How to fill out a rent receipt
- Landlord / property name and address. The person or company who received the rent. Phone is optional.
- Tenant name. Who paid.
- Property address and unit. The home the rent covers.
- Receipt number. Your own sequence, such as R-0007. In a batch, later months add 1, 2, 3… to that number.
- Payment date. The day the money was received. A batch shifts this date by calendar months (31 January becomes 28 February in a non-leap year).
- Amount. The sum received for that period.
- Rent period. Start and end dates, or a calendar month. A batch shifts both dates by the same number of months.
- Payment method. Cash, check (add the check number), money order, bank transfer, or other.
- Payment for. Rent, last month's rent paid in advance, security deposit, rent arrears, or other. The PDF prints this on every receipt in a batch.
- Balance remaining. Optional. Use it if the tenant still owes part of the rent. It is printed in the selected currency; leave it blank to omit the line.
- Notes. Optional. Late fees, partial payment, or who handed over the cash.
- Received by and title. The name and title of the person who took the payment (for example Owner or Property manager). They print on a Received by line. The signature line stays blank so it can be signed by hand.
Massachusetts rent receipt rules
This is a summary, not legal advice. Check the current law or ask a local tenant/landlord office.
When last-month rent is taken in advance at or before the tenancy starts, G.L. c. 186, § 15B(2)(a) requires a receipt at that time stating the amount, the date received, that it is last-month rent, who received it (and the lessor if someone else received it), a description of the premises, a statement about interest, and that the tenant should give a forwarding address at the end of the tenancy.
When a security deposit is received, G.L. c. 186, § 15B(2)(b) requires a signed receipt stating the amount, who received it, the date, and a description of the premises.
This page did not find a statewide Massachusetts statute that requires a receipt for ordinary monthly cash rent. The form below can still record a monthly payment. City ordinances are outside this summary.
When Last month's rent paid in advance is selected, the PDF automatically adds those two last-month-rent statements about interest and a forwarding address.
FAQ
When does Massachusetts require a rent receipt?
Statewide, G.L. c. 186, § 15B requires a receipt when last-month rent is taken in advance at or before the tenancy starts, and a signed receipt when a security deposit is taken. This page did not find a statewide duty to issue a receipt for ordinary monthly cash rent.
What must a last-month rent receipt include?
The amount, the date received, that it is last-month rent, the name of the person who received it (and the lessor if someone else received it), a description of the premises, a statement about interest, and a request for a forwarding address at the end of the tenancy.
Is a monthly cash rent receipt required by statewide law?
This page did not find a Massachusetts General Laws section that requires a receipt for ordinary monthly cash rent. A receipt is still useful as a record. City rules may differ; this summary covers statewide statute only.
What about a security deposit receipt?
G.L. c. 186, § 15B(2)(b) requires a signed receipt at the time the security deposit is received, stating the amount, who received it, the date, and a description of the premises.