Receipt Requirements Checker
A receipt that is fine for your own records can still be rejected by an employer, an FSA plan or a tax office. Below is what a receipt must show for each common use, taken from the official source. Every generator on this site checks your receipt against these lists as you type.
Rent receipt for an HRA claim (India)
Employers ask salaried tenants for monthly rent receipts before they allow the House Rent Allowance exemption, which is available only under the old tax regime. The landlord PAN is mandatory once the rent paid in the year is more than ₹1,00,000.
| The receipt needs | When |
|---|---|
| Tenant name (the employee) | Always |
| Landlord name | Always |
| Address of the rented property | Always |
| Rent month or rent period | Always |
| Rent amount | Always |
| Amount in words | Recommended |
| Date the rent was received | Always |
|
Landlord PAN (rent above ₹1,00,000 a year, i.e. above ₹8,333 a month) Needed once the year's rent is above ₹1 lakh. If the landlord has no PAN, employers usually ask for a signed declaration from the landlord instead. |
Amount over ₹8,333 |
| Landlord signature | Always (on the printed receipt) |
|
Revenue stamp when rent above ₹5,000 is paid in cash A revenue stamp is commonly required on receipts for cash payments above ₹5,000. For rent paid by bank transfer or UPI many employers don't ask for one, so follow your employer's instructions. |
Amount over ₹5,000, paid in cash (on the printed receipt) |
Sources:
Rent receipt from a landlord (US)
Several US states require landlords to give a written receipt for rent, usually for cash payments. New York's law is the most detailed, so these checks follow it; see our state-by-state rent receipt laws for your state.
| The receipt needs | When |
|---|---|
| Date the rent was received | Always |
| Amount received | Always |
| Rent period the payment covers | Always |
| Address of the rented premises (and apartment number) | Always |
| Landlord or agent name | Always |
| Tenant name | Recommended |
| Name and title of the person who received the payment | Always |
| Signature of the person who received the payment | Always (on the printed receipt) |
Source:
Childcare receipt for a dependent care FSA or the child care credit (US)
To claim the child and dependent care credit, parents must give the IRS each care provider's name, address and taxpayer identification number on Form 2441. FSA administrators also ask for the dates of care and the dependent's name.
| The receipt needs | When |
|---|---|
| Care provider name | Always |
| Care provider address | Always |
|
Provider taxpayer ID (EIN or SSN) Required on Form 2441. A tax-exempt provider such as a church-run daycare can write "Tax-Exempt" instead. |
Always |
| Name of the child or dependent | Always |
| Dates the care was provided | Always |
| Amount paid | Always |
| Parent or guardian who paid | Always |
| Provider signature (many FSA plans ask for it) | Always (on the printed receipt) |
Sources:
Donation receipt for a gift of $250 or more (US)
A donor cannot deduct a single gift of $250 or more without a contemporaneous written acknowledgment from the charity. The IRS lists exactly what that acknowledgment must say.
| The receipt needs | When |
|---|---|
| Name of the organization | Always |
| Amount of a cash gift, or a description (no value) of a non-cash gift | Always |
| Whether any goods or services were given in return (the statement) | Always |
| Date of the contribution | Always |
| Donor name | Recommended |
|
Organization EIN Not required by the IRS, but donors and their tax preparers often ask for it. |
Recommended |
|
If the donor received something for a payment over $75: a good-faith estimate of its value A quid pro quo contribution over $75 needs a written disclosure that only the amount above the value of the goods or services is deductible. |
Amount over $75 (on the printed receipt) |
Source:
Receipt for a business expense or reimbursement (US)
For travel, meals, lodging and similar business expenses, the IRS accepts a receipt as documentary evidence when it shows the amount, the date, the place and the essential character of the expense. Most employer expense policies ask for the same.
| The receipt needs | When |
|---|---|
| Name of the business that was paid | Always |
| Date of the expense | Always |
| What was bought (itemized) | Always |
| Amount paid | Always |
|
Place of the expense (the business address) Fill in Business address under "Business details (optional)", below the business name. |
Always |
| Name of the customer | Recommended |
Source:
Refund receipt or credit note for a customer
No general law says what a refund receipt must show. Indian GST law lists the details of a credit note (CGST Rules, rule 53(1A)), and the parts that fit any refund make a clear record: who gives the refund and to whom, the number and date of the original receipt or invoice, what was refunded, the amount and the date. A GST-registered business that needs a GST credit note must also show its GSTIN and the tax credited, which this checker does not cover.
| The receipt needs | When |
|---|---|
| Name of the business giving the refund | Always |
| Date of the refund | Always |
| Customer who receives the refund | Always |
| Number of the original receipt or invoice | Always |
| Date of the original receipt or invoice | Always |
| What was refunded | Always |
| Amount refunded | Always |
| Business address | Recommended |
| Signature of the business or its representative | Always (on the printed receipt) |
Sources:
Missing receipt declaration for an expense report
When an original receipt is lost, most employers accept a signed declaration that gives the same details the receipt would have shown, plus the reason it is missing and a manager's approval. Check your own expense policy, as some cap how often or how much can be claimed this way.
| The receipt needs | When |
|---|---|
| Employee name | Always |
| Vendor or merchant | Always |
| Date of the expense | Always |
| What was bought, and the amount | Always |
| Business purpose | Always |
| Why the receipt is missing | Always |
| Signed declaration by the employee | Always |
| Employee and approver signatures | Always (on the printed receipt) |
Source:
Rent Receipts: Your State's Rules
Some US states require landlords to give a receipt for rent paid in cash, and some for any payment. See rent receipt laws by state.
Receipt Requirements FAQ
What does a receipt need to show?
At a minimum: who was paid, who paid, the date, what the payment was for and the amount. Some uses add more. An HRA claim needs the landlord's PAN once rent is above ₹1 lakh a year, a dependent care claim needs the provider's taxpayer ID, and a $250+ donation receipt needs a statement about goods or services received in return.
How does the receipt checker work?
Choose what the receipt is for under the preview of any generator on this site. Each requirement is ticked as you fill in the form, so you can see what is still missing before you download. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
Is the checker legal or tax advice?
No. It lists what the official sources linked on this page ask for. Employers, FSA plans and tax offices can ask for more, so check their instructions too.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, and an employer or plan can ask for more than the law does.