Lease Renewal Agreement Template

A free lease renewal agreement that extends an existing tenancy for a new term, sets the new rent, and records any changed terms while keeping the rest of the original lease in force. Download it in PDF or Word and fill in the bracketed fields.

Last updated: August 5, 2026

What Is a Lease Renewal Agreement?

A lease renewal agreement is a one- or two-page amendment that continues an existing tenancy past its expiration date rather than starting a new lease from scratch. It states the new term, the new rent, and any terms that have changed, and confirms that everything else in the original lease still applies. That structure keeps the original document — with its rules, disclosures, and signatures — intact instead of leaving the parties to argue about which version governs.

The alternative to renewing in writing is drifting into a month-to-month holdover, which happens automatically in most states when a tenant stays past the end date and the landlord keeps accepting rent. Month to month is fine when both sides want flexibility and bad when either side wanted certainty, because it can be ended on short notice and often carries a higher rent. Signing a renewal before the expiration date is how both parties decide that outcome instead of inheriting it.

When to Use This Template

  • A lease is approaching its end date and both parties want to continue the tenancy
  • You are raising the rent for a new term and want the increase documented and accepted
  • You want to extend a fixed term rather than let the tenancy roll into month to month
  • A few terms are changing — occupants, parking, pets, utilities — but the lease is otherwise the same
  • The security deposit needs to be topped up because the rent is increasing
  • You need a signed record that the tenancy continues before the original term expires

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Full text of the template. Fields in [BRACKETS] are placeholders you fill in.

Lease Renewal Agreement

  1. 1. 1. Parties and Original Lease

    This Lease Renewal Agreement (the "Renewal") is made on [DATE] between [LANDLORD NAME], with a notice address at [LANDLORD ADDRESS] (the "Landlord"), and [TENANT NAME(S)], currently residing at [RENTAL PROPERTY ADDRESS] (the "Tenant"). The parties entered into a lease dated [ORIGINAL LEASE DATE] for the property at [RENTAL PROPERTY ADDRESS] (the "Original Lease"), with a current term ending on [CURRENT EXPIRATION DATE]. The parties now agree to renew and extend the tenancy on the terms below. This Renewal amends the Original Lease and does not create a new tenancy or a new lease.

  2. 2. 2. Renewal Term

    The tenancy is extended for a new term of [RENEWAL TERM LENGTH, e.g., 12 months], beginning on [RENEWAL START DATE] and ending on [RENEWAL END DATE] (the "Renewal Term"). If the Tenant remains in possession after the Renewal Term ends without signing a further renewal, the tenancy continues [ON A MONTH-TO-MONTH BASIS AT THE THEN-CURRENT RENT / AT A HOLDOVER RENT OF HOLDOVER AMOUNT], terminable by either party on [HOLDOVER NOTICE PERIOD, e.g., 30 days] written notice or the period required by the law of the State of [GOVERNING STATE], whichever is longer. Neither party is obligated to renew again at the end of the Renewal Term.

  3. 3. 3. Rent for the Renewal Term

    Beginning on [RENEWAL START DATE], the monthly rent is [NEW MONTHLY RENT], an increase of [RENT INCREASE AMOUNT] from the prior rent of [PRIOR MONTHLY RENT]. Rent remains due on the [RENT DUE DAY, e.g., 1st] day of each month, payable to [PAYEE] by [PAYMENT METHOD], with a late fee of [LATE FEE] applied to rent received more than [GRACE PERIOD, e.g., 5] days after the due date. The Landlord confirms that any notice of a rent increase required by state or local law has been given, and the Tenant acknowledges receipt of that notice on [RENT NOTICE DATE]. No further rent increase will take effect during the Renewal Term except as required by law or as agreed in a further signed amendment.

  4. 4. 4. Security Deposit

    The Landlord currently holds a security deposit of [CURRENT DEPOSIT AMOUNT] under the Original Lease. For the Renewal Term the required deposit is [NEW DEPOSIT AMOUNT], and the Tenant will pay the difference of [ADDITIONAL DEPOSIT DUE] on or before [ADDITIONAL DEPOSIT DUE DATE]. The deposit continues to be held under the same terms as the Original Lease and applicable state law, and this Renewal does not trigger a return or re-accounting of the existing deposit. Any deposit interest required by the law of the State of [GOVERNING STATE] continues to accrue as provided by that law.

  5. 5. 5. Changes to Lease Terms

    The following terms of the Original Lease are modified effective on the Renewal Start Date: [LIST EACH CHANGE, e.g., utilities — the Tenant assumes the water and sewer account; parking — space number is reassigned; appliances — the Landlord will supply a washer and dryer; late fee — updated to comply with current state law]. Attached and incorporated into this Renewal are the following addenda: [LIST ATTACHED ADDENDA, e.g., pet addendum dated DATE, parking addendum, lead-based paint disclosure, mold addendum]. If any change conflicts with the Original Lease, this Renewal controls as to that item. No other term is changed, and no oral statement or course of dealing modifies the Original Lease or this Renewal.

  6. 6. 6. Occupants and Condition of the Premises

    The authorized occupants for the Renewal Term are: [FULL LIST OF OCCUPANTS AND AGES], and no other person may occupy the property without the prior written consent of the Landlord. The Tenant confirms that it accepts the property in its current condition for the Renewal Term, that all appliances and systems are in working order except for the following items reported to the Landlord: [OUTSTANDING MAINTENANCE ITEMS], and that the Landlord will complete those items by [MAINTENANCE COMPLETION DATE]. The Tenant will continue to keep the property clean and in good condition and will report maintenance needs promptly at [MAINTENANCE CONTACT]. The obligation of the Tenant to return the property in good condition at the end of the tenancy applies to the entire period of occupancy, not only to the Renewal Term.

  7. 7. 7. Terms That Remain in Effect

    Except as expressly modified by this Renewal, every term, covenant, and condition of the Original Lease and its addenda remains in full force and applies during the Renewal Term, including provisions on use and occupancy, subletting and assignment, pets, smoking, alterations, entry by the Landlord, insurance, maintenance, default and remedies, notices, and governing law. All disclosures previously delivered under the Original Lease, including any lead-based paint disclosure and pamphlet for housing built before 1978, remain in effect, and the parties acknowledge that no new disclosure is required except as listed in Section 5. Each party confirms that the other is not currently in default under the Original Lease and that there is no outstanding claim between them as of the date of this Renewal, other than: [OUTSTANDING ITEMS OR NONE].

  8. 8. 8. Non-Renewal, Early Termination, and Move-Out

    If either party does not wish to continue the tenancy after the Renewal Term, that party will give written notice at least [NON-RENEWAL NOTICE PERIOD, e.g., 60 days] before the Renewal End Date, or the period required by applicable law if longer. The Tenant may terminate the Renewal Term early only as permitted by the Original Lease, by this Renewal, or by law, including any statutory right for active-duty military relocation, domestic violence, or an uninhabitable condition; if an early termination fee applies, it is [EARLY TERMINATION FEE]. On move-out, the Tenant will return all keys and access devices, provide a forwarding address, and leave the property clean and free of personal property, and the Landlord will handle the security deposit under the Original Lease and applicable state law. Failure to give the required non-renewal notice does not extend the tenancy but may result in a holdover tenancy as described in Section 2.

  9. 9. 9. Entire Agreement and General Provisions

    This Renewal, together with the Original Lease and all addenda, is the entire agreement between the parties regarding the tenancy and supersedes any prior discussion of renewal terms, including any renewal offer letter or email. This Renewal may be amended only in a writing signed by both parties. If any provision is unenforceable, the remainder stays in effect. This Renewal is governed by the laws of the State of [GOVERNING STATE], with venue in [VENUE COUNTY AND STATE]. Each Tenant who signs remains jointly and severally liable for all obligations for the Renewal Term.

  10. 10. 10. Signatures

    By signing below, each party agrees to renew the tenancy on these terms and confirms receipt of a copy of this Renewal. LANDLORD: Signature: ______________________. Printed Name: [LANDLORD SIGNER NAME]. Title: [TITLE, IF ANY]. Date: [DATE]. TENANT: Signature: ______________________. Printed Name: [TENANT NAME]. Date: [DATE]. TENANT (second, if any): Signature: ______________________. Printed Name: [SECOND TENANT NAME]. Date: [DATE]. Electronic signatures have the same effect as original signatures.

  11. 11. Disclaimer

    This template is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Rent increase notice periods, rent stabilization and rent control rules, mandatory renewal offers in some cities, and non-renewal notice requirements vary by state and municipality, and a renewal that does not follow them may be unenforceable or may expose a landlord to penalties. Verify the rules for your jurisdiction and consult a licensed attorney before relying on this document. Use of this template does not create an attorney-client relationship with ScanContract.

Key Clauses Explained

What each important clause does — and what to watch out for before you sign.

Renewal Term and Holdover

Sets the new start and end dates and says what the tenancy becomes if nobody signs again.

Tenants should confirm the holdover outcome, since some leases jump to a substantially higher month-to-month rate the day the term ends. Landlords should note that in most states accepting rent after expiration creates a month-to-month tenancy by operation of law, so a signed renewal before the end date is the only reliable way to lock a fixed term.

Rent Increase and Required Notice

States the new rent and confirms that any statutory notice of the increase was given.

Notice periods for increases are set by state and sometimes city law and can run from thirty to ninety days depending on the size of the increase. A renewal signed without the required notice can be challenged. Tenants in rent-stabilized or rent-controlled units should verify the increase against the allowable percentage rather than assuming a signature waives the limit.

Security Deposit Top-Up

Adjusts the deposit when rent rises, without restarting the accounting on what is already held.

Landlords should confirm the combined deposit still fits within any statutory cap, which is often expressed as a multiple of monthly rent. Tenants should make sure the renewal says the existing deposit carries forward rather than implying a new deposit is due in full, and should keep the original deposit receipt with the renewal.

Changes to Lease Terms

Lists exactly which provisions of the original lease are modified for the new term.

This is the section that gets abused. A renewal is a good moment for a landlord to slip in a new fee, an arbitration clause, or a shift of a utility to the tenant, and it will be enforceable if signed. Tenants should ask for a redline or an explicit list rather than accepting a general statement that terms are updated, and should compare the list against the original document.

Terms That Remain in Effect

Confirms that everything not listed as changed carries over from the original lease and its addenda.

Both sides should verify that the addenda listed are the ones actually in force, including any pet or parking addendum signed mid-term. If the original lease has been amended more than once, list every amendment by date — otherwise a later dispute turns into an argument over which version of the terms survived the renewal.

Non-Renewal Notice

Sets how much advance warning each party must give if the tenancy will not continue past the new term.

A sixty or ninety day notice requirement is easy to miss and can cost a tenant an extra month of rent or force a landlord to hold a unit. Calendar the deadline the day you sign. Also confirm the notice period is at least as long as the minimum your state requires, since a shorter contractual period is generally unenforceable against a tenant.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a lease renewal and a new lease?
A renewal is an amendment that extends the existing tenancy and keeps the original lease, its addenda, and its disclosures in force with only the listed changes. A new lease replaces the old document entirely and restarts the relationship, which means every term is renegotiated and disclosures may need to be delivered again. Renewals are shorter and less error-prone; new leases make sense when many terms are changing or when the property has changed hands.
What happens if we do not sign anything before the lease ends?
In most states the tenancy converts to month to month by operation of law once the tenant stays past the end date and the landlord accepts rent. Either side can then end it on the statutory notice, commonly thirty days, and some leases apply a higher holdover rent automatically. That flexibility can suit both parties, but it removes the certainty of a fixed term for everyone, which is usually the reason to sign a renewal instead.
How much notice is required before raising the rent at renewal?
It depends on your state and city. Thirty days is the common baseline for a month-to-month tenancy, but many states require sixty or ninety days when the increase exceeds a threshold, and rent-stabilized or rent-controlled units have their own caps and procedures. Deliver the notice in the manner the statute requires and keep proof of delivery, because a renewal signed on an improperly noticed increase can be challenged later.
Can a landlord change the terms of the lease at renewal?
Yes, if the tenant agrees and signs. A renewal is a negotiation, not an automatic continuation, so the landlord can propose a higher rent, a new utility allocation, or new rules, and the tenant can propose changes as well or decline to renew. The important discipline is listing every change explicitly in the renewal — a change that is not written into the document does not take effect just because it appeared in an email offer.
Does the security deposit carry over to the renewal term?
Yes. Because a renewal extends the same tenancy rather than starting a new one, the existing deposit continues to be held under the original terms and there is no move-out accounting in between. If the rent increases, the landlord may ask for an additional amount to bring the deposit up to the usual multiple of rent, subject to the cap in your state. Keep the original receipt with the renewal so the total held is documented.

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