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 York rent receipt rules
This is a summary, not legal advice. Check the current law or ask a local tenant/landlord office.
For residential rent paid in cash, or by any instrument other than the tenant's personal check, New York Real Property Law § 235-e requires a written receipt that states (1) the date, (2) the amount, (3) the identity of the premises and the period for which paid, and (4) the signature and title of the person who received the rent.
A tenant may request, in writing, a receipt for rent paid by personal check. After that request, the same written receipt is required, and the request lasts for the rest of the tenancy unless the tenant says otherwise. Cash-receipt records must be kept for at least three years. Same section, subdivision (b).
If the rent is handed over in person, the receipt is due immediately. If the rent is sent another way, the receipt is due within fifteen days after it is received. Same section, subdivision (c).
FAQ
Does New York require a receipt for cash rent?
Yes, for residential rent. Real Property Law § 235-e requires a written receipt when rent is paid in cash or by any instrument other than the tenant's personal check.
What if the tenant pays by personal check?
The tenant may request a receipt in writing. After that request, the landlord must give the same kind of written receipt, and the request lasts for the rest of the tenancy unless the tenant says otherwise.
How soon must the New York receipt be given?
If the payment is handed over in person, the receipt is due immediately. If the payment is sent another way, the receipt is due within fifteen days after it is received.
Does this PDF replace the statutory receipt?
It can hold the fields § 235-e names (date, amount, premises and period, signature line and title). Whether a given PDF meets the statute depends on how you fill it and how you deliver it. This is not legal advice.