A tenant moves out. You walk in and find a cracked tile in the bathroom, a scuff on the hardwood, a dent in the drywall, and carpet stains in the bedroom. You deduct it all from the security deposit. Thirty days later, you get a demand letter, the tenant swears all of it was there when they moved in, and they’re threatening to take you to small claims. The reason? You don’t have photos from move-in, or you don’t have a signed condition report. In other cases, you have a bad lease addendum, and your word against theirs.
This is how most security deposit disputes play out, and the landlord almost always loses when there’s no documentation. A proper Nevada move-in/move-out checklist is the single most important document for protecting your deposit deductions, defending against lawsuits, and making turnovers faster and cleaner. Here’s exactly what to include and how to use it.
Why This Document Matters More Than Most Landlords Realize
Under NRS 118A.242, you have 30 days after a tenant moves out to either return the security deposit in full or provide an itemized statement of deductions along with any remaining balance. Every deduction must be tied to damage beyond normal wear and tear, and if challenged, you carry the burden of proof.
Without a move-in checklist and photos, you can’t prove the damage wasn’t already there. A judge looking at your case sees a tenant with clean hands (they took photos on move-in) against a landlord with no baseline. You lose. And when a landlord loses a security deposit case in Nevada, they can be liable for the entire deposit plus damages.
The move-in checklist isn’t paperwork. It’s evidence. Build it like it’s going to court, because someday it might.
When the Inspection Happens
A proper documentation process covers three inspection points:
1. Move-In Inspection:
Conducted with the tenant, at or immediately before keys are handed over. The tenant walks through with you (or on their own), notes any existing issues, signs the checklist, and agrees that anything not listed was in good condition.
2. Mid-Lease Inspection:
Nevada allows periodic inspections with 24 hours’ written notice under NRS 118A.330. These aren’t documentation for security deposit purposes; they’re for monitoring property condition, catching maintenance issues early, and verifying lease compliance. Most landlords do one every 6–12 months.
3. Move-Out Inspection:
Conducted after the tenant returns keys and vacates. Ideally done within 1–2 days of move-out so the property condition matches what you’re documenting. Some landlords offer tenants a pre-move-out walk-through (a week or two before departure) to flag likely deductions while the tenant still has a chance to fix them.
Each inspection generates its own document. The move-in and move-out checklists compare directly; the mid-lease inspection is a standalone record.
What the Checklist Must Cover, Room by Room
A thorough inspection checklist walks through every room and every system in the property. Don’t use a generic one-pager. Use a multi-page form that forces you to look at every surface.
Entry / Exterior:
- Front door (condition, weather-stripping, lock function)
- Door hardware
- Exterior paint, stucco, and siding condition
- Porch, walkway, driveway condition
- Garage door (manual operation and opener)
- Mailbox
- Landscape condition (grass, shrubs, trees)
- Sprinkler system function
- Fences and gates
- Pool equipment, if applicable (separate addendum recommended)
Kitchen:
- Cabinets (doors, hinges, interior condition)
- Countertops (cracks, chips, stains, burn marks)
- Sink and faucet (function, drainage, caulking)
- Garbage disposal
- Dishwasher (function, interior, racks)
- Refrigerator (interior, shelves, drawers, ice maker)
- Oven/range (burners, interior, hood, filter)
- Microwave
- Backsplash
- Flooring (tile, grout, vinyl, wood)
- Walls, ceiling, baseboards
- Light fixtures, switches, outlets
- Pantry
Living / Dining Areas:
- Flooring (carpet condition, wood scratches, tile cracks)
- Walls (paint, nail holes, scuffs, drywall damage)
- Ceiling
- Baseboards and trim
- Windows (glass, screens, locks, blinds/shutters)
- Fireplace, if applicable
- Light fixtures, ceiling fans
- Outlets and switches
- HVAC vents and returns
Bedrooms (each):
- Flooring
- Walls and ceiling
- Closet (doors, shelving, rods)
- Windows and coverings
- Light fixtures and fans
- Outlets and switches
- Smoke detector (confirm working)
Bathrooms (each):
- Toilet (function, seat, base seal)
- Sink and vanity
- Faucets
- Tub and/or shower (tile, grout, caulk, surround)
- Shower doors or a curtain rod
- Mirror
- Medicine cabinet
- Towel bars, TP holder, hooks
- Flooring
- Exhaust fan
- GFCI outlets
- Walls and ceiling (watch for mold, water damage)
Laundry:
- Washer/dryer hookups (or appliances, if provided)
- Dryer vent
- Utility sink, if applicable
- Flooring
HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical:
- A/C function (critical in Las Vegas, test it)
- Heater function
- Thermostat
- Water heater condition and age
- Visible plumbing leaks
- Electrical panel
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (confirm working and dated)
Garage:
- Door function
- Opener and remotes
- Interior condition
- Water heater, if located here
For the relationship between inspection findings and what you can actually deduct, see Nevada Security Deposit Laws: What Landlords Can and Can’t Deduct.
The Photography Standard
Written notes alone aren’t enough. Photos are what actually win deposit disputes. Your photography process should meet this standard:
- Every room gets a minimum of 6–8 photos, each wall, the floor, the ceiling, and wide shots from two angles. Kitchens and bathrooms need more (appliances, inside cabinets, countertops, close-up).
- Every noted defect gets a close-up, with a ruler or tape measure in the frame if the size matters (scratches, dents, stains).
- Every photo is date-stamped; most phones do this automatically; confirm it’s on in your camera settings.
- Store everything in a cloud folder, organized by property address and date. iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, whatever. Photos on a phone that dies or gets lost are useless.
- Shoot the same angles at move-in and move-out; this is what makes comparison photos devastating in a dispute. Same kitchen corner, same bedroom wall, same carpet area.
- Video walkthrough is a strong supplement, 5–10 minutes, narrated, walking through every room. Doesn’t replace photos, but adds context.
Professional property managers often do 100–200+ photos per move-in inspection for a typical single-family home. If you feel like you’re taking too many, you’re probably close to the right number.
Normal Wear and Tear vs. Damage, The Line That Matters
This is where most disputes live. Under NRS 118A.242, you cannot deduct for normal wear and tear, only for damage beyond what’s expected from ordinary use.
Normal wear and tear (cannot deduct):
- Minor scuffs on the walls from furniture
- Small nail holes from hanging pictures
- Light carpet wear in traffic patterns
- Faded paint
- Worn caulk in bathrooms
- Minor scratches on hardwood
- Loose door handles
- Dust and light dirt
Damage beyond wear and tear (can deduct):
- Large holes in walls (beyond small nail holes)
- Broken tiles, fixtures, and appliances
- Carpet stains, burns, and pet damage
- Unauthorized paint colors requiring repainting
- Broken windows or screens (unless caused by normal use)
- Missing or damaged blinds, doors, and hardware
- Damage from pets not authorized by the lease
- Excessive cleaning requirements beyond standard turnover cleaning
- Burn marks on countertops or floors
The gray area is large, and judges in Nevada generally lean toward the tenant when the call is close. Your documentation is what tips borderline cases. A bedroom wall with four small nail holes is wear and tear. A bedroom wall with fifteen anchor holes and drywall chunks missing is damaged, if you have the move-in photo showing a clean wall.
For what’s specifically deductible when damage is clear, see Do I Have to Return Security Deposit If My Tenant Damaged Property?.
Cleaning: The Most-Disputed Deduction
Cleaning charges generate more security deposit disputes than almost any other deduction. Nevada law allows landlords to charge for cleaning beyond normal tenant responsibility, meaning the tenant left the property dirtier than move-in condition, not just “not professionally cleaned.”
Best practices:
- Document move-in cleanliness with photos. If you delivered the property professionally cleaned, show it.
- Spell out cleaning expectations in the lease. Require the property to be returned in the same cleanliness condition as move-in.
- Keep cleaning receipts. If you charge $300 for cleaning, you’d better have a $300 invoice from a cleaning company.
- Don’t charge for “professional cleaning” as a flat fee unless the lease specifies it and the tenant left cleaning that warrants it.
For the full breakdown on what’s chargeable, see Can I Charge Tenant for Professional Cleaning After Move-Out?.
The Signed Form Is the Foundation
Your move-in checklist has to be signed by the tenant to be maximally useful. An unsigned checklist is still evidence, but a signed one is much harder to challenge. Best practice:
- Tenant completes their own walk-through in the first 3–5 days of the lease
- Tenant notes anything they find, signs, and returns to you
- You compare their notes to yours, reconcile any differences, and file the final document
- Both parties keep a signed copy
Some landlords do this together at the key handoff. Others give the tenant 3–5 days to submit their own review. Either works; the key is getting something signed before any dispute arises.
At move-out, a signed move-out form isn’t always possible (tenants leave without doing a walk-through), but if you can, conduct the move-out inspection with the tenant present and have them sign the findings.
Common Landlord Mistakes That Kill Deposit Cases
- No move-in documentation at all. Instant loss if challenged.
- Photos without date stamps. Tenant argues you took them after move-out.
- Generic, single-page checklists with “condition: good” in each row. Not specific enough to prove anything.
- Charging for upgrades disguised as damage. If a 15-year-old carpet is worn at move-out, you can’t charge the tenant the full replacement cost; it was already at the end of its life.
- Missing the 30-day deadline under NRS 118A.242. Miss it, and you may owe back the entire deposit regardless of actual damage.
- No itemized statement. You can’t lump-sum “$1,200 damages.” Every deduction needs a line item with an amount and description.
- No supporting receipts or invoices. If you deducted $500 for carpet cleaning, have the receipt.
This Is What IRES Handles for You
Move-in and move-out inspections are where self-managing landlords most often create preventable legal exposure. At IRES, our property inspections service handles the full documentation cycle, 100+ photos per inspection, signed condition reports, mid-lease inspections, and move-out reporting that holds up in court. Every deduction we recommend comes with documentation, photos, and receipts, so your deposit decisions are defensible from day one.
For the full scope of how we protect Las Vegas rental owners from turnover disputes, see our property management services and the complete Nevada Landlord-Tenant Fair Housing Laws 2026 Guide.
Need Help Managing Your Las Vegas Rental?
IRES takes the stress out of property management. Whether you’re dealing with difficult tenants, maintenance headaches, or just want your time back, we’ve got you covered.
Call us: 702-478-2242 Email: brandy@iresvegas.com Or visit: https://www.iresvegas.com/contact-us/
This article provides general information about Nevada landlord-tenant law and should not be considered legal advice. For specific legal questions, consult a licensed Nevada attorney.