How many days does a tenant have to report damage after moving in?
It depends on the state, and in several it is the landlord who must act first. Virginia requires a written move-in report within five days after occupancy. Massachusetts requires a list of existing damage within ten days of the start of the tenancy and gives the tenant fifteen days to respond. California requires photographs of the unit for tenancies that began on or after July 1, 2025. Build your move-in process around the shortest window you face.
Virginia: five days, and silence counts
Virginia Code section 55.1-1214 says the landlord must, within five days after occupancy, give the tenant a written report listing damage that existed when the tenant moved in. The report is treated as correct unless the tenant objects in writing within five days of getting it.
A landlord may adopt a written policy that lets the tenant prepare the report, and the landlord can contest it in writing within five days. A policy can also provide for a joint report, signed by both, and then it is treated as correct. The section adds that listing damage does not by itself oblige the landlord to repair it.
Massachusetts: ten days out, fifteen days back
Massachusetts chapter 186, section 15B requires a separate written statement of present condition. It is due when the landlord receives the deposit or within ten days after the tenancy begins, whichever is later. It must list the damage that exists and be signed by the landlord or agent, with a required notice in twelve-point bold type at the top of the first page.
The tenant has fifteen days to return it with changes, or fifteen days after moving in, whichever is later. A court may treat a failure to return it as agreement that the list is complete and correct. The statute also bars deductions for damage that was listed, with a narrow exception when the landlord later repaired it and can prove new, unrelated damage.
California and Washington: the landlord proves the starting condition
California Civil Code section 1950.5, subdivision (g), says that for tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025 the landlord shall take photographs of the unit. Photos taken at move-out, before and after the work, are also required before a landlord can deduct for repairs or cleaning.
Washington RCW 59.18.280 points to the written checklist required by RCW 59.18.260. A landlord cannot withhold a deposit for fixtures, equipment, appliances or furnishings whose condition was not documented in that checklist. If you do not record it at move-in, you may not be able to charge for it at move-out.
The windows side by side
| State | Who acts first | The clock |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | Landlord, with a written report | Report within 5 days after occupancy; tenant objects in writing within 5 days |
| Massachusetts | Landlord, with a signed statement | Delivered within 10 days of the start (or receipt of the deposit); tenant returns within 15 days |
| California | Landlord, with photographs | Photos for tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025 |
| Washington | Landlord, with a written checklist | Undocumented items cannot be charged against the deposit |
General information from the statutes cited here, opened on 2026-10-30. Other states have their own rules, and statutes change. This is not legal advice.
A move-in process that fits all of them
- Walk the unit with the tenant on the first day, or hand the form over the same day.
- List every room and every system: walls, floors, windows, appliances, smoke alarms, fixtures.
- Take dated photos of each room, each item you list and each existing mark.
- Have both sides sign, and give the tenant a copy right away.
- Put your state's response window on the calendar: the day the tenant's changes are due, and the day you will answer them.
- Store the signed report with the lease so it is there at move-out.
Example a made-up Virginia tenant gets keys on June 1. The landlord's report is due within 5 days, by June 6. The landlord delivers it on June 4, and the tenant has until June 9 to object in writing. If no objection arrives by June 9, the report is treated as correct.
How DoorKeeping handles it
Keep the signed lease, the move-in report and the photo set together in the unit's documents, and email the tenant a copy so there is a dated record of when it went out. Your Claude or ChatGPT, connected to DoorKeeping, can find the report when a deposit question comes up.
Sources
- Code of Virginia section 55.1-1214, move-in inspection, read Oct 30, 2026
- Massachusetts General Laws chapter 186, section 15B, read Oct 30, 2026
- California Civil Code section 1950.5, security deposits, read Oct 30, 2026
- Revised Code of Washington 59.18.280, deposit return and statement, read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- What if the tenant finds new damage after the window closes?
- Add it in writing as soon as you hear of it, with photos. A late note is weaker than a timely one, but a record made in the first weeks is far better than none.
- Does a signed move-in report let me charge for everything on it at move-out?
- No. Damage that was on the report at move-in cannot normally be charged as new damage. The report protects you only for what changed after.
- Do I need photos if my state does not require them?
- It is strongly worth it. Photos with dates settle most deposit disputes faster than words do.