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Legal form · Housing · 14 states published

Residential Lease Agreement

A residential lease agreement sets the terms for renting a home: who rents it, for how long, for how much, and who takes care of what.

As of October 26, 2026, either an Arizona landlord or tenant may end a month-to-month tenancy with written notice given at least thirty days before the periodic rental date named in the notice.1

Florida lets either party end a month-to-month tenancy by written notice given at least 30 days before the end of a monthly period.2

An Illinois landlord ending a month-to-month tenancy owes the tenant a 30-day written notice, and a year-to-year lease takes a 60-day written notice.3

Updated How we check

Residential Lease Agreement rules by state

Residential Lease Agreement: rules by state
StateMonth-to-month noticeWitnessesChecked
Arizona30 days1—
California——
Florida30 days2None required4
Georgia——
Illinois30 days3—
Massachusetts——
Michigan——
New Jersey——
New York——
North Carolina7 days5—
Pennsylvania——
Texas——
Virginia30 days6—
Washington20 days7None required8
See the lease rules

$9.95 per document, filled in for your state. Government forms are free on each agency’s website. You pay for the preparation, never for the form.

When to use one

  • You are renting out an apartment, house or room to a tenant.
  • You are a tenant and the landlord asked you to bring a lease.
  • You are renewing a lease and want the new rent and dates in writing.

Not the right document? It is not a roommate agreement between tenants, and it is not a commercial lease for a store or office.

Who signs

Landlord
The owner or the person authorized to rent the home
Tenant
Each adult who will live in the home

Have at hand

  • Property address and what is included (parking, storage, appliances)
  • Start date, end date or month-to-month term
  • Monthly rent, due date and security deposit amount
  • Rules on pets, smoking, repairs and utilities

What our lease covers

  1. 1Parties and property
  2. 2Term
  3. 3Rent
  4. 4Security deposit
  5. 5Utilities and services
  6. 6Use of the Property
  7. 7Pets
  8. 8Smoking
  9. 9Maintenance and repairs
  10. 10Entry by the Landlord
  11. 11Assignment and subletting
  12. 12Moving out
  13. 13Default
  14. 14Notices
  15. 15General terms
  16. 16Signatures

SimplePaperwork is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. We explain public forms and official steps, and you decide what to sign and file.

Where this information comes from

State rules come from each state’s own statutes, agency pages and forms, with the date we read them.

  1. Arizona Revised Statutes Section 33-1375, Periodic tenancy; holdover remedies azleg.gov · checked Oct 26, 2026 Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
  2. Florida Statutes Section 83.57 (2026), Termination of tenancy without specific term flsenate.gov · checked Oct 26, 2026 Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
  3. Landlord and Tenant Rights and Laws (Illinois Attorney General fact sheet, 01/24) illinoisattorneygeneral.gov · checked Oct 26, 2026 Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
  4. Florida Statutes Section 689.01 (2026), How real estate conveyed flsenate.gov · checked Oct 26, 2026 Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
  5. North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 42, Landlord and Tenant ncleg.gov · checked Oct 26, 2026 Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
  6. Code of Virginia § 55.1-1253, Periodic tenancy; holdover remedies law.lis.virginia.gov · checked Oct 26, 2026 Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
  7. RCW 59.18.200, Tenancy from month to month or for rental period; end of tenancy app.leg.wa.gov · checked Oct 26, 2026 Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
  8. RCW 59.18.210, Tenancies from year to year except under written contract app.leg.wa.gov · checked Oct 26, 2026 Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩