A receipt to document a security deposit collected at move-in, including the bank-holding disclosures several states require.
Security deposits are one of the most heavily regulated areas of landlord-tenant law — the maximum amount you can collect, whether it must be held in a separate or interest-bearing account, disclosure requirements, and the deadline to return it after move-out all vary significantly by state. This is a general template, not legal advice. Confirm your state's specific requirements before relying on it.
SECURITY DEPOSIT RECEIPT
Date Issued: [DATE]
Received From: [TENANT NAME]
Property: [PROPERTY ADDRESS, UNIT NUMBER]
Lease Start Date: [DATE]
Security Deposit Amount Received: $[AMOUNT]
Payment Method: [ ] Cash [ ] Check #____ [ ] Money Order #____
[ ] ACH/Bank Transfer [ ] Other: ______________
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DEPOSIT HOLDING INFORMATION
(complete if required by your state)
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Deposit Held At: [BANK/INSTITUTION NAME]
Bank Address: ___________________________________________________
Account Type: [ ] Interest-Bearing [ ] Non-Interest-Bearing
Interest Rate (if applicable): _______%
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TERMS
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This deposit will be held in accordance with the Lease Agreement
and applicable state law, and applied toward unpaid rent,
damage beyond normal wear and tear, or other lawful deductions
at the end of the tenancy.
Upon move-out, an itemized statement of any deductions, along
with the remaining balance (if any), will be provided within the
timeframe required by applicable state law following the later
of: (a) the tenant vacating the Premises, or (b) the tenant
providing a forwarding address.
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Landlord/Agent Signature: ______________________ Date: _________
Print Name: _____________________________________________________
Tenant Signature: ______________________ Date: __________________
Print Name: _____________________________________________________Exceeding your state's deposit cap
Most states cap the total security deposit at a set number of months' rent — collecting more than the legal maximum can expose you to penalties in some states, including having to return the entire deposit or pay statutory damages.
Not disclosing required bank/account information
States that require deposits to be held in a specific type of account often also require you to disclose the bank name, address, and whether it's interest-bearing — skipping this is a common and easily fixed compliance gap.
Commingling the deposit with your own funds
A number of states prohibit mixing security deposit funds with your operating account or personal funds, and some require the deposit to remain identifiable as a specific tenant's money at all times.
No receipt at all
Without a receipt, there's no clear record of exactly how much was collected, which becomes a real problem if the amount is ever disputed at move-out.
Missing the move-out return/itemization deadline
This is the single most common security deposit dispute — most states set a strict deadline (often 14–30 days) to return the deposit or send an itemized list of deductions after the tenant vacates, and missing it can forfeit your right to keep any of the deposit.
Treating this the same as a rent receipt
A security deposit is a distinct fund with its own legal rules — don't fold it into a general rent receipt or ledger entry where its specific holding and disclosure requirements can get lost.
LeasePilot HQ tracks each lease's security deposit amount and helps you generate a documented move-out condition report, so nothing gets lost between move-in and move-out.
Generate it from your real lease and tenant data, keep it filed with the property, and never dig through email for a copy again.
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