Updated October 2026 · 5 minute read
With one rental, Schedule E is simple. With four or five, the hard part is keeping each property’s income and expenses separate all year so the form takes an hour, not a weekend. This guide explains how multiple properties work on Schedule E, what goes on each line, and how to set up a spreadsheet that totals every property for you.
- Three properties per Schedule E: columns A, B and C.1
- More than three? Attach as many Schedules E as you need.1
- Combined totals for all properties go on lines 23a–26 of only one Schedule E.1
- Track every property separately all year: rent on line 3, expenses on lines 5–19.
- Personal use over the greater of 14 days or 10% of rented days can limit deductions.1
How multiple properties work
| Number of rentals | Schedules E | Where the totals go |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | 1 | Lines 23a–26 of that form |
| 4 to 6 | 2 | Lines 23a–26 of one form only |
| 7 to 9 | 3 | Lines 23a–26 of one form only |
Based on the IRS 2025 Instructions for Schedule E: one column per property, attach extra Schedules E as needed, and complete lines A, B and 23a–26 on only one, with combined totals.1
Schedule E lines, per property
Each property’s column has the same lines. Line names are as printed on Schedule E; the examples are ours.
| Line | Name | What landlords usually put here |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Rents received | All rent collected for that property, including advance rent and fees tenants pay you |
| 5 | Advertising | Listing fees, signs, rental ads |
| 6 | Auto and travel | Trips to the property for rental business |
| 7 | Cleaning and maintenance | Cleaning, lawn care, pest control, routine upkeep |
| 8 | Commissions | Leasing commissions paid to agents |
| 9 | Insurance | Landlord, fire and liability premiums for that property |
| 10 | Legal and other professional fees | Tax prep for the rental, attorney, eviction costs |
| 11 | Management fees | Property manager fees |
| 12 | Mortgage interest paid to banks, etc. | Interest on Form 1098 for that property |
| 13 | Other interest | Interest not on a Form 1098, such as a private loan |
| 14 | Repairs | Fixes that keep the property in working order |
| 15 | Supplies | Small items used for the rental |
| 16 | Taxes | Property tax for that property |
| 17 | Utilities | Utilities you pay as landlord, including rental-related phone calls |
| 18 | Depreciation expense or depletion | Yearly depreciation from Form 4562 |
| 19 | Other | Expenses not on lines 5–18, such as HOA dues or software, listed by type |
| 20 | Total expenses | Lines 5 to 19 added up |
| 21 | Income or (loss) | Line 3 or 4 minus line 20 |
Line 4 is for royalties. Lines 22 to 26 handle loss limits and the totals across all properties; see the IRS instructions and Form 8582 if you have a loss.1
Property types and rental days
| Line 1b code | Property type |
|---|---|
| 1 | Single family residence |
| 2 | Multi-family residence |
| 3 | Vacation or short-term rental |
| 4 | Commercial |
| 5 | Land |
| 6 | Royalties |
| 7 | Self-rental |
| 8 | Other (attach a statement) |
Line 2 asks for fair rental days and personal use days for each property. If your personal use is more than the greater of 14 days or 10% of the days rented at a fair price, the unit counts as a home and deductions may be limited; rent it for fewer than 15 days and you don’t report the income or the expenses at all.1
Shared expenses across properties
Some costs cover several rentals: one umbrella insurance policy, one property manager invoice, one software subscription, one trip that visits three units. Schedule E needs each property’s share.
- Keep the original bill and note which properties it covers.
- Pick a reasonable split, such as equal shares, units or square footage, and write down why.
- Use the same method every year so your numbers stay consistent.
- Ask your tax professional if a split is not obvious.
Set up a multi-property spreadsheet
- One transaction log with columns for date, property, Schedule E line, payee and amount.
- Drop-downs for property and line, so nothing is misspelled.
- A summary tab with one column per property and one row per Schedule E line, filled with SUMIFS, for example
=SUMIFS(Amount,Property,"Elm St",Line,"16 Taxes"). - A rent roll so expected rent and received rent can be compared each month.
- A days log for any property you also use yourself.
At tax time the summary tab reads straight across into columns A, B and C, then onto a second Schedule E if you have more than three.
Schedule E totals for every property, done
The Landlord Rental Property Tracker keeps your rent roll, expenses, NOI and DSCR per property and totals each Schedule E line for each rental. Excel and Google Sheets.
Questions
How many properties can go on one Schedule E?
Three. Each property gets its own column, A, B or C. If you have more, attach as many Schedules E as you need, and put the combined totals for all properties on lines 23a to 26 of just one of them.
Do I file one Schedule E per rental property?
No. One Schedule E holds up to three properties. Five rentals means two Schedules E: three on the first, two on the second, with combined totals on only one form.
How do I split expenses that cover more than one rental?
Keep the bill and divide it between the properties on a reasonable basis that you can explain, for example by square footage or number of units, and use the same method every year. Ask your tax professional which basis fits.
What property type codes go on line 1b?
Code 1 single family residence, 2 multi-family residence, 3 vacation or short-term rental, 4 commercial, 5 land, 6 royalties, 7 self-rental and 8 other, which needs an attached statement.
What if I also used the rental myself?
If your personal use is more than the greater of 14 days or 10% of the days rented at a fair price, the IRS treats the unit as a home and your rental deductions may be limited. Expenses for personal-use days are not rental expenses.
Related guides
Sources
Tahir Abbas
Founder of Softotech Solutions. Tahir builds Excel and Google Sheets tools for landlords, including rent roll and Schedule E trackers. This guide is general information about the form, not tax advice; check your own return with a tax professional.