In Washington, California and British Columbia, yes, in effect. Washington bars collecting a deposit without a signed move-in checklist. California requires dated photos at the start of every tenancy that began on or after July 1, 2025. BC takes away the landlord's damage claim against the deposit if the tenant is not offered the walkthrough. This is information, not legal advice.
Is a move-in inspection report required by law?
Rarely under that name. The duty usually sits inside the deposit statute, so the useful question is whether your deposit claim survives without a report. In the three places below it does not, or not in full. Where a state is silent, the report is still your best evidence when the tenant moves out and the deduction gets argued.
What does each jurisdiction require?
| Jurisdiction | What you must do | If you skip it |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | A written checklist of condition, cleanliness and existing damage, signed and dated by both, with a copy to the tenant | No deposit may be collected; you are liable for the deposit amount plus costs and attorneys' fees |
| California | Photographs immediately before or at the start of the tenancy, again at move-out and after repairs | Repair and cleaning deductions over $125 must come with the photos |
| British Columbia | Two offered inspection times between 8am and 9pm, and a copy of the report within seven days | The right to claim against the security or pet damage deposit for damage is lost |
What happens if you skip it?
Take a Washington unit at $2,000 a month with a $2,000 deposit. Nobody signed a checklist at move-in. At move-out you find $1,400 of carpet and wall damage beyond ordinary wear.
Under RCW 59.18.260(5), collecting the deposit without the checklist makes you liable to the tenant for the amount of the deposit. The $2,000 goes back, and the prevailing party can recover court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. The $1,400 becomes a claim you have to prove some other way, without the one document the statute asked for.
California is narrower. For a tenancy that started on or after July 1, 2025, Civil Code 1950.5 asks for the photographs with any itemized repair or cleaning deduction above $125. No move-in photos means no before picture to set beside the after.
In BC, a landlord who never offered the tenant the two inspection times, or never handed over a copy within seven days, loses the right to claim against the deposit for that damage at all.
What should the report contain?
Washington names the minimum: walls including paint and wallpaper, carpets and other flooring, furniture and appliances, each described for condition, cleanliness and existing damage, then signed and dated by you and the tenant.
BC's regulation goes room by room: entry, living room, kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, storage, the exterior, parking, plus floor and window coverings, appliances, fixtures and outlets. It also needs a line where the tenant agrees or disagrees with your assessment.
For a mixed portfolio, use the stricter list everywhere, take dated photos of every room while the unit is empty, and get a copy to the tenant the same week. Our rental inspection checklist covers the walk itself.
How do you fit it into a fast turnover?
Book the inspection when you book the move-in. BC requires two offered times, and a tenant carrying boxes on day one will not chase you for a walkthrough. Shoot the photos before keys change hands, when every wall is visible.
The vacant days before a move-in are where turnover cost sits, and inquiries left unanswered stretch them. LetHub answers rental inquiries in about 30 seconds by text, chat and phone and books ID-verified showings, so the unit reaches its inspection date sooner. If that is your bottleneck, book a demo.
Move-in inspection reports: FAQ
Is a move-in checklist required in Washington?
Yes, if you take a deposit. RCW 59.18.260 says no deposit may be collected unless the rental agreement is in writing and a written checklist of the unit's condition is given at the start, signed and dated by both. Without it, the landlord is liable to the tenant for the amount of the deposit.
Do California landlords have to take move-in photos?
Yes, for tenancies that began on or after July 1, 2025. Civil Code 1950.5(g) requires photographs immediately before or at the start of the tenancy, and again after move-out and after repairs. A deduction for repairs or cleaning must include them unless those deductions total $125 or less.
What happens if a BC landlord skips the move-in inspection?
The landlord loses the right to claim against the security or pet damage deposit for damage, under sections 23 and 24 of the Residential Tenancy Act. That applies when the tenant was not offered two chances to attend, or did not get a copy of the report within seven days.
Does the tenant have to attend the inspection?
In BC the tenant should. A tenant who does not take part after two offered times may lose the right to have the deposit returned, and can send someone else in their place. In Washington the checklist needs both signatures, so the tenant signs it either way.
