Use our lease renewal agreement to extend the term of an existing lease.
Updated July 16, 2024
Written by Yassin Qanbar | Reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.
A lease renewal agreement is a document that allows a landlord to extend the current rental period with a tenant. Landlords send this agreement to tenants before the original lease expires to clarify the new arrangement. It allows for renegotiation of terms, such as rent increases or new tenant amenities, while maintaining the core terms of the original lease.
In most states, landlords must give their tenants advance notice of renewal (or non-renewal) intent within a certain amount of time before the lease expires.
The landlord should send a letter of intent to renew the lease to their tenant. They can include new terms and propose a new lease duration. They can allow the tenant time to respond.
In most cases, the landlord decides whether to renegotiate the lease. The tenant can request amendments as a bonus for renewing the lease. Ultimately, it is up to the landlord’s discretion whether to make changes to the original terms.
Once the tenant and landlord agree on new terms, the landlord can include them in the lease renewal agreement.
If both parties agree to keep the same terms, the lease renewal should mention that the original lease agreement remains unchanged and in “full force and effect.”
Typically, a lease renewal does not require additional legal documents, but you should still have the following in writing:
Once the landlord and tenant agree on the new lease renewal, both parties should read over and sign the form.
Ensure everyone understands the new arrangement and keep a copy of the renewed agreement.
A landlord or tenant can also use a lease renewal agreement to change the structure of an existing lease after it ends. For example, tenants considering a switch to a short-term lease or a month-to-month lease agreement can set up new amendments without restarting the rental application process.
When renewing a lease, it is crucial to understand the terms outlined in the renewal document thoroughly. Here are the key elements that should be included in a lease renewal agreement:
As you approach the end of your rental agreement, it’s crucial to understand the difference between a lease renewal and a lease extension to avoid misunderstandings.
A lease extension continues the existing lease beyond its original expiration date, generally maintaining the same terms. Learn more about lease extensions here. Alternatively, a lease renewal is essentially a new contract, allowing you to change the lease terms if necessary.
| Feature | Lease Extension | Lease Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Continuation of the existing lease | New contract |
| Terms | Generally the same as the original lease | Can be modified |
| Duration | Typically short-term | Can be long-term |
| Rent Changes | Usually remains the same | Can be renegotiated |
| Tenant Responsibilities | Generally unchanged | Can be updated |
| Formality | Less formal, may just be a written notice | Formal, new lease agreement |
| Negotiation | Minimal | Subject to negotiation |
| Common Use Case | Short-term need beyond original end date | Long-term commitment with new terms |
| Legal Considerations | Less complexity | May involve more legal steps |
| Impact on Rights | Tenant rights continue as per original lease | New rights and obligations can be set |
| Show More Show Less | ||
To renew the lease, you and the tenant agree to a new document. You could risk losing a good tenant if the tenant does not agree to the new lease’s terms. In this case, a lease extension may be a better option.
State and local laws often define how far in advance a landlord must provide notice of intent to renew or not renew before the lease expires (see table below).
However, best practices are to state your intent at least 60 days before the lease end date (unless state or local law requires notice sooner).
| State | Advance Notice of Renewal and Non-Renewal (Termination) of Lease | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Alabama Code § 35-9A-441 |
| Alaska | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Alaska Stat. § 34.03.290 |
| Arizona | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Arizona Rev. Stat. § 33-1375 |
| Arkansas | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Arkansas Code § 18-17-704 |
| California | 60 days (yearly/fixed tenancies where tenant has lived at least one year) 30 days (yearly/fixed tenancies where tenant has lived less than one year) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | California Civ. Code §§ 1946-1946.1 |
| Colorado | 91 days (tenancies one year or longer) 28 days (tenancies 6 months to less than one year) 21 days (tenancies 1 month to less than 6 months) 3 days (tenancies 1 week to less than 1 month) 1 day (tenancies less than 1 week) | Colorado Rev. Stat. § 13-40-107 |
| Connecticut | 3 days (yearly/fixed tenancies) None (month to month tenancies) | Connecticut Gen. Stat. § 47a-23 |
| Delaware | 60 days (yearly/fixed tenancies) 60 days (month to month tenancies) | 25 Delaware Code § 5106 |
| District of Columbia | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | District of Columbia Code § 42-3505.54 |
| Florida | 60 days (yearly/fixed tenancies) 15 days (month to month tenancies) | Florida Stat. § 83.57 |
| Georgia | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 60 days for landlord (month to month tenancies) 30 days for tenant (month to month tenancies) | Georgia Code § 44-7-7 |
| Hawaii | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 45 days for landlord (month to month tenancies) 28 days for tenant (month to month tenancies) | Hawaii Rev. Stat. § 521-71 |
| Idaho | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 1 month (month to month tenancies) | Idaho Stat. § 55-208 |
| Illinois | 60 days (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | 735 Illinois Comp. Stat. §§ 9/205, 207 |
| Indiana | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Indiana Code §§ 32-31-1 et seq. |
| Iowa | 30 days (tenancies longer than month to month) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Iowa Code § 562A.34 |
| Kansas | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Kansas Stat. § 58-2570 |
| Kentucky | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Kentucky Rev. Stat. § 383.695 |
| Louisiana | 30 days (tenancies longer than one month) 10 days (month to month tenancies) | Louisiana Civil Code Art. 2728 |
| Maine | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | 14 Maine Rev. Stat. § 6002 |
| Maryland | 90 days (yearly/fixed tenancies) 60 days (month to month tenancies) | Maryland Real Prop. Code § 8-402 |
| Massachusetts | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Massachusetts Gen. Law ch. 186 § 12 |
| Michigan | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 1 month (month to month tenancies) | Michigan Comp. Laws § 554.134 |
| Minnesota | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) Lesser of 3 months or the time interval between rental periods (month to month tenancies) | Minnesota Stat. § 504B.135 |
| Mississippi | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Mississippi Code § 89-8-19 |
| Missouri | 60 days (yearly/fixed tenancies) 1 month (month to month tenancies) | Missouri Rev. Stat. §§ 441.050-441.060 |
| Montana | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Montana Code § 70-24-441 |
| Nebraska | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Nebraska Rev. Stat. §§ 76-1437 |
| Nevada | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Nevada Rev. Stat. § 40.251 |
| New Hampshire | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | New Hampshire Rev. Stat. § 540:3 |
| New Jersey | 3 months (yearly or at will tenancies) 1 month (month to month tenancies) | New Jersey Rev. Stat. § 2A:18-56 |
| New Mexico | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | New Mexico Stat. § 47-8-37 |
| New York | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 1 month (month to month tenancies) | New York Real Prop. Laws § 232-B |
| North Carolina | 1 month (yearly/fixed tenancies) 7 days (month to month tenancies) | North Carolina Gen. Stat. § 42-14 |
| North Dakota | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 1 month (month to month tenancies) | North Dakota Century Code § 47-16-15 |
| Ohio | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.17 |
| Oklahoma | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | 41 Oklahoma Stat. § 41-111 |
| Oregon | 30 days (yearly/fixed tenancies, different notice and qualifications for termination after the first year of occupancy) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Oregon Rev. Stat. § 90.427 |
| Pennsylvania | 30 days (tenancies longer than one year) 15 days (tenancies one year or less) | 68 Pa. Stat. § 250.501 |
| Rhode Island | 3 months (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Rhode Island Gen. Laws § 34-18-37 |
| South Carolina | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | South Carolina Code § 27-40-770 |
| South Dakota | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 1 month (month to month tenancies) | South Dakota Codified Laws § 43-8-8 |
| Tennessee | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Tennessee Code § 66-28-512 |
| Texas | 1 month (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Texas Property Code § 91.001 |
| Utah | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 15 days (month to month tenancies) | Utah Code § 78B-6-802 |
| Vermont | 60 days (tenancies two years or more) 30 days (tenancies two years or less) | 9 Vermont Stat. § 4467 |
| Virginia | 90 days (yearly/fixed tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | Virginia Code § 55.1-1253 |
| Washington | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 20 days (month to month tenancies) | Washington Rev. Code § 59.18.020 |
| West Virginia | 3 months (year to year tenancies) 30 days (month to month tenancies) | West Virginia Code § 37-6-5 |
| Wisconsin | None (yearly/fixed tenancies) 28 days (month to month tenancies) | Wisconsin Stat. § 704.19 |
| Wyoming | No Statute | |
| Show More Show Less | ||
A lease renewal agreement is essentially new, so following the correct steps to complete the form is essential.
Before you fill out your lease renewal agreement, note the state relevant to the lease.
1. Date of Agreement. Provide the date of the lease renewal agreement.
2. Landlord Information. Enter the full landlord’s name and address. Note that this address isn’t the address of the leased property.
3. Tenant Information. Enter the name and address of each tenant.
4. Date of Original Lease Agreement. Write the date of the original lease period.
5. End Date of Original Lease Agreement. Provide the lease term’s end (expiration) date under the original agreement.
6. Section Number of Original Lease Agreement. You can specify a section or paragraph number in the original agreement that allows the lease term extension.
7. Start and End Dates. Write the start and end date of the new extended lease term.
8. Rent. State whether the rent for the new lease term will remain the same. If it changes, specify the new monthly rent.
9. Security Deposit. Choose whether there’s an additional security deposit for the new lease term. If yes, state the amount of the other security deposit and when the amount is due by providing the number of days due from the start of the lease term.
10. Additional Provisions. You can include any new provisions or modifications to existing terms in the original lease.
11. Governing State Law. Our templates allow the state whose laws will govern the agreement to be pre-filled with your state of residence.
12. Landlord. The landlord provides their full name and signature.
13. Tenant(s). All tenants provide their full names and signatures.
Download a free lease renewal agreement template as a PDF or Word file below:
