Does a lease have to be in writing?

Leases longer than one year generally must be written to be enforceable, and a written lease is strongly advisable for any tenancy — it is the reference document for every future question about rent, deposits, and responsibilities.

What should I check before signing?

Verify the rent, deposit, and term dates, read the late-fee, maintenance, and entry clauses, and confirm any state-required disclosures (like lead paint for pre-1978 homes) are included.

Can landlord and tenant both sign online?

Yes. Both parties can add electronic signatures in the browser, and the completed lease downloads as a single PDF each side can keep. Printing for wet signatures works too.

How much does it cost, and can I cancel?

Your first completed document is $1, which starts a 7-day trial; after that it's $39.99/month unless you cancel — cancel anytime from your dashboard or by emailing support@finishmydocs.com.

Real Estate Forms

Fill Out a Lease Agreement Online

Customize a residential lease agreement online — rent, deposit, term, and house rules — then have landlord and tenant sign and download the PDF.

Edit Document Online Upload Your Own PDF

Start for $1. After 7 days, your subscription renews at $39.99/month unless cancelled. Cancel anytime.

This template is provided for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Landlord-tenant laws, required disclosures, and deposit rules vary significantly by state and city — have a qualified attorney review the final lease before relying on it.

What a lease agreement does

A residential lease agreement is the contract between landlord and tenant that sets the terms of a tenancy: who lives in the property, how much rent is due and when, how long the term runs, and what happens when something goes wrong. A written lease protects both sides — verbal tenancies are legal in many states but leave every dispute as one person's word against the other's.

The clauses that matter most

Beyond names, property address, rent amount, and term dates, pay close attention to the security deposit (amount, where it's held, and conditions for return — heavily regulated in most states), late-fee policy, maintenance responsibilities, rules on pets, smoking, and subletting, entry-notice requirements, and renewal or month-to-month conversion terms. Many states also mandate specific disclosures, such as lead paint notices for pre-1978 housing.

Completing your lease online

With this template you fill in each blank in the browser — no retyping a 10-page document because one clause changed. Tailor the rules to your property, then have both landlord and tenant e-sign, or print for ink signatures if you prefer. Every signer should keep a copy of the final PDF for the full tenancy plus a few years after.

Because landlord-tenant law is intensely local, review your state's requirements — or have an attorney glance over the finished lease — before anyone signs. A small review now is far cheaper than a dispute later.

How to fill out this document online

1

Identify the parties and property

Enter the landlord's and tenant's legal names and the full address of the rental property, including unit number.
2

Set the financial terms

Fill in the monthly rent, due date, accepted payment methods, security deposit amount, and any late-fee policy.
3

Define the term and rules

Choose the lease start and end dates, and complete the clauses on pets, smoking, subletting, maintenance, and entry notice.
4

Collect signatures

Have the landlord and all tenants e-sign in the browser, or print the finished lease for ink signatures, then download copies for everyone.

Edit, sign, download, print, or email

Open Lease Agreement Template in the FinishMyDocs editor to type into every field, add today's date, place checkmarks, highlight key sections, and sign by drawing, typing, or uploading your signature. Need someone else's signature? Send them a secure signing link and get notified the moment they're done.

When you're finished, download the completed PDF, export pages as PNG or JPEG images, print a flattened copy, or email it straight to any recipient — your work is saved to your private account the whole time.

Frequently asked questions

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