Free Security Deposit Receipt TemplateFill in the form, check the preview, then print it or save it as a PDF. No sign-up, and nothing you type is uploaded.
Preview
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Layout
Whole page · the printed page has no watermark or logo.
This receipt is longer than one page and will print on two pages. Remove a line, shorten the notes or turn off “Two copies on one page” to fit it on one.
Examples3 layouts filled in with made-up details. Open one to start with that layout, or print a blank template to fill in by hand.
Notice: Generated via SnapPaperwork. For genuine rent records only. Do not make a receipt for a deposit that was not paid, or with a false amount or date.
How to write a security deposit receipt in 3 steps
1
Fill in the tenant, the rental and the amount
Who paid, for which rental, and how much. The amount is written out in words for you. Add lines for a pet deposit or key deposit if you took one.
2
Say how it was paid and where it is held
Check, money order or transfer, with its number. If your state asks you to tell the tenant where the deposit is kept, add the bank here. In Maryland, tick the box for the tenant notice.
3
Sign it and give the tenant a copy
Print two copies on one page or save a PDF. Sign, give one to the tenant and keep one with the lease until the deposit is settled.
What a security deposit receipt should include
The date you received the deposit and a receipt number
The tenant’s name and the address of the rental
The amount, in numbers and in words, and what it is for (security deposit, pet deposit...)
How it was paid: check or money order number, or transfer reference
Where the deposit is held, if your state or country requires you to say so
Your name, contact details and signature
Deposit rules in some states and countries
Maryland: a receipt for a security deposit must tell the tenant about their rights to a move-in and move-out inspection, the list of charges and the return of the deposit within 45 days, and the penalty for a landlord who does not follow the law. A landlord who gives no written receipt can owe the tenant $25, and must keep a copy of the receipt for two years after the tenancy ends (Real Property § 8-203.1). Tick “Rental in Maryland?” to print that notice under the receipt.
Florida: a landlord who rents five or more units must tell the tenant in writing, in the lease or within 30 days of receiving the deposit, how the deposit is held (the bank’s name and address, or that a surety bond was posted) and whether the tenant gets interest, together with a disclosure text set out in the law (Florida Statutes § 83.49(2)). That notice is a separate document; this receipt can record where the deposit is held.
England and Wales: the landlord or letting agent must put the deposit in a government-backed tenancy deposit protection scheme within 30 days of getting it. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own schemes.
Many other states limit how much a deposit can be, say where it must be kept, or set a deadline to return it. Check the rules where the rental is.
Deposit rules in Canada, the UK and Australia
Tenancy law is set by each province, nation or state. These are plain-English summaries of the official text, read again on the date shown.
Canada · checked
Ontario: The only deposit allowed is a rent deposit of up to one month’s rent (or one rent period, if shorter). It must be used for the last month’s rent, and the landlord pays interest on it every year at the rent-increase guideline rate. A refundable key deposit up to the cost of replacing the keys is also allowed. RTA ss. 105, 106; O. Reg. 516/06, s. 17
British Columbia: A security deposit, and a pet damage deposit, can each be no more than half of one month’s rent, and a security deposit can be asked for only when the tenancy agreement is made. Residential Tenancy Act, ss. 19, 20
Alberta: A deposit can be no more than one month’s rent. It must go into an interest-bearing trust account in Alberta within 2 banking days, the tenant is paid interest every year, and the landlord keeps records for 3 years after the tenancy. Residential Tenancies Act, ss. 43–45
Québec and other provinces: Rules differ. Check your province’s residential tenancy law.
United Kingdom · checked
England: A deposit can be no more than 5 weeks’ rent (6 weeks if the yearly rent is £50,000 or more). Within 30 days the landlord must protect it in a government-authorised scheme and give the tenant the required information. If not, a court must order the landlord to pay the tenant one to three times the deposit. Tenant Fees Act 2019, Sch. 1, para. 2; Housing Act 2004, ss. 213–214
Wales: Within 30 days of receiving a deposit, the landlord must meet the rules of an authorised deposit scheme and give the contract-holder the required information. Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, s. 45
Scotland: A deposit over two months’ rent counts as an unlawful premium. The landlord must pay it into an approved scheme and give the tenant the required information within 30 working days of the start of the tenancy. Rent (Scotland) Act 1984, s. 90(3); SSI 2011/176, reg. 3
Northern Ireland: A deposit can be no more than one month’s rent. It must be protected in an approved scheme within 28 days, and the tenant given the required information within 35 days. Private Tenancies (NI) Order 2006, arts. 5ZC, 5B
Australia · checked
New South Wales: A bond can be no more than 4 weeks’ rent. The person who takes it must give a receipt (unless the payment is recorded in the lease) and lodge it with NSW Fair Trading within 10 business days (agents: 10 business days after the end of the month). Residential Tenancies Act 2010, ss. 159, 162
Victoria: A bond can be no more than one month’s rent, unless the rent is above a set weekly amount or VCAT allows more. It must be lodged with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority within 10 business days. Residential Tenancies Act 1997, ss. 31, 406
Queensland: A bond can be no more than 4 weeks’ rent for a house or unit. It must be paid to the Residential Tenancies Authority within 10 days of receiving it. RTRA Act 2008, ss. 112, 116, 146
Other states and territories: Rules differ. Check your state or territory’s tenancy authority.
Laws change, and this page is general information, not legal advice. Check the rules where the property is, or ask a local professional.
Next: record the condition of the rental
Most disagreements about a deposit are about damage: was it there before the tenant moved in? Walk through the rental together on move-in day and write down the condition of every room, with dated photos.
Is this security deposit receipt generator free?
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Yes. It is free to use, needs no account or sign-up, and never adds a watermark or a SnapPaperwork logo to your receipt.
Do I need to give a receipt for a security deposit?
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In some states it is required, Maryland for example. Everywhere else it is still the simplest proof, for both of you, of how much was paid and when. Paying by check or transfer also leaves a record, but a signed receipt states what the money was for.
Can I put the first month’s rent on the same receipt?
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You can add it as another line, and the total adds up. Many landlords prefer a separate rent receipt, because the deposit is usually returned at the end and the rent is not. The Rent Receipt Generator on this site makes that one.
What does the Maryland notice say?
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Seven points from Maryland Real Property § 8-203.1: the tenant’s right to a move-in inspection and to be present at the move-out inspection, the landlord’s duties to inspect and give notice of the date, the tenant’s right to a list of charges and the return of the unused deposit within 45 days, and the penalty for a landlord who does not comply.
Do I have to say where the deposit is kept?
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Only some states and countries require it, often only for larger landlords, and sometimes in a separate notice with set wording. The “Where the deposit is held” line is optional; leave it empty and it is not printed.
Can I print two copies on one page?
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Yes, with the Basic, Letter and Register slip layouts: tick “Two copies on one page” for a tenant copy and a landlord copy. With the Maryland notice the receipt is too tall for two copies, so print it twice.
Are my details uploaded or stored on your servers?
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No. Everything you type stays in your browser and is never sent to me. The form is saved on your own device so it is there for the next tenant. On a shared computer, press “Clear Form” when you are done.
How do I save the receipt as a PDF?
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Click “Print / Save PDF” and choose “Save as PDF” as the printer, or click “Download PDF” to save a file straight to your phone or computer. “Share” opens your device’s share menu with the PDF attached, for example to email it to the tenant.
