Security Deposit Receipt Template (Free Fillable PDF + Sample)
A security deposit receipt is a short signed record that you received a tenant’s deposit: who paid, how much, the date, the rental address, how it was paid and where you are holding it. Some states require one, and it protects you when the deposit comes back at move out. Below is a free fillable security deposit receipt (PDF), what to put on it, the states with special receipt rules, and a filled in example.
Free fillable security deposit receipt (PDF). One page: tenant and rental details, the deposit, pet deposit or last month’s rent paid, payment method, where the deposit is held, a box for statements your state requires, and signature lines.
Fill it in on your computer, print it, sign it and give the tenant a copy.
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What to include on a security deposit receipt
- Date received and a receipt number.
- Who paid: every tenant who paid.
- Rental address and unit.
- Landlord name, and the name of the person who received the money if it was an agent.
- What was paid and how much: security deposit, pet deposit, last month’s rent or another deposit, each with its own amount, plus the total.
- How it was paid: check, money order, cash or electronic, with the check or reference number.
- Where the deposit is held: bank name and location, and the account number if your state requires it.
- Signature of the person who received the money and the date. A tenant signature is optional but useful.
Keep each type of money on its own line. A deposit and last month’s rent are treated differently by the IRS and by some states, so a receipt that lumps them together causes problems later.
States with special receipt rules
| State | What the law requires | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | A signed receipt when you take the deposit, showing the amount, date, who received it and a description of the unit. Within 30 days, a second receipt with the bank name and location, the amount and the account number. Missing the bank receipt or separate account entitles the tenant to the immediate return of the deposit. Last month’s rent needs its own receipt with an interest statement. | MGL c.186 s.15B |
| Maryland | A written receipt for the deposit that tells the tenant about the right to a move in inspection (if requested by certified mail within 15 days), the right to be present at the move out inspection, the right to an itemized list of charges within 45 days, and the possible penalty of up to 3 times the deposit withheld. A landlord who gives no written receipt is liable for $25. | Real Property 8-203.1 |
| Florida | Not a receipt but a written notice, within 30 days (or in the lease), naming the bank or saying a surety bond is posted, saying whether interest is paid, with the wording the statute requires. It does not apply to landlords who rent fewer than 5 units. | Statute 83.49(2) |
| New York | The deposit is held in trust and not mixed with your own money. If it is placed in a bank, the tenant must be told in writing the bank name and address and the amount. Buildings with 6 or more units need an interest bearing account. | GOL 7-103 |
Other states and some cities have their own deposit rules. If your state is not listed, a receipt is still good practice. See our Massachusetts security deposit law guide, our Florida and New York landlord guides, and check your state law.
Example: a filled in receipt
Maria Lopez rents 58 Cedar St, Apt 2, Worcester, MA 01604. On 03/15/2027 she pays a $1,500.00 security deposit by check number 1043. Because the unit is in Massachusetts, the owner:
- gives her a signed receipt the same day, showing the amount, date, who received it and the address,
- deposits the money in a separate interest bearing account at a Massachusetts bank on 03/16/2027,
- gives her a second receipt with the bank name, location, amount and account number well within 30 days.
| Line | Entry |
|---|---|
| Date received | 03/15/2027 |
| Received from | Maria Lopez |
| Security deposit | $1,500.00 |
| Paid by | Check 1043 |
| Held at | Example Savings Bank, Worcester, MA (interest bearing) |
| Received by | The owner, signed and dated |
Names, addresses, banks and account numbers in this example are made up.
After you give the receipt
- Keep a copy with the lease and your move in inspection checklist.
- Track the deposit separately from rent in our free security deposit tracker, and any interest due with our deposit interest calculator.
- Taxes: IRS Publication 527 says a deposit you plan to return is not income when you receive it. Last month’s rent paid in advance is income in the year you receive it.
- At move out, return the deposit or send an itemized list on time with our security deposit return letter.
- For rent payments, use our rent receipt template instead.
Deposit rules differ by state and city and change over time. Check your local law, or ask a local attorney.
Watch: how to give a security deposit receipt
Simple Rent LedgerFree landlord tutorials on YouTubeFrequently asked questions
Do I have to give a receipt for a security deposit?
It depends on the state. Massachusetts and Maryland require a written receipt. New York requires a written notice of the bank where the deposit is held, and Florida requires a deposit notice from landlords with 5 or more units. Even where it is not required, a signed receipt is good proof of what was paid.
What should a security deposit receipt include?
The date, the tenant names, the rental address, the amount and type of each payment, how it was paid, where the deposit is held and the signature of the person who received it.
Can the security deposit receipt be part of the lease?
A lease can show the deposit amount, but a separate signed receipt records that the money was actually received, when and how. Massachusetts requires the receipt at the time the deposit is paid.
Is a security deposit taxable income for the landlord?
Not when you receive it if you plan to return it, according to IRS Publication 527. Any part you keep, for example for damage, is income in the year you keep it.
Should last month’s rent be on the same receipt?
List it on its own line with its own amount. It is rent paid in advance, not a deposit, and some states such as Massachusetts require a separate receipt for it.
Track every deposit and payment with our free rent ledger template.
