First Apartment Checklist: A Printable Guide for 2026

A printable first apartment checklist: budget, documents, tour and lease checks, move-in day, setup and shopping, plus a first college apartment list.

A first apartment checklist covers six steps: set a budget, gather your documents, check each apartment on the tour, read the lease, inspect the unit on move-in day, and set up utilities and insurance. Then comes the shopping list. The printable checklist below covers every step, with a section for a first college apartment and the Florida rules that apply.

The fees, deposits and lease terms below come from our research on 410 purpose-built rental buildings in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, read on October 12 and 13, 2026. For the bigger picture, see our guide to renting in Miami and South Florida.

How much money do you need for your first apartment?

Two numbers matter: the income you need to qualify and the cash you need at move-in. Many buildings ask for household income of three times the monthly rent, and 18 buildings in our files state that rule outright. At the Miami-Dade median one-bedroom base rent of $2,603 in October 2026, that's about $7,800 a month. Our affordability calculator runs the numbers for any rent.

The cash you need at move-in usually covers:

• Application fee: $50 to $150 per applicant at the 75 buildings in our files that list one.
• Administrative fee: usually $300 or $350, and as high as $400.
• Security deposit: most of the 24 buildings that publish one ask $500 to $2,000. Some waive it with approved credit or offer a monthly deposit-waiver plan instead.
• The first month's rent and required monthly fees. Among buildings that publish both a base rent and a total price, the fees add a median of about $71 a month.
• Pet fees, if you have a pet: most often $500 one-time, plus monthly pet rent.
• Moving costs, furniture and the first utility bills.

Here is one real case. At Maizon Brickell, a one-bedroom started at $2,679 in base rent in October, with $150 in required monthly fees, a $150 application fee, a $350 admin fee and a $1,000 deposit. That's about $4,330 if the first month is due at move-in. The move-in cost calculator adds up the same charges for any apartment, and apartment application requirements explains how buildings check income and credit.

What documents do you need to rent your first apartment?

Have these ready before you tour, so you can apply the same day if you find the right place:

• A government-issued photo ID for every adult who will live there.
• Proof of income: recent pay stubs, an offer letter for a new job, or bank statements if you're self-employed.
• Your rental history or a reference. If this is your first lease, ask whether the building accepts a guarantor.
• Pet records, such as vaccinations, plus breed and weight. Of the 363 buildings with a pet policy on file, 211 mention breed restrictions.
• An emergency contact, and your vehicle's make, model and plate for parking.

Check your credit before you apply. You can get a free credit report from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus once a week at AnnualCreditReport.com, the only site the Federal Trade Commission says is authorized for that. Fix any errors before a landlord sees them.

If you're turned down because of a tenant screening report, the landlord must tell you which company supplied it, and you can get a free copy within 60 days and dispute anything that's wrong, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Give your Social Security number and bank details only on the building's own application, after you've seen the apartment. Our guide on how to avoid rental scams explains why.

What should you check when you tour an apartment?

Take photos and notes at every tour so you can compare later. On the walk-through, check:

• The air conditioning: turn it on and feel the airflow.
• Water pressure and hot water in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Windows, doors, locks and screens. Where no local housing code applies, Florida law requires screens in reasonable condition when the tenancy starts (s. 83.51).
• Signs of leaks, mold or pests under sinks and around windows.
• Outlets, cell signal and internet options.
• Noise from the street, elevators, trash rooms or amenity decks.
• Where packages, trash and laundry go, and where you'll park.

Then ask the leasing office:

• What is the total monthly price, with every required fee, on the lease length I want?
• Which utilities do I pay, and how are water and sewer billed?
• Is there a move-in special, and is the quoted price net effective?
• What does parking cost? A first space ran $5 to $100 a month in our data, and 10 buildings include one.
• What are the pet rules? Weight limits in our files run from 25 to 99 pounds.
• Is renters insurance required, and how much liability coverage do you need?

What should you look for in the lease before you sign?

Read every page, and get anything a leasing agent promises in writing. In Florida, check these points:

• The rent, the due date, late fees and every required monthly charge.
• The lease term, and how much notice you must give to move out at the end. Laguna Gardens in Miami Gardens, for example, asks for 60 days' notice to vacate.
• Any early termination option. In Florida, an early termination fee can't exceed two months' rent, and the notice it requires can't exceed 60 days (s. 83.595).
• The security deposit. If the lease doesn't say where the deposit is held, a landlord with five or more units must tell you in writing within 30 days of receiving it (s. 83.49).
• The name and address of the landlord, or of an agent, for notices (s. 83.50).
• The radon disclosure, which Florida requires in at least one document you sign for a rental (s. 404.056(5)).
• The flood disclosure, required before you sign a lease of one year or longer, which says whether the landlord knows of past flooding that damaged the unit (s. 83.512).
• The rules on pets, guests, subletting and renters insurance.

What should you do when moving into your first apartment?

• Walk through before you unpack, and record every room with dated photos and video: walls, floors, appliances, fixtures and any damage.
• Write existing damage on the move-in inspection form if the building uses one, and keep a copy.
• Test the smoke alarms, the air conditioning, every faucet and every appliance.
• Find the breaker panel, the water shut-off and the fire exits.
• Collect every key, fob and access card, and ask what replacements cost. Some buildings charge for access devices, such as $40 at Metro Edgewater and $100 at Sofia Coral Gables.
• Report anything that doesn't work in writing, through the resident portal or by email, so there's a dated record.
• Keep the receipts for the deposit and every fee.

Keep the move-in photos until your deposit is back. After the lease ends, a Florida landlord has 15 days to return the deposit, or 30 days to send written notice of a claim against it, and you then have 15 days to object (s. 83.49). Our guide to Florida security deposit law has the details.

Which accounts and services should you set up?

• Electricity: ask whether you open the account yourself. If your building is served by Florida Power & Light, 1,000 kWh costs about $133 before taxes at its residential rates effective October 2026.
• Water, sewer and trash: often billed through the building or a billing company, so ask how. Trash is an itemized fee at 37 buildings in our files, at $20 to $35 a month.
• Internet: some buildings include it in a required technology package, $10 to $125 a month at the 15 that itemize one. Elsewhere you choose a provider.
• Renters insurance: 13 buildings in our files require it, and seven ask for $300,000 of liability coverage. A standard policy typically doesn't cover flood, according to FEMA; a National Flood Insurance Program renters policy covers up to $100,000 of belongings and starts after a 30-day wait. Renters insurance in Miami compares costs.
• Mail: forward it through the U.S. Postal Service.
• Driver license: get one with your new address within 30 days of moving (s. 322.19). If you're new to Florida, you have 30 days from establishing residency to get a Florida license, and 10 days to title and register a vehicle (Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles).

What do you need to buy for your first apartment?

Buy what you need for the first night first: a place to sleep, towels, toilet paper, a few kitchen basics and cleaning supplies. Buy the rest once you know what's missing; the full list is in the printable checklist below.

One item is specific to South Florida: a hurricane kit, since the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, according to the National Hurricane Center. The kit list below follows FEMA's Ready.gov basics, starting with one gallon of water per person per day for several days.

What goes on a first college apartment checklist?

Renting near campus for the first time adds a few steps to the list above:

• Match the lease to the school year. Of the 60 buildings in our files that state a minimum lease term, 29 offer terms of seven months or less, but 24 require 12 months or more. Shorter terms can cost more: Alvorada on the Bay charges a $300 monthly premium for 7- to 11-month leases, and Grand Station says terms under 12 months cost extra.
• Plan for the income rule. If your own income is below what the building requires, ask whether it accepts a guarantor or co-signer, and what income and credit that person needs.
• Decide how roommates will sign. Ask whether each roommate goes on the lease and pays an application fee, and agree in writing how you'll split rent, utilities and the deposit.
• Price furniture against a furnished option. Twenty-nine buildings in our files say they offer furnished apartments, some through a furniture-rental company, often at a higher rent.
• Check the trip to class by rail, bus or bike, and the parking cost if you'll drive.

Our near-campus guides list apartment buildings near FIU, FAU and the University of Miami, and the Coral Gables and Boca Raton pages show every rental building we list there. MiaRent lists regular apartment buildings, not dormitories.

What's on the printable first apartment checklist?

To print this first apartment checklist or save it as a PDF, use your browser's print command (Ctrl+P on Windows, Cmd+P on a Mac) and choose a printer or Save as PDF. Tick each box as you go.

Before you search

• ☐ Budget: rent, required fees, utilities, parking and insurance
• ☐ Income rule checked (often three times the monthly rent)
• ☐ Savings for the application fee, admin fee, deposit and first month
• ☐ Free credit reports pulled and errors fixed
• ☐ Two or three areas picked by commute

Documents to have ready

• ☐ Photo ID for every adult
• ☐ Pay stubs, offer letter or bank statements
• ☐ Rental history or references
• ☐ Guarantor details, if you need one
• ☐ Pet vaccination records
• ☐ Vehicle make, model and plate

On each tour

• ☐ Air conditioning, water pressure and hot water
• ☐ Windows, doors, locks and screens
• ☐ Leaks, mold or pests
• ☐ Outlets, cell signal and internet
• ☐ Noise
• ☐ Total monthly price with every required fee
• ☐ Which utilities you pay and how they're billed
• ☐ Parking cost and pet rules
• ☐ Move-in special, and whether the price is net effective

Before you sign

• ☐ Rent, due date and late fees
• ☐ Lease term and notice to move out
• ☐ Early termination terms
• ☐ Where the deposit is held
• ☐ Landlord's name and address for notices
• ☐ Radon and flood disclosures
• ☐ Renters insurance requirement
• ☐ Every promise in writing

Move-in day

• ☐ Dated photos and video of every room
• ☐ Existing damage noted on the inspection form
• ☐ Smoke alarms, AC, faucets and appliances tested
• ☐ Breaker panel, water shut-off and exits located
• ☐ All keys, fobs and access cards collected
• ☐ Receipts for the deposit and fees saved

Accounts to set up

• ☐ Electricity
• ☐ Water, sewer and trash billing
• ☐ Internet
• ☐ Renters insurance, plus flood coverage if you want it
• ☐ Mail forwarding
• ☐ New address on your driver license within 30 days

Kitchen

• ☐ Pots, a frying pan and a baking sheet
• ☐ Plates, bowls, glasses and mugs
• ☐ Cutlery, a chef's knife and a cutting board
• ☐ Cooking utensils, a can opener and measuring cups
• ☐ Food storage containers
• ☐ Dish soap, sponges and dish towels
• ☐ Trash can and bags

Bathroom

• ☐ Towels and a bath mat
• ☐ Shower curtain and liner
• ☐ Toilet paper, a plunger and a toilet brush
• ☐ First aid kit and basic medicines

Bedroom and living room

• ☐ Bed frame, mattress, sheets and pillows
• ☐ Hangers and storage
• ☐ Lamps and light bulbs
• ☐ Curtains or blinds, if not provided
• ☐ Seating, a table and a desk
• ☐ Extension cords and a surge protector

Cleaning and tools

• ☐ All-purpose cleaner, paper towels and a mop
• ☐ Vacuum, or a broom and dustpan
• ☐ Laundry detergent and a hamper
• ☐ Screwdrivers, a hammer and a tape measure
• ☐ Fire extinguisher

Hurricane kit

• ☐ Water: one gallon per person per day for several days
• ☐ Non-perishable food and a manual can opener
• ☐ Flashlight, extra batteries and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio
• ☐ First aid kit
• ☐ Phone chargers and a backup battery
• ☐ Copies of your lease, ID and insurance in a waterproof bag

First college apartment add-ons

• ☐ Lease length that fits the school year
• ☐ Guarantor or co-signer arranged, if needed
• ☐ Roommate agreement on rent, utilities and the deposit
• ☐ Furnished or unfurnished decided
• ☐ Trip to campus checked
• ☐ Renters insurance in place

This is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What do you need for your first apartment?

Money for move-in costs, photo ID and proof of income to apply, and the basics for the first night: a place to sleep, towels, toilet paper, a few kitchen items and cleaning supplies. Set up electricity, internet and renters insurance before move-in day.

How much should you save before getting your first apartment?

Enough for the first month plus the move-in charges. In our October 2026 data, application fees run $50 to $150 per applicant, admin fees are usually $300 or $350, and most published deposits are $500 to $2,000. The median starting base rent for a one-bedroom in a newer Miami-Dade building is $2,603.

Is there a first apartment checklist PDF?

Yes. Print this page or save it as a PDF from your browser's print menu. The checklist section is laid out with boxes to tick as you go, from the first search to moving into your first apartment.

What should be on a first college apartment checklist?

Everything on the regular list, plus a lease term that fits the school year, a guarantor if your income is below the building's requirement, a written roommate agreement, a decision on furnished versus unfurnished, and renters insurance.

What should you check in a Florida lease?

The rent and every required fee, the lease term and move-out notice, any early termination fee, which can't exceed two months' rent (s. 83.595), where the deposit is held (s. 83.49), and the radon and flood disclosures (ss. 404.056 and 83.512).