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Make your rent ledger
Enter the rent and first month to build a ledger that keeps a running balance as you type payments. Leave it blank to print the empty template below.
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Rent Ledger
| Month | Rent due | Other charges | Date paid | Amount paid | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
How to keep a rent ledger
- Start one ledger per tenant (or per unit). Write the tenant, the unit, the monthly rent and the due day at the top.
- Charge the rent every month, even before it is paid. The balance shows what is owed, not just what came in.
- Add other charges on the line for the month they apply to: late fees, utility bill-backs, repairs the tenant agreed to pay.
- Record each payment the day it arrives, with the date and amount, and give a receipt for cash.
- Check the running balance after every entry. Zero means paid up; a positive number is owed; a negative number is a credit.
Example: a late month and a catch-up
Rent is $1,500 due on the 1st. In December the tenant paid $1,000 on the 8th and a $50 late charge was added; in January the tenant paid the $550 balance plus January's rent.
| Month | Rent due | Other charges | Date paid | Amount paid | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | $1,500.00 | 11/01 | $1,500.00 | $0.00 | |
| December 2026 | $1,500.00 | $50.00 | 12/08 | $1,000.00 | $550.00 |
| January 2027 | $1,500.00 | 01/02 | $2,050.00 | $0.00 | |
| February 2027 | $1,500.00 | 02/01 | $1,500.00 | $0.00 |
Computed with this page's ledger code: balance = previous balance + rent + other charges - payment. Totals: $6,000.00 rent, $50.00 other charges, $6,050.00 paid.
What each column means
- Rent due: the scheduled monthly rent. Use the prorated rent calculator for a partial first or last month and enter the difference as a negative other charge, or change the starting balance.
- Other charges: anything else the tenant owes that month. Keep the security deposit out of the ledger; it is not rent.
- Date paid and amount paid: one line per month; if a tenant pays twice in a month, add the amounts and note both dates.
- Balance: what is owed after that month. It carries forward automatically.
Ledger, receipts and bank records
| Record | What it shows | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Rent ledger | Every charge and payment for one tenant, with a running balance | Showing a tenant's full history in one page; spotting arrears |
| Rent receipt | One payment: date, amount, period, method, signature | Cash payments; proof for the tenant |
| Bank statement or app history | Money that actually arrived | Matching payments to your ledger; tax records |
Together they are strong proof of what was paid. A ledger on its own is your record, so back it with receipts and bank records.
Rent ledgers and taxes
Most individual landlords report on the cash method: rent counts when you receive it. The IRS's Publication 527 says most individual taxpayers use the cash method, that advance rent is income in the year you receive it regardless of the period it covers, and that a security deposit you plan to return is not income when you receive it. A ledger that records payment dates makes those three rules easy to apply at year end.
Keep ledgers with your tax records: the IRS says 3 years in most cases, and records relating to property until the period of limitations expires for the year you dispose of it.
When to switch to software
A paper or PDF ledger works for a few units. Once you have several tenants, landlord software charges rent automatically, records online payments and applies late fees for you. Baselane Core and Landlord Studio Go list automated late fees on their free plans, and RentRedi includes automatic late fees on every plan. See rent payment apps compared or rental property accounting software.
Frequently asked questions
What is a rent ledger?
A running record of what a tenant owes and pays: each month's rent and other charges, each payment with its date, and the balance after each entry.
How do I record a partial payment?
Enter the amount actually received on that month's line. The balance carries the unpaid part forward, so the next month starts with what is still owed.
How do I record a late fee?
Add it as an other charge on the line for the month it applies to. Make sure the fee is in your lease and within your state's limits.
What does a negative balance mean?
A credit: the tenant has paid more than was due, for example paying next month's rent early.
Is a rent ledger proof of payment?
It is your record of payments and is good supporting evidence, especially when it matches receipts, bank statements or a rent app's payment history.
Is this rent ledger template free?
Yes. It runs in your browser, nothing you type is sent or stored, and you can print it or save it as a PDF. It does not save your entries, so save a PDF before you close the page.
How long should I keep rent ledgers?
The IRS says to keep records for 3 years in most cases and records relating to property until the period of limitations expires for the year you dispose of the property.