LOCAL RULES

Idaho rental inspection report requirements

Your Idaho rental inspection report has 3 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • Verifying working smoke detectors at the start of the rental agreement
  • The refund within 21 days (30 at most) after surrender
  • The signed itemized statement with a detailed list of expenditures
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Idaho asks for a specific kind of paperwork when deposit money is kept: a signed statement itemizing each amount, its purpose, and a detailed list of what was spent. It also makes landlords verify working smoke detectors when a rental begins. Here is each rule with a link to the Idaho Code, and how walkthrough notes become reports that support both.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Rental inspectionIDAHO / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 88 words

Move-in inspection
Address: 22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Boise, ID 83702
Date: 2026-09-30
Landlord: Pinecrest Property Management
Tenant: Jordan Lee and Priya Raman
...
FREE PREVIEW OF THESE NOTES
79%of your draft is ready from these notes

We sorted 13 items into 6 sections and flagged 5 to fix soon.

  • Fix soonLiving and dining areas

    Carpet has a stain near the sofa wall.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Dishwasher not working.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Counter chipped near the sink.

3 Idaho rules on your checklist, including verifying working smoke detectors at the start of the rental agreement.

Still to add

  • RecommendedNotes for entry and hallways
  • RecommendedNotes for laundry and utility

Filled in for you

Inspection typeMove-in
Rental unit address22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Boise, ID 83702
Inspection dateSep 30, 2026
Landlord or property managerPinecrest Property Management
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What Idaho requires

  • When a rental agreement begins, the landlord verifies that approved smoke detectors are installed and in good working order in the unit; the tenant keeps them working during the tenancyIdaho Code s. 6-320 (a) (6)
  • If working smoke detectors are not installed, the tenant may send written notice by certified mail; if they are not installed within 72 hours of receipt, the tenant may install them and deduct the cost from the next month's rentIdaho Code s. 6-320 (a) (6)
  • No part of a deposit may cover normal wear and tear, meaning deterioration from the unit's intended use without negligence, carelessness, accident, misuse or abuse of the premises or contents by the tenant, household, invitees or guestsIdaho Code s. 6-321 (1)
  • When the tenancy ends and the tenant surrenders the premises, the whole deposit is refunded except amounts needed for the contingencies specified in the deposit arrangementIdaho Code s. 6-321 (1)
  • The refund is made within 21 days if the agreement sets no time, and in any event within 30 days after the tenant surrenders the premisesIdaho Code s. 6-321 (2)
  • A partial refund comes with a signed statement itemizing the amounts kept, the purpose of each, and a detailed list of expenditures made from the depositIdaho Code s. 6-321 (2)
  • A tenant may sue for failure to return a deposit as required, and the prevailing party in such an action is entitled to attorney feesIdaho Code s. 6-320 (a) (4) ยท Idaho Code s. 6-324

Smoke detectors at the start

When a rental agreement begins, the landlord verifies that approved smoke detectors are installed and working in the unit, and the tenant keeps them working afterwards. If working detectors are missing, the tenant may send written notice by certified mail; after 72 hours from receipt, the tenant may install them and deduct the cost from the next month's rent.

Recording each detector and its test in the move-in report gives both sides a dated record of that verification.

What can be kept

When the tenancy ends and the tenant surrenders the premises, the whole deposit is refunded except amounts needed for the contingencies specified in the deposit arrangement. Normal wear and tear is never chargeable: it is deterioration from the unit's intended use without negligence, carelessness, accident, misuse or abuse by the tenant, their household, invitees or guests.

21 days and the signed statement

The refund is due within 21 days if the agreement sets no time, and in any event within 30 days after surrender. A partial refund comes with a signed statement itemizing the amounts kept, the purpose of each, and a detailed list of expenditures made from the deposit.

A tenant may sue for failure to return a deposit as required, and the prevailing party is entitled to attorney fees.

From walkthrough notes to a finished Idaho report

At move-in, note each room and every smoke detector you checked. At move-out, note each item of damage and what the repair involved. ReportDraft writes both up room by room, keeps normal wear and tear apart from damage, and leaves lines for the landlord and the tenant to sign, so each line of the signed statement points back to the report.

Common mistakes

  • Starting a rental without verifying the smoke detectors work.
  • Sending a partial refund without a signed statement and a detailed list of expenditures.
  • Missing 21 days when the agreement sets no time, or 30 days in any case.
  • Keeping money for normal wear and tear.
  • Withholding for something the deposit arrangement does not specify.

Sources

Last reviewed October 10, 2026. Next review due January 10, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.