Security deposit receipt, free as a PDF

Security deposit receipt: proof the money came in

A security deposit receipt is written once, on the day the deposit is paid. It answers the questions that come up at the end of a tenancy: how much was paid, when, by whom and for which unit. Without it, a tenant who paid in cash may have nothing to show, and a landlord may not remember whether the deposit was $1,500 or $1,650.

Tenants: ask for the receipt at the moment you hand over the money, especially when you pay in cash. Landlords: a receipt protects you too — it shows exactly what you collected and stops arguments about amounts years later. Keep a signed copy each, together with the lease.

Deposit receipt or move-out deductions: two different papers

People use the word “receipt” for two different things. The deposit receipt on this page is written when the deposit comes in. When the tenant moves out, many landlords have to send a separate written statement listing what they keep from the deposit and why, often with repair bills attached, and return the rest within a deadline set by state law.

This page does not make that move-out statement. If you are a tenant waiting for your deposit back, your state’s housing or consumer protection website explains the deadlines and what the statement must contain. Your deposit receipt is still useful then: it shows how much you paid in the first place.

Rent and security deposit receipt at move-in

At move-in, tenants often pay several things at once: the first month’s rent, the security deposit and sometimes the last month’s rent. Many landlords write two receipts — a rent receipt for the month and a deposit receipt for the deposit — because rent is spent while the deposit is held and returned.

Keep “last month’s rent” clearly labelled. It is rent paid in advance, not part of the deposit, and mixing the two up is a classic source of disputes at move-out. Under More options you can set “Payment for” to make each receipt say exactly what it covers.

Called a bond in Australia and New Zealand

In Australia and New Zealand a rental deposit is called a bond. In most places the bond is then lodged with a government bond service, which keeps its own record of it. A receipt from the landlord or the agent still shows the day the money actually changed hands, which matters when it was paid in cash. Choose AUD or NZD as the currency and A4 as the paper size.

Noting where the deposit is kept

Some US states expect landlords to tell tenants which bank holds the deposit — Massachusetts and New York come up most often in landlord discussions. The optional “Bank where the deposit is held” field prints that line on the receipt. It is only a field: check your own state’s rules for what has to be disclosed, and when.

Pet deposit, key deposit or holding fee

A pet deposit or a key deposit works the same way as a security deposit: write what it is for under More options → What the payment is for. A holding fee is different — it reserves the home before the lease starts and may or may not be refundable, depending on what you agreed. Because a deposit receipt always prints the refundable sentence, use the plain Receipt type for a holding fee and write the agreed terms in the description.

Paid a deposit and never got a receipt?

Ask for one now, in writing — a text or an email is enough — and say how much you paid and when. If the landlord agrees but never gets round to it, fill in this form yourself with the real amount and date, print two copies and ask the landlord to check and sign both.

Keep the other traces as well: the cancelled check, the money order stub, a bank or Zelle record, or messages that mention the deposit. Never sign the landlord’s name yourself — a deposit receipt only means something when the person who received the money signs it.