Residential Lease Agreement

A complete, state-specific lease for a house, apartment or condo with every disclosure your state requires.

Updated September 2026≈ 12 min

Free to fill & preview · $19 PDF + Word

What you'll get

Sample first page of the Residential Lease Agreement. Your answers fill in the blanks; the clauses required in your state are added automatically.

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Select a state to load the correct statutory rules.

Compare Residential Lease Agreement rules in all 50 states

Key statutory numbers side by side. Click a column header to sort, or type to find your state — each state name opens the state-specific generator.


Alabama	one month's rent	60 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	48 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Alaska	2 months' rent	14 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Arizona	1.5 months' rent	14 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	48 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Arkansas	2 months' rent	60 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
California	one month's rent (2 months for small owner-landlords)	21 days after move-out	Must be a reasonable estimate of landlord's actual damages; no statutory percentage cap	24 hours	Landlord 30/60 days by length of tenancy / Tenant 30 days
Colorado	2 months' rent	30 days after move-out	Greater of $50 or 5% of the past-due rent; may not be charged unless disclosed in lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 21 days / Tenant 21 days
Connecticut	2 months' rent	21 days after move-out	Lesser of $5/day up to $50, or 5% of the delinquent rent	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 3 days / Tenant 3 days
Delaware	one month's rent	20 days after move-out	Max 5% of monthly rent; landlord must maintain office in county or grace is 8 days	48 hours	Landlord 60 days / Tenant 60 days
District of Columbia	one month's rent	45 days after move-out	Max 5% of monthly rent	48 hours	Landlord: cause required / Tenant 30 days
Florida	No statutory limit	15 days after move-out (claim notice within 30 days if deducting)	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	24 hours (7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Georgia	2 months' rent	30 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 60 days / Tenant 30 days
Hawaii	one month's rent	14 days after move-out	Max 8% of the rent due	48 hours	Landlord 45 days / Tenant 28 days
Idaho	No statutory limit	21 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Illinois	No statutory limit	45 days after move-out	No statewide cap; Chicago: $10 on first $500 of rent plus 5% of rent above $500	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Indiana	No statutory limit	45 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Iowa	2 months' rent	30 days after move-out	Rent ≤ $700/month: max $12/day, $60/month; rent > $700/month: max $20/day, $100/month	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Kansas	one month's rent	30 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Kentucky	No statutory limit	60 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	48 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Louisiana	No statutory limit	30 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 10 days / Tenant 10 days
Maine	2 months' rent	30 days after move-out	Max 4% of the monthly rent; must be disclosed in writing at lease signing	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Maryland	one month's rent	45 days after move-out	Max 5% of the rent due per period	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 60 days / Tenant 30 days
Massachusetts	one month's rent	30 days after move-out	No cap; no late fee or interest may be charged until rent is 30 days late	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Michigan	1.5 months' rent	30 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Minnesota	No statutory limit	21 days after move-out	Max 8% of the overdue rent payment; must be in written lease	24 hours (8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Mississippi	No statutory limit	45 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Missouri	2 months' rent	30 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Montana	No statutory limit	10 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Nebraska	one month's rent	14 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Nevada	3 months' rent	30 days after move-out	Max 5% of the periodic rent	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
New Hampshire	one month's rent	30 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
New Jersey	1.5 months' rent	30 days after move-out	No cap; 5-business-day grace period applies only to tenants receiving Social…	24 hours	Landlord: cause required / Tenant 30 days
New Mexico	one month's rent	30 days after move-out	Max 10% of the rent for the rental period	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
New York	one month's rent	14 days after move-out	Lesser of $50 or 5% of the monthly rent	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30/60/90 days by length of tenancy / Tenant 30 days
North Carolina	2 months' rent	30 days after move-out	Monthly rent: greater of $15 or 5% of rent; weekly rent: greater of $4 or 5%	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 7 days / Tenant 7 days
North Dakota	one month's rent	30 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Ohio	No statutory limit	30 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Oklahoma	No statutory limit	45 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Oregon	No statutory limit	31 days after move-out	Reasonable flat fee, or up to 5% of monthly rent per 5-day late period, or daily fee…	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Pennsylvania	2 months' rent	30 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 15 days / Tenant 15 days
Rhode Island	one month's rent	20 days after move-out	No cap; late fee may not be charged until rent is 15 days late	48 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
South Carolina	No statutory limit	30 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
South Dakota	one month's rent	14 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 15 days
Tennessee	No statutory limit	30 days after move-out	Max 10% of the amount past due	24 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Texas	No statutory limit	30 days after move-out	Max 12% of monthly rent for buildings with 4 or fewer units; 10% for 5+ units; fee…	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Utah	No statutory limit	30 days after move-out	Max greater of $75 or 10% of the monthly rent	24 hours	Landlord 15 days / Tenant 15 days
Vermont	No statutory limit	14 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	48 hours (9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.)	Landlord 60/90 days by length of tenancy / Tenant 30 days
Virginia	2 months' rent	45 days after move-out	Max lesser of 10% of the periodic rent or 10% of the remaining balance due	72 hours	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Washington	No statutory limit	30 days after move-out	Max 1.5% of the tenant's total monthly rent (HB 1217, 2025); no fee if paid within 5…	48 hours	Landlord: cause required / Tenant 20 days
West Virginia	No statutory limit	60 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 days
Wisconsin	No statutory limit	21 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	12 hours	Landlord 28 days / Tenant 28 days
Wyoming	No statutory limit	30 days after move-out	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the lease	No statutory minimum (lease governs; reasonable notice)	Landlord: cause required / Tenant: see statute

Values are shortened; open the state page for the full rule and its citation.

What this document covers

Parties, occupants and joint liability
Premises, furnishings and parking
Fixed or month-to-month term and holdover
Rent, due date, payment methods and late fees
Security deposit cap, holding and return deadline
Who pays which utilities
Maintenance, repairs and landlord entry notice
Pets, smoking, subletting and renter's insurance
Early termination and move-out
State disclosures and federal lead-paint notice

How to use this Residential Lease Agreement in US

A residential lease in your state should identify every adult tenant, describe the premises, state the term, the rent and how it is paid, the security deposit and how it will be returned, who pays which utilities, the rules on pets, smoking and subletting, and the disclosures your state law requires. This generator walks you through each of those items in order, checks the deposit and late fee against your state's statutory caps, and drafts the clauses for you.

Before you start, gather: the legal names and mailing addresses of the landlord and all tenants, the property address and the number of units in the building, the move-in date, the rent amount and due day, the deposit amount and the bank where it will be held (some states require this), whether the building was built before 1978 (federal lead-paint rule), and the answers to your state's disclosure questions (for example whether the property is in a FEMA flood zone — check msc.fema.gov).

After you preview the document, download the PDF, have every adult tenant and the landlord sign (electronic signatures are valid), give each party a copy together with every attachment listed at the end of the lease, and complete a move-in inspection checklist with photos. Keep the signed lease for at least four years after the tenancy ends.

Other names

rental agreement
residential tenancy agreement
apartment lease
house rental contract
tenancy agreement
lease contract
rental contract

Blank Residential Lease Agreement forms by state

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FormsByState provides self-help document templates and general information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm. For advice about your situation consult a licensed attorney in your state.