Dating Red Flag Checklist: Free Printable PDF

Something felt off on the date, but now you are explaining it away. Start with what you actually noticed. This free checklist gives you space to record the behavior, the context, what is still unclear, and the boundary you want to set.

One page. Six behavior checkboxes and three fillable text areas. Download directly without entering an email address. Type into a PDF reader that supports forms, save your copy, or print it.

Preview: what the checklist covers

• Pressure after you say no or ask to slow down.
• Demands for access to your phone, location, money, or private information.
• Mocking, insults, threats, or behavior that frightens you.
• Attempts to limit your friendships, family time, or independent plans.
• Repeated gaps between what someone says and what they do.
• A specific concern being redirected into blame or attacks on you.

Check only what you observed. Leave uncertain items blank. There is no pass/fail score, and a checked box does not diagnose anyone.

One completed example — fictional

Date: September 20. Context: Planning a second date by text. Observed behavior: I said I could meet Saturday but not Friday. They asked three more times after I said no and wrote, “You would make time if you liked me.” What is unclear: Whether this will repeat. Next step: Restate my availability once and notice whether my answer is respected.

“They are definitely controlling” is an interpretation. The exact message and repeated requests are the observations. Keep those separate.

Warning sign, incompatibility, or not enough information?

• Warning sign: Pressure, intimidation, or disregard for a boundary. You do not need repeated incidents to take threats or violence seriously.
• Incompatibility: Different goals, preferences, or availability without pressure or mistreatment.
• Not enough information: Something to clarify before drawing a conclusion. Record the question rather than inventing an answer.

How to use it

• Complete a short check-in after the date, somewhere private.
• Write the words or actions you remember. Mark approximate quotations.
• Record respectful responses too; do not force everything into a warning-sign category.
• Choose one next step: ask a question, state a boundary, slow down, or step away.
• Save a dated copy if you want to compare what happens over time.

Want a guided next step?

The free checklist is a single-date check-in. The paid Red Flag Mini Toolkit adds four fillable pages: a five-minute reality check, facts versus assumptions, a one-off-or-pattern check, and a next-step decision page. Preview the actual toolkit below, then view the Etsy listing for current purchase details.

Explore the Dating Red Flags hub · Try the fact-versus-story reality check

For reflection and personal recordkeeping. This checklist is not a diagnosis, safety assessment, or substitute for professional support.