A rent receipt is the landlord's written proof that a tenant paid: how much, for which period, for which home and by what method. This generator fills in all of that, numbers each receipt, shows any balance still owed, and prints two receipts to a page with a cut line. Enter how many months to make and it produces a run of receipts with the rent periods worked out for you — handy for a tenant who pays in cash every month or who needs a year of receipts for an application.
A receipt number, the date the money was received, the tenant's name, the landlord's or managing agent's name, the rental address including the unit, the period the payment covers, the amount, what it was for (rent, a late fee, a utility charge) and how it was paid — with the check or money order number if there is one. If the tenant paid less than was due, the receipt should also show the balance still owed.
Write the period as dates (November 1 to November 30), not just "November rent". Dates leave no argument about which month a payment was applied to when a tenant falls behind and catches up later.
Keep security deposits off rent receipts. A deposit is usually held under separate rules and may have to be returned, so give it its own receipt that says it is a deposit.
It depends on the state. New York, for example, requires a landlord to give a written receipt when rent is paid in cash, by money order or by any method other than the tenant's own personal check. Several other states have their own rules about cash payments or require a receipt when the tenant asks for one. Check your state or city's landlord-tenant rules before deciding you don't need to.
Even where nothing is required, a receipt for every payment protects both sides. A tenant uses it as proof of on-time payment for a rental application, a mortgage or a housing benefit claim; a landlord uses the carbon copy when reconciling the year's income.
Record a partial payment for exactly what was received and show the balance due on the receipt. Be careful about accepting part-payment from a tenant who has already been served a pay-or-quit or eviction notice: in some states accepting money can restart or undermine that process, so get local advice first.
Put a late fee on its own line rather than folding it into rent. Late fees are capped or restricted in many states, and a separate line makes it clear what the tenant paid for.
Cash leaves no bank record, so a receipt is the only evidence a payment happened. Give it at the time of payment, keep a copy, and never sign a receipt in advance.
Landlords in the US generally report rental income and expenses on Schedule E, and the receipts you issue are the income side of that record. A rental property income sheet totals rent per unit per month, and the expense tracker logs repairs and other costs.
Receipts work best alongside a written lease — see the lease agreement template — and the move-in paperwork in our property inspection checklist guide. For the difference between asking for money and confirming it was paid, read invoice vs receipt.
In some states, yes — New York requires one for rent paid by cash, money order or anything other than the tenant's personal check, and other states have their own rules. Elsewhere it is good practice. Check your state's landlord-tenant law.
Yes. Set the first rent period and the number of months (up to 24). Each receipt gets its own number and period. Only fill in a date paid and sign receipts for payments you have actually received.
A signature from the landlord or agent who took the money makes it far more useful as proof of payment. The PDF has a signature line on every receipt.
Enter the rent due and the amount received; the receipt shows the balance still owed. If the tenant has been served an eviction notice, take local advice before accepting a partial payment.
It is saved only in this browser so you can make next month's receipt quickly. Nothing is sent to us.
Collecting rent in person? Instant Quote Maker has a rent receipt and a deposit receipt with balance due, so you can hand or text the tenant a PDF on the spot.
These templates do the same job as an editable document you can fill in again and again.