Documents / Real Estate
Residential Lease Agreement
A complete lease for renting a house, apartment, or condo — rent, deposit, utilities, pets, maintenance, and more.
Self-help drafting template
Guided residential drafting for all 50 states and D.C., with state preparation notes and deposit safeguards. Complete the property-specific disclosure package and local checks before requesting signatures.
State-specific. Terms, notices or signing steps change with your state.
Version 2026-09-09.8. No qualified legal review is recorded. Read the complete document and obtain advice for your circumstances.
Before you use this document
- Select the property's state and city/county. Use the ordinary private residential workflow and check local coverage before execution.
- List every signing adult separately. Confirm the total rent, all fees, deposit, dates, utilities and notice addresses.
- Supply the state/local disclosure package, required deposit and inspection notices, and any applicable lead documents before signing. Keep the move-in report with the complete package.
Guidance updated September 8, 2026. Source coverage is limited to the topics described; historical sources are identified. State, local and transaction-specific requirements still apply.
Time
~10 min
Questions
51–55
Steps
10
Export
PDF · Word
Answer guided questions, review your draft, and export or request signatures on supported documents.
What we will cover
- 01
Location
Choose the actual location so the preparation guidance and applicable safeguards follow your document.
- 02
Landlord & Tenant
- 03
The Property
- 04
Lease Term
- 05
Rent & Deposit
- 06
Utilities & House Policies
- 07
Legal Details
- 08
Complete the property package
- 09
State lease requirements
Some states require specific facts or notices in the lease itself. Answer for the state where the property is located.
- 10
Lead disclosure attachment
For older housing, the export includes a paper disclosure attachment. Provide the approved EPA pamphlet and actual reports before anyone becomes bound. Each recipient completes their own receipt acknowledgment; the interview cannot do that for them.
- 11
Review and generate
Edit, export, and request e-signatures when the document meets its signing requirements.
About this document
A residential lease is the contract that governs the entire landlord–tenant relationship: rent, deposit, maintenance, guests, pets, and what happens when things go wrong. A handshake or a two-line agreement leaves both sides exposed — most disputes trace back to a term nobody wrote down.
Lease rules are heavily state-specific. Security-deposit caps and return deadlines, required disclosures (like the federal lead-paint notice for pre-1978 buildings), notice periods, and late-fee limits all vary. Quill's interview asks where the property is and flags the terms your state cares about, but for unusual situations — rent control, Section 8, mobile homes — check your state's landlord-tenant act.
Common questions
Does a lease need to be notarized?+
Execution requirements depend on the property's jurisdiction, lease term and transaction. Check any witness, acknowledgment or recording requirements before signing, especially for longer terms. Electronic-signature laws can support ordinary leases but do not cure missing disclosures or other formalities. Residential eviction and default notices have separate rules and are excluded from the federal ESIGN rule in 15 U.S.C. 7003(b)(2)(B).
How much can I charge for a security deposit?+
Use the rules for the property's state and locality, including exceptions based on the tenancy or landlord. A deposit cap, return deadline, account requirement and itemized-deduction procedure are separate obligations. Quill applies the listed product cap and provides preparation notes; verify the actual tenancy and current rules rather than using a national default.
Month-to-month or fixed term — which should I pick?+
A fixed term provides an agreed rental period; month-to-month provides a recurring tenancy. Ending either arrangement or changing rent can require specific notice, lawful grounds and compliance with local tenant protections. A month-to-month label does not by itself permit termination on 30 days' notice. Check renewal and conversion provisions against the property's rules before choosing.
General information, not legal advice — laws vary by state and change over time.
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