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Rentra makes a PDF receipt for every payment, and tenants can download theirs from the tenant portal. Try it free for 14 days
What a rent receipt should include
States that require a rent receipt
These four come from our state guides, each read from the statute. Other states have their own rules, and many leave receipts to the lease, so check your state before you rely on this list.
| State | What the landlord must give | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| New York | A written receipt for rent paid in cash or by anything other than the tenant's personal check. It must show the date, the amount, the premises and period paid for, and the signature and title of the person who took the rent. Keep a record of cash receipts for at least three years. | Real Property Law §235-e |
| Virginia | A written receipt whenever the tenant pays rent in cash or by money order. | Va. Code §55.1-1204 |
| Washington | A receipt for any cash payment the landlord accepts, and a written receipt for other payments when the tenant asks for one. | RCW 59.18.063 |
| Massachusetts | A written receipt for last month's rent and for the security deposit when they are paid. | M.G.L. c.186 §15B(2) |
General information for landlords, read from each statute on November 9, 2026. Laws change, so check the statute or ask a local attorney.
Keep a copy with the ledger
Number your receipts in order and keep a copy of each one. Post the same payment on the tenant's rent ledger the day it arrives, so the receipt and the running balance agree if the payment is ever questioned.
Rentra makes a PDF receipt for every payment, and tenants can download theirs from the tenant portal. ACH and card payments post to the ledger by themselves, and you record cash and checks as they come in. See rent collection.
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Questions
Does a landlord have to give a rent receipt?
It depends on the state and how the tenant paid. New York and Virginia require a written receipt for rent paid in cash or by money order, and Washington requires one for cash and for other payments when the tenant asks. Even where no law requires it, a receipt for every cash payment protects both sides.
What should a rent receipt include?
The date the payment was received, the tenant's name, the amount, the month or dates it covers, the rental address, how it was paid, any balance still due, and the name and signature of the person who received it.
Do I need a receipt for a check or an online payment?
A cancelled check or a bank record already shows the payment. Some states still require a receipt when the tenant asks for one, as Washington does, so check your state's rule.
Can I save the receipt as a PDF?
Yes. Choose Print or save as PDF, then pick Save as PDF as the printer in your browser's print window. You can also download a blank page of three receipts to print and fill in by hand.