Free Rent Receipt Template
A rent receipt is the tenant's proof that a payment was made and your record of what it paid for. It matters most for cash and money orders, where neither side has a bank record to fall back on.
Print the form below, fill it in when you take the payment, and keep a copy. Two copies on one sheet works: one for the tenant, one for your file.
The template
Rent Receipt
- Receipt no.
- Date received
- Received from (tenant)
- Rental address and unit
- Amount received
- In numbers and in words
- Rent period covered
- For example, November 2026
- Paid by
- Cash, check no., money order no., or online
- Balance still owed, if any
- Late fee included, if any
- Received by (landlord or agent)
How to fill it in
- Number your receipts in order. A gap in the numbers is the first thing anyone checking your records will ask about.
- Write the period the payment covers, not only the date you received it. A payment made on December 3 for November is November's rent.
- If the payment is partial, write the balance still owed so the receipt cannot be read as payment in full.
- Record the method and the check or money order number. For cash, sign it in front of the tenant.
- Keep your copy with the lease. Rent received is income in the year you receive it, so the receipts back up your tax return.
Common questions
Does a landlord have to give a rent receipt?
It depends on the state, and often on how the tenant paid. Several states require a receipt for cash or on request. Giving one every time costs nothing and removes the argument. Check your state's rule in the landlord-tenant law guides.
Is a text message or bank record enough?
A bank or card record proves money moved. It does not say which month it paid for or whether a late fee was included, and that is what disputes are usually about.
Rules differ by state. See the landlord-tenant law guides for yours. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Or skip the paper
When a tenant pays through Corbica, or you record a payment yourself, the tenant is emailed a receipt and the payment is applied to the charge it pays, oldest open month first.
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