A letter stating that someone lives with you is a short, signed statement in which you confirm that a named person resides at your address. It should identify you, identify the resident, give the full address, state when they moved in, describe your relationship, and close with a declaration signed under penalty of perjury. Keep it factual and brief. Agencies that ask for one are looking for verifiable details, not a narrative.
What the Letter Must Contain
A residency letter doesn’t need to be long, but every detail has to be there. Missing even one can cause a rejection.
- Your full legal name and contact information. Address, phone, email. The recipient needs a way to reach you if they want to verify what you wrote.
- The resident’s full legal name. Use the name exactly as it appears on their government ID. Nicknames create problems.
- The complete residential address. Street, apartment or unit number, city, state, ZIP.
- The move-in date. State when the person began living there. If you know they plan to move out, include that date too.
- Your relationship to the resident. Parent, landlord, homeowner, roommate. This tells the recipient why you’re in a position to confirm the address.
- A declaration under penalty of perjury. This is the sentence that gives the letter legal weight. Federal law treats a written declaration signed under penalty of perjury as carrying the same force as a sworn, notarized statement. The standard wording is: “I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.”1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1746 – Unsworn Declarations Under Penalty of Perjury
- The date and your handwritten signature. Sign in ink. A typed name alone isn’t enough.
Some agencies also want a supporting document attached, like a utility bill or lease showing your name at the address. Even when it’s not required, attaching one strengthens the letter.
Sample Language You Can Adapt
Here’s how the finished letter can read. Adjust it to fit your situation.
[Your Full Name]
[Your Street Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
[Date]
[Recipient Name or Department]
[Organization Name]
[Organization Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
To Whom It May Concern:
I, [Your Full Name], am the [owner/leaseholder] of the property located at [Full Address]. I am writing to confirm that [Resident’s Full Legal Name], who is my [relationship, e.g., son, daughter, partner, friend], currently resides with me at this address. [He/She/They] moved in on [Date] and [continues to live/lived] here as of the date of this letter.
I am willing to provide additional documentation, such as a copy of my lease or a utility bill, to verify this information. I can be reached at [phone number] or [email] if further confirmation is needed.
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on [Date].
___________________________
[Your Handwritten Signature]
[Your Typed Full Name]
Keep it factual. Agencies don’t want a personal story about why someone moved in. They want a clear statement of fact they can verify.
Who Should Sign the Letter
The letter carries more weight when the writer has a clear tie to the property. The best signer is whoever holds the lease, owns the home, or is the primary account holder on household utilities. A parent confirming an adult child lives at the family home is a natural fit. A landlord writing one for a tenant is even stronger.
What matters is that the writer can prove authority over the residence. A requesting agency may follow up and ask to see the writer’s lease, mortgage statement, or utility bill. If a roommate who isn’t on the lease signs the letter, the agency may reject it. Pick whoever in the household has the strongest paper trail to the address.
When You Need Notarization
Not every situation requires a notary. A letter signed under penalty of perjury already has legal weight under federal law, and many agencies accept it as-is.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1746 – Unsworn Declarations Under Penalty of Perjury Others, including some schools, courts, and government offices, require notarization. Call the requesting organization first and ask.
A notary checks your government-issued ID, watches you sign, and applies an official seal. The notary does not verify that your statements are true. They confirm your identity and that you signed voluntarily. Notary fees typically run about $5 to $15 per signature. Banks, shipping stores, libraries, and some law offices offer the service. Mobile notaries who travel to you charge more, and some states allow remote online notarization through a video call.
Risks to Think About Before You Sign
Writing this letter is a legal act. Before you put your name to it, consider what else it may trigger.
Lease Violations
If you rent, your lease likely limits who can live in the unit. A signed letter confirming an additional occupant can serve as evidence of an unauthorized resident and give your landlord grounds for a violation notice or eviction. Read your lease first. If you need to add someone, get the landlord’s approval before writing anything.
Subsidized Housing Consequences
If you receive federal rental assistance through a HUD-subsidized program, every household member must be reported. Under HUD guidelines, management agents can terminate rental assistance when a tenant fails to report a change in household composition, and the tenant may then owe full market rent.2U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD Handbook 4350.3 – Occupancy Requirements of Subsidized Multifamily Housing Programs Report the new household member to your property management before signing a letter.
Insurance Gaps
Homeowner’s and renter’s insurance covers the named insured and typically immediate family members in the household. Someone who isn’t family or isn’t on the policy may not be covered if their belongings are damaged or if they cause a liability incident. Tell your insurer when someone new moves in.
Tax Implications
Confirming someone lives with you can intersect with tax rules. The IRS allows head-of-household filing only if a qualifying person lived in the home more than half the year and the taxpayer paid more than half the cost of maintaining it.3Internal Revenue Service. Publication 501 – Dependents, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information A residency letter can support or contradict a claim to that status, and the IRS uses residency documentation in audits.
Penalties for False Statements
Signing a letter you know to be false is not a minor matter. When the letter includes a penalty-of-perjury declaration, lying in it exposes you to the same criminal consequences as lying under oath. Federal perjury carries a fine and up to five years in prison.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1621 – Perjury Generally If the letter goes to any federal agency, a separate statute makes it a crime to knowingly submit a materially false statement, also punishable by up to five years.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally
State penalties vary, but perjury is a felony in most jurisdictions. Beyond criminal exposure, a false residency letter submitted for government benefits can result in denial, repayment demands, and permanent disqualification from the program. If you’re not sure the person actually lives at your address in any legally meaningful way, don’t sign.
Submitting the Letter and Keeping a Copy
Ask the requesting organization how they want to receive it. Most accept hand delivery, mail, or a scanned email attachment. Some have their own residency verification forms and will not accept a freeform letter. A quick phone call before you draft can prevent a wasted trip.
If you mail it, USPS Certified Mail with a return receipt gives you proof of delivery. Certified Mail currently costs $5.30, and the return receipt adds $4.40 for a physical card or $2.82 for electronic confirmation.6United States Postal Service. Shipping Insurance and Delivery Services
Make at least one copy of the signed letter before you send it. If it was notarized, copy the notarized version with the seal visible, and keep it with your records. Agencies lose paperwork sometimes, and a duplicate on hand means you can resubmit without starting over.