Georgia Residential Lease Agreement Template

A fixed-term lease for a house, apartment or condo. It sets the rent, deposit, rules and responsibilities for both sides, with slots for the rules of the state where the home is located. This edition fills in the Georgia rules we could confirm and marks the rest as blanks to check.

Georgia rules for this form

Deposit limit. For leases covered by the 2024 law, a security deposit generally may not exceed two months of rent. (Safe at Home Act (HB 404, 2024))

Deadline to return the deposit. The landlord must return the deposit, minus lawful deductions, within one month after the tenancy ends and the tenant gives up possession. (O.C.G.A. section 44-7-34)

Required disclosures. Homes built before 1978 need the federal lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet. (Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (42 U.S.C. 4852d))

Required disclosures. Before signing, the landlord generally must disclose in writing if the living space or attached areas have flooded at least three times in the past five years. (Official Code of Georgia, Title 44 Chapter 7 (flooding disclosure))

Required disclosures. The landlord generally must tell the tenant in writing who owns the property, or their agent, and who is authorized to manage it. (Official Code of Georgia, Title 44 Chapter 7 (owner and agent disclosure))

Notice before a rent increase. Georgia has no separate rent increase notice statute, so rent stays fixed during a lease term unless the lease allows a change, and a landlord changing a month-to-month tenancy generally works within the 60 day notice for ending it. (Official Code of Georgia, Title 44 Chapter 7 (tenancy at will))

Month-to-month notice. To end a tenancy at will, a tenant gives 30 days of notice and a landlord gives 60 days. (O.C.G.A. section 44-7-7)

Cities and counties in Georgia can add their own rules on top of these. Check local ordinances before you sign.

What is in the template

1. Parties
2. Property
3. Term
4. Rent
5. Late charges
6. Security deposit
7. Other charges and fees
8. Utilities and services
9. Occupants and guests
10. Use of the property
11. Pets
12. Smoking
13. Maintenance and repairs
14. Alterations
15. Landlord entry
16. Subletting and assignment
17. Insurance
18. Default
19. Moving out
20. Notices
21. Disclosures
22. General terms
23. Signatures

Before you use it

• A residential lease is the main contract between a landlord and a tenant for a fixed term, usually 6 or 12 months.
• State law sets the limits on deposits, late fees, entry notice and eviction notices, and it overrides any lease clause that conflicts with it.
• A clause that waives a tenant's legal rights is usually unenforceable and can weaken the rest of the lease.
• Have an attorney in your state review your final version, and attach every disclosure your state and city require.

For the full explanation of this form, read our guide to the residential lease agreement.