Ohio Residential Lease Agreement (2026)

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

Updated September 2026≈ 12 minReviewed against Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16 · Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.04 · Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.17

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What you'll get

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

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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

Ohio rules that this document follows

Security deposit limit	No statutory limitSource: No statutory limit (Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16)
Deposit return deadline	30 days after move-outSource: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16(B)
Interest on deposit	Required (see conditions)Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16(A) (5% per year on amount exceeding $50 or one month's rent, whichever greater, if tenancy is 6 months or more)
Late fees	No statutory cap; must be reasonable and stated in the leaseSource: No statutory limit; fee must be reasonable and stated in lease
Landlord entry notice	24 hoursSource: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.04(A)(8)
Notice to end month-to-month	Landlord 30 days / Tenant 30 daysSource: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.17(B)
Required disclosures	Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (pre-1978 housing); Owner and Agent IdentificationSource: Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5321 (Landlords and Tenants)

Rules current as of 2026-10-27. Statutes change; verify before relying on them.

How to use this Residential Lease Agreement in Ohio

A residential lease in Ohio 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 Ohio law requires. This generator walks you through each of those items in order, checks the deposit and late fee against Ohio'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.

Frequently asked questions

How much security deposit can a landlord charge in Ohio?

Ohio has no statutory cap on security deposits (No statutory limit); the amount must be stated in the lease and returned per statute.

When must the deposit be returned in Ohio?

Within 30 days after the tenant moves out, with an itemized statement of deductions (Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16(B)).

Does this lease include the disclosures Ohio requires?

Yes. The Disclosures section asks you the yes/no questions each Ohio statute requires (for example flood zone, sprinklers, mold or bed bugs) and prints the actual statutory statement — in bold or larger type where the law demands it — with its citation, plus the federal lead-paint notice for pre-1978 buildings. Forms that must be separate documents are listed as attachments.

Is this lease legally binding once signed?

A written lease signed by landlord and all adult tenants is an enforceable contract in Ohio. Electronic signatures are valid under the federal ESIGN Act and the state UETA. No notarization is required for a residential lease.

Can I use this for a month-to-month rental?

Yes — choose 'Month-to-month' in the Term step. The tenant's notice period is set to Ohio's statutory minimum, and the landlord's notice period follows Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.17(B).

Other names

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

Other states

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.