Disclaimer: ArrivHQ does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional guidance. Consult a qualified tax professional before making decisions based on your specific situation.

Overview

Compliance Packs are downloadable zip bundles that consolidate a property's financial and compliance records into a single packet for CPA handoff. Instead of exporting CSVs, downloading receipts one at a time, and assembling summaries by hand, you generate one pack and hand your accountant everything they need in a single file.

Each pack covers a single property and a single period -- either a specific month or a full calendar year. Inside the zip you get a professionally formatted compliance-report PDF, a receipts folder with original receipt files, and an evidence-index CSV that cross-references every receipt back to its expense record. Your CPA can go from any line item in the report to the supporting document in seconds.

Compliance Packs are records bundles -- they organize the data you have already entered in ArrivHQ. They do not prepare a tax return, calculate your tax liability, or certify that your records meet any specific requirement. That determination is between you and your tax professional.

Want a visual walkthrough? See our blog post: Compliance Packs: CPA Handoff Made Simple

How it works

  1. You log your day-to-day activity in ArrivHQ throughout the year -- expenses, revenue, work hours, and mileage -- as it happens.
  2. When tax time arrives (or whenever your CPA asks for records), you navigate to the Compliance Packs section and select a property and period.
  3. ArrivHQ generates a zip bundle containing a PDF report, your receipt files, and a CSV evidence index. Generation typically takes a few seconds to a couple of minutes depending on data volume.
  4. You download the zip and send it to your CPA. The PDF covers a P&L statement, a Schedule E reference worksheet, material participation data, mileage, work logs, and a completeness summary that flags potential gaps -- all organized so your accountant can work through it efficiently.

Because each pack is a point-in-time snapshot, you can generate a new one after updating records and your CPA will always have the latest version. Prior packs remain available for download as a historical reference.

Why it matters at tax time

Short-term rental hosts claiming deductions on Schedule E -- or pursuing Real Estate Professional Status (REPS) or material participation -- need organized, contemporaneous records. A compliance pack bundles those records into the format accountants expect: a structured P&L, categorized expenses mapped to Schedule E line items, and receipts indexed for easy lookup. It does not replace professional tax preparation, but it gives your CPA a clean starting point instead of a box of loose paperwork.

One property, one pack

Packs are generated per property. If you manage three properties, you generate one pack for each. This matches the IRS expectation that Schedule E income and expenses are reported per property. ArrivHQ does not produce cross-property consolidated packs.

Limits & requirements

  • Compliance Packs are available on the Comply, Host, and Portfolio plans. The feature is not available during the trial period.
  • Comply: Up to 3 packs per calendar month (tenant-wide). Resets on the 1st of each month.
  • Host: Up to 5 packs per calendar month (tenant-wide). Resets on the 1st of each month.
  • Portfolio: Up to 5 packs per property per calendar month. Each property has its own independent counter.
  • Each successful generation counts as one use, regardless of whether the pack is monthly or annual. Failed or canceled generations do not count.
  • Re-generating a pack for the same property and period counts as a new generation because each pack is a distinct point-in-time snapshot.
  • Role access: Owners, admins, and managers can generate, view, and download packs. Bookkeepers can view and download but not generate. Cleaners, maintenance, and viewer roles have no access.

FAQ

Does a compliance pack file my taxes? No. A compliance pack is a records bundle that organizes your data for CPA handoff. It does not prepare, file, or submit anything to the IRS. Your tax professional uses it as supporting documentation when preparing your return.

What if my records are incomplete? You can still generate a pack. The completeness summary section in the PDF flags potential gaps -- such as months with no expenses logged or receipts missing for expenses over $75 -- so you and your CPA know what to address. You can update your records in ArrivHQ and generate a fresh pack afterward.

Can I generate a pack for a prior year? Yes. You can select any period going back to the property's creation date or the earliest logged record, whichever is earlier. Historical data remains available for as long as your account is active.

Do I need a separate pack for each property? Yes. Each pack covers one property and one period. This aligns with how Schedule E income and expenses are reported -- per property.

What is the difference between a compliance pack and a regular export? A regular export gives you raw data in CSV or PDF format for a single record type (expenses, revenue, mileage, or work logs). A compliance pack bundles everything together -- P&L, Schedule E worksheet, material participation, mileage, work logs, receipts, and a completeness summary -- into one professionally formatted package designed for CPA handoff.