HUD Form 52580-A is the Housing Quality Standards inspection checklist that a Public Housing Agency inspector uses to decide whether a Housing Choice Voucher unit passes inspection at move-in, during occupancy, and at move-out. You can download it free from HUD’s HUDClips forms library at hud.gov, and most local PHAs will hand out a copy at the voucher briefing or when a tenant submits a Request for Tenancy Approval.1U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD Forms
What the Form Is
HUD actually publishes two related inspection documents. Form HUD-52580 is the longer inspection report that records findings room by room. Form HUD-52580-A is the shorter companion checklist that summarizes whether the unit passes or fails overall. Both are free on the HUDClips page.
The form is not something a tenant or landlord fills out. The PHA inspector completes it during the walkthrough. What tenants and landlords should do is show up for the inspection, watch what gets written down, and ask questions on the spot. The inspector, owner, and tenant all sign at the end, and those signatures establish the unit’s baseline condition — the record that gets pulled back out if there is a security deposit dispute later.
How the Rating System Works
Every line item on the checklist gets one of three ratings:2U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD-52580-A – Inspection Checklist for the Housing Choice Voucher Program
- Pass — the item meets the minimum quality standard with no repair needed.
- Fail — the item poses a safety risk or does not function. Any single Fail rating means the unit does not pass overall.
- Inconclusive — the inspector cannot determine the item’s status during the visit. A heating system inspected in July that cannot be tested under cold conditions is a common example. The PHA gathers more information before deciding.
Next to each rating is a comment field. This is where the detail lives, and detail matters. A note that reads “floor damaged” tells no one anything useful. A note that reads “kitchen linoleum has a six-inch tear near the stove exposing the subfloor” tells the landlord exactly what to repair and creates a clean record if a deposit question comes up later. If you are attending the inspection, read what the inspector writes before signing.
What the Checklist Covers
The form divides the property into eight sections, each with its own line items.3U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD-52580 – Inspection Checklist
Living Room
The inspector checks for working electricity, no electrical hazards such as exposed wiring or missing outlet covers, a lockable entry if applicable, at least one usable window, and sound ceilings, walls, and floors. The minimum electrical requirement is two working outlets, or one outlet plus a permanent ceiling or wall light fixture. A single duplex receptacle counts as one outlet, not two. In pre-1978 buildings the inspector also looks for deteriorated paint that could be lead-based.
Kitchen
Beyond the same structural and electrical checks, the kitchen adds four items landlords commonly miss: a working stove or range with an oven, a refrigerator, a sink with hot and cold running water, and enough space to store, prepare, and serve food. A missing refrigerator or a broken burner fails the unit. Countertops, cabinets, and ventilation are also reviewed.
Bathroom
The bathroom must have a flush toilet in a private, enclosed room, a fixed wash basin, and a tub or shower connected to hot and cold water. Ventilation is a frequent failure point: there must be either an operable window or a working mechanical exhaust fan. Mold and mildew from poor ventilation show up often.
Other Rooms Used for Living
Bedrooms, dens, dining rooms, and hallways get the same structural and electrical review as the living room. Bedrooms also need working smoke detectors.
Building Exterior
Foundation, stairs and railings, roof and gutters, exterior surfaces, and chimneys. Manufactured homes have a separate tie-down line item.
Heating and Plumbing
The heating system must be adequate for the climate, safely vented, and in working order. Water heater, water supply, plumbing, and sewer connection each get their own line. Since December 2022, any unit with fuel-burning appliances or an attached garage must also have carbon monoxide alarms or detectors meeting the 2018 International Fire Code standard.4HUD Office of Inspector General. Carbon Monoxide in HUD-Assisted Housing (2022-OE-0004) A missing or non-working CO detector is a life-threatening deficiency with a 24-hour repair deadline.
General Health and Safety
This section sweeps up the rest: accessible entry and exit, fire exits, pest infestation, garbage and refuse disposal, interior air quality, elevator condition if applicable, and the surrounding site. The lead-based paint owner certification for pre-1978 buildings is noted here as well.5Environmental Protection Agency. Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule (Section 1018 of Title X)
The Move-In Inspection
A voucher holder cannot move in and start receiving housing assistance until the PHA inspects the unit and confirms it passes. Federal regulations prohibit the PHA from executing a Housing Assistance Payment contract until the unit has been inspected and meets HQS.6eCFR. 24 CFR 982.305 – PHA Approval of Assisted Tenancy The landlord and tenant can sign the lease, but the lease term does not begin until the unit passes.
One limited exception exists. If the PHA has adopted the non-life-threatening deficiencies option, the unit can be approved and the lease can start as long as nothing on the list is life-threatening. The remaining items still have to be fixed within the PHA’s timeframe. If you are a tenant trying to move in quickly, ask whether your PHA uses this option.
Plan for the walkthrough to take 30 to 60 minutes depending on the unit size. Both the landlord and tenant should attend, and both should read the completed form before signing.
What Happens When the Unit Fails
A single Fail on any line fails the whole unit. The repair clock starts immediately. Landlords have 24 hours to correct life-threatening deficiencies — gas leaks, exposed electrical wiring, no heat in winter, a missing carbon monoxide detector — and up to 30 days for everything else.7eCFR. 24 CFR 982.404 – Maintenance: PHA Remedies
If repairs happen within those windows, the unit passes on re-inspection and the HAP contract moves forward. If not, the PHA suspends housing assistance payments starting the first day of the month after the correction period expires. The PHA must give 30 days’ notice before terminating the HAP contract entirely, but the landlord receives nothing during the suspension and the lost payments are not retroactive.
Verifying Repairs and Re-Inspection
After a failed inspection, the PHA does not always have to send someone back in person. Federal rules let PHAs accept photos or other reliable documentation from the owner to confirm a deficiency has been corrected.8eCFR. 24 CFR 982.405 – PHA Unit Inspection Some agencies use owner self-certification for minor paint stabilization in pre-1978 buildings that falls below the lead-safe work practice thresholds.
What your PHA accepts depends on local policy and the severity of what failed. Life-threatening items almost always require a physical re-visit. For routine items, submitting clear, timestamped photos of the completed repair with a brief written description is usually the fastest path back to compliance. Ask your PHA what it will accept before you start.
Remote Video Inspections
HUD allows PHAs to conduct remote video inspections as an alternative to in-person visits for voucher units.9HUD Exchange. Remote Video Inspections: Guidance and Training A proxy — usually the tenant or landlord — walks through the unit on a live video call while the inspector directs the camera. These are available for routine periodic inspections as well as non-routine and emergency situations.
Not every PHA offers this. The proxy signs a Hold Harmless Inspection Template before the call starts. If mobility or scheduling makes an in-person visit difficult, ask whether your PHA will do a remote inspection.
Periodic and Move-Out Inspections
The move-in inspection is not the last one. PHAs must re-inspect each assisted unit at least every two years during occupancy. Small rural PHAs may inspect every three years. A tenant or landlord can request a special inspection any time conditions deteriorate; a furnace that quits in January should not wait for the next scheduled visit.
At move-out, the same checklist records the unit’s condition when the tenant leaves. Comparing the move-in and move-out forms side by side shows what changed. Normal wear and tear — scuffed baseboards, faded paint — is expected. Damage beyond that, like holes in drywall, broken fixtures, or missing appliances, gives the landlord grounds to deduct from the security deposit. This comparison is exactly why both parties should attend each inspection and insist on detailed comments. A move-in form that reads “walls — pass” with no further notes makes it nearly impossible to prove the tenant caused specific damage months later.
How Long Form 52580-A Stays in Use
HUD is phasing in a new inspection framework called the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate, or NSPIRE, which replaces the HQS process. For the Housing Choice Voucher program the compliance deadline has been extended to February 1, 2027.10Federal Register. Extension of NSPIRE Compliance Date for Housing Choice Voucher Until then, PHAs may continue using Form HUD-52580-A.
NSPIRE sorts deficiencies into four severity levels: life-threatening, severe, moderate, and low. Life-threatening still requires a 24-hour fix. Severe and moderate get 30 days unless the PHA grants an extension. Low-severity items do not require correction at all in voucher programs.11U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate The new framework adds scored requirements for carbon monoxide detection, GFCI outlet protection near water sources, guardrails, and minimum lighting in kitchens and bathrooms.12Navigate Housing. NSPIRE Compliance Date: HUD Delays Scoring to Oct 2026 Landlords preparing units for voucher tenants now can get ahead of the transition by installing GFCI outlets within six feet of sinks and making sure every habitable room has adequate lighting.