Ohio Month-to-month Rental Agreement Template

A rental agreement with no fixed end date. It renews each month until the landlord or tenant gives proper written notice. This edition fills in the Ohio rules we could confirm and marks the rest as blanks to check.

Ohio rules for this form

Month-to-month notice. Either side ends a month to month tenancy with written notice at least 30 days before the next rent period. (Revised Code section 5321.17)

Notice before a rent increase. No statute sets a notice period for rent increases; the lease controls during a fixed term, and a month to month increase generally follows the 30 day periodic notice. (Ohio Revised Code chapter 5321 (no rent increase statute))

Deposit limit. State law does not limit the amount of a security deposit. (Revised Code section 5321.16)

Deadline to return the deposit. The landlord has 30 days after the lease ends and the tenant gives back possession to return the deposit or send a written list of deductions with any balance. (Revised Code section 5321.16)

Notice before entry. Except in an emergency, the landlord must give reasonable notice of at least 24 hours before entering and enter at reasonable times. (Revised Code section 5321.04)

Late fees. No statute caps late fees on residential leases; a fee set in the lease is generally upheld when it is reasonable. (Ohio Revised Code chapter 5321 (no late fee statute))

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. The lease or a written notice must give the name and address of the owner and of any agent who manages the property. (Revised Code section 5321.18)

Cities and counties in Ohio 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. Monthly term
4. Ending the tenancy
5. Rent
6. Changes to rent or terms
7. Security deposit
8. Utilities
9. Use, guests and pets
10. Care, repairs and alterations
11. Entry
12. Subletting
13. Default
14. Moving out
15. Disclosures
16. General terms
17. Signatures

Before you use it

• A month-to-month agreement renews automatically each rental period until someone gives written notice.
• Notice periods to end the tenancy or change the rent are set by state law, and some cities require longer notice or a valid reason.
• The flexibility cuts both ways: the tenant can leave on short notice, so turnover can come sooner.
• Everything else, from deposit limits to entry notice, follows the same rules as a fixed-term lease.

For the full explanation of this form, read our guide to the month-to-month rental agreement.