Rent Receipt Template
A rent receipt proves your tenant paid rent. You give it to them after each payment. They use it for taxes, housing applications, and disputes.
Generate yours in under 30 seconds. Download the PDF. Done.
Generate Your Rent Receipt
Fill in your details. Click generate. Get your PDF.
What Your Rent Receipt Must Include
Many states legally require landlords to provide receipts. Even if yours doesn't, a proper receipt protects you from "I already paid" disputes.
- Tenant name — Full name of who paid
- Property address — Full address of the rental unit
- Amount received — Exact dollar amount paid
- Payment date — When you received the payment
- Rental period — Which month the payment covers
- Payment method — Cash, check, bank transfer, etc.
- Landlord signature — Your signature or printed name
Important: For cash payments, receipts are essential. Without one, you have no proof the tenant paid. Always issue a receipt for cash.
4 Receipt Mistakes That Cause Problems
Not issuing receipts for cash
Cash leaves no paper trail. If you don't give a receipt, you can't prove you received payment. Always document cash.
Missing rental period
A receipt that says "$1,500 received" without specifying which month it covers is worthless in a dispute. Always state the rental period.
No payment method noted
If a check bounces, you need proof it was paid by check. If there's a dispute, you need to know how payment was made.
Refusing to provide receipts
Many states require receipts when tenants request them. California, Massachusetts, and Washington have receipt laws. Refusing can result in penalties.
Rent Receipt Example
RENT RECEIPT
Receipt #: [Number]
Date: [Payment Date]
Received from: [Tenant Name]
Property: [Property Address]
Amount: $[Amount]
For rental period: [Month/Year]
Payment method: [Cash/Check/Transfer]
Payment status: [Paid in full / Partial payment]
Received by: [Landlord Name]
Signature: _______________
This is a simplified example. The generator above creates a complete, professional receipt with all required fields.
Why Generate Receipts with LandlordForms
Done in 30 seconds
Fill in four fields. Click generate. Download your PDF. No more handwritten receipts or Word templates.
Professional format
Clean PDF that tenants can use for tax deductions, rental applications, and official documentation.
All required fields included
Our form includes every field legally required. Never miss essential information.
Protect yourself from disputes
When a tenant says "I paid that," you'll have documentation. No more he-said-she-said.
Zero Risk. Zero Cost. Zero Obligation.
100% free forever. No account required. No credit card. No email capture. Just generate and download. Used by 10,000+ landlords.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to give rent receipts?
Depends on your state. California, Massachusetts, Washington, and Maryland require receipts when tenants request them. Even if not required, receipts protect you from disputes.
Do I need to give receipts for automatic payments?
Bank transfers create their own paper trail. But tenants can still request receipts, and in some states you must provide them. It's good practice to issue monthly receipts regardless.
Can tenants use rent receipts for taxes?
Yes. Some states offer tax credits or deductions for renters. Tenants need proof of rent paid. Your receipts serve as that documentation.
What if I accept partial payment?
Issue a receipt showing the amount received and note that it's a partial payment. Be careful though — accepting partial payment can affect your ability to evict for non-payment in some states.
How long should I keep rent receipts?
Keep copies for at least 3-7 years. You may need them for tax purposes, disputes, or if a tenant claims they paid rent they didn't pay.
Should I give receipts for security deposits?
Yes. Always provide a receipt showing you received the security deposit, the amount, and the date. This is separate from rent receipts.
The Manual Receipt Problem
Here's what you're doing now:
Every month, for EACH tenant:
- Find your Word template or last month's receipt (2 minutes)
- Update tenant name, date, amount, rental period (3 minutes)
- Check payment method, make sure it's correct (30 seconds)
- Print the receipt (1 minute)
- Sign it by hand (30 seconds)
- Scan or take photo (2 minutes)
- Email to tenant or hand deliver (2 minutes)
- Save copy to your records folder (1 minute)
Total: 12 minutes per tenant per month
• 5 tenants = 60 minutes per month = 12 hours per year
• 10 tenants = 120 minutes per month = 24 hours per year
• 20 tenants = 240 minutes per month = 48 hours per year
Plus the mistakes:
- →Forgot to update the date. Last month's date is still on it. Tenant notices. Looks unprofessional.
- →Typed wrong amount. Receipt says $1,200, but they paid $1,500. Now there's confusion.
- →Lost the file. Tenant asks for receipt 6 months later. You can't find it. Have to recreate it from memory.
- →Forgot to send it. Tenant asks for proof of payment for tax return. You scramble to make one.
The Automated Solution
Record payment once. Receipt generates and emails automatically.
- Receipt created instantly with correct date, amount, tenant name
- PDF attached to automatic email to tenant
- Copy saved to your account permanently
- Never miss a receipt, never send wrong information
- Takes 30 seconds instead of 12 minutes
20 tenants: 10 minutes per month instead of 4 hours. Save 46 hours per year.
At $50/hour, that's $2,300 saved per year in time alone.
Plus zero mistakes. Zero forgotten receipts. Zero wrong dates or amounts.
Stop Handwriting Receipts Every Month
LandlordForms generates rent receipts automatically when you record payments. All receipts emailed to tenants instantly. All saved permanently. Zero manual work.
Built for small landlords managing 1-150 units. Start free. No credit card.
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