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.
New Jersey rent receipt rules
This is a summary, not legal advice. Check the current law or ask a local tenant/landlord office.
For covered residential leases, N.J.S.A. 46:8-49.2 (P.L. 2019, c. 300) requires a receipt, printed or emailed, for each cash payment due under the lease. The receipt must state the amount, the purpose, when the payment was received, the printed or typed names of both landlord and tenant, and who accepted the payment.
The same law, N.J.S.A. 46:8-49.1, says no covered landlord may require a tenant to pay amounts due under the lease by electronic funds transfer.
“Landlord” in this chapter does not include dwelling units in rental premises containing not more than two such units, owner-occupied premises of not more than three dwelling units, or hotels, motels, or other guest houses serving transient or seasonal guests. Definition in N.J.S.A. 46:8-44 as amended by the same act.
FAQ
Must a New Jersey landlord give a receipt for cash rent?
For leases covered by N.J.S.A. 46:8-49.2, yes: a printed or emailed receipt for each cash payment due under the residential lease.
Can the New Jersey cash receipt be emailed?
Yes. The statute says the receipt may be printed or emailed.
What has to appear on the New Jersey cash receipt?
The amount, the purpose, when the payment was received, the printed or typed names of both landlord and tenant, and who accepted the payment.
Does this cash-receipt rule cover every rental?
No. For this chapter, “landlord” excludes dwelling units in premises with not more than two units, owner-occupied premises of not more than three dwelling units, and hotels, motels, or guest houses serving transient or seasonal guests.
Is this legal advice?
No. This is a summary, not legal advice. Check the current law or ask a local tenant or landlord office.