and iOS are coming soon.

Move-in inspection apps and forms

Paper or app, what matters is the content. A printed checklist and your phone are enough for a thorough inspection. There are also move-in inspection apps, some of them free, and some property managers run the inspection on a tablet. Whatever tool is used, make sure you can answer yes to these questions:

• Can you read everything and add your own notes before you sign?
• Do you get a copy right after the inspection, ideally a PDF with all photos?
• Will you still be able to access the photos after you move out?
• Are entries and photos locked once both sides have signed?

Never sign on a tablet until you've seen the whole report. And always take your own photos, whatever the landlord uses, so you have a copy that doesn't depend on their system.

How long to keep your inspection records

Keep the move-in report and photos for as long as you live there, even if that's many years, and until your deposit is settled. At move-out, they're the only way to show what was already there. Store them with your lease, both digitally and on paper.

After you move out, keep everything at least until your deposit is back and any disagreement is settled. Deadlines for returning deposits differ by state. California, for example, gives landlords 21 calendar days after you vacate to send an itemized statement and return the rest, according to Civil Code section 1950.5.

If a dispute ends up in small claims court, filing deadlines vary by state too. In our view, digital copies take up so little space that there's no reason to delete them early.

Frequently asked questions about the move-in inspection

Is a move-in inspection required?

It depends on your state. Washington requires a written condition checklist before a landlord can collect a deposit, and Massachusetts requires a signed statement of condition whenever a landlord takes one. Other states have different rules or none at all. Even where it's optional, a signed record of the unit's condition helps both you and your landlord, so it's worth insisting on one or doing your own.

Who fills out the inspection checklist?

Usually the landlord or property manager provides the form and you walk through the unit together. You can add your own notes, and you should, since the landlord may miss things that matter to you. If no one offers a checklist, fill one out yourself, add photos and email it to the landlord with a request to confirm receipt.

What if I find damage after moving in?

Report it to your landlord in writing as soon as you notice, with photos and the date. Some problems only show up later, like heating that fails in the first cold week. Keep those messages with your move-in report so you can show at move-out that you reported the damage early.

Should I be present for the move-out inspection?

If you can, yes. Being there lets you see what the landlord notes, point to your move-in photos and fix small things on the spot. In California, tenants have the right to request an initial inspection before moving out and to be present for it. Other states handle this differently, so check your state's rules.

Is there a move-in inspection app?

Yes, several apps and property management tools offer digital move-in inspection forms, some for free. The tool matters less than the result: you should be able to review everything before signing and get a copy with all photos right away. A printed checklist plus your phone's camera works just as well for most rentals.

Are photos enough without a signed checklist?

Photos help a lot, but a checklist that both sides signed usually carries more weight because it shows the landlord saw and agreed to the condition. Use both. If your landlord won't sign, email your checklist and photos on move-in day, so there's a dated record that the landlord received them.

Conclusion: a careful move-in inspection makes move-out easier

A move-in inspection can take an hour or two, and it can save you a long argument about your deposit. Go room by room, describe every defect with its location and size, photograph it and sign only what's accurate. Keep a copy for your whole lease and until your deposit is settled.

At move-out, walk through the unit with your old report before the landlord does, photograph everything again and be there for the inspection if you can. Rules vary by state, so check your state's official resources, and ask legal aid or a tenant union if a dispute comes up.