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Free Residential Lease Agreement (Texas)

A residential lease for renting a house, apartment, condo or room, with the notices Texas law requires in a written lease. Written for Texas, United States. Last reviewed 2026-10-16.

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What this lease covers

The generator builds a complete residential lease with the clauses landlords and tenants most often argue about: rent and due dates, late fees, the security deposit, utilities, pets, smoking, repairs, entry, move-out and default. It also adds the notices Texas law specifically requires in a written lease:

  • Repair remedies in bold (§ 92.056(g)) — the lease must tell tenants, in bold or underlined text, about their remedies if the landlord doesn’t make required repairs.
  • Early termination rights (§§ 92.016, 92.0161, 92.017) — a statement that tenants may have special rights to end the lease early in cases involving family violence, certain sexual offences or stalking, or military deployment. Leaving it out can release a departing tenant from future rent.
  • Late fee conditions (§ 92.019) — fee amount, the two-full-day grace period, and the safe-harbor cap.
  • Security deposit rules (§§ 92.101–92.109) — return within 30 days with itemized deductions, forwarding address requirement, and no using the deposit as last month’s rent.
  • Ownership and management disclosure (§ 92.201).
  • Flood disclosure notice (§ 92.0135) on a separate page, as the law requires.
  • Lead-based paint disclosure for pre-1978 homes (federal law).

Step-by-step: creating your lease

  1. Enter the property address and type, the number of units (this sets the late-fee safe harbor), and whether it was built before 1978.
  2. Add the landlord’s legal name and notice address, any property manager, and a 24-hour emergency repair number. List all adult tenants.
  3. Choose a fixed term or month-to-month, set rent, due day, late fee and deposit.
  4. Set utilities, pets and smoking rules and answer the two flood questions.
  5. Review the preview with the plain-English notes, then download PDF or Word.

Before you sign

  • Every adult occupant should sign. All tenants are jointly responsible for the full rent.
  • Do a move-in inspection with dated photos and a written condition report signed by both sides. It’s the best protection for the deposit.
  • Give the flood notice as a separate page and keep a signed copy.
  • Give tenants copies of the signed lease. Texas requires landlords to provide a copy within three business days of signing (§ 92.024).
  • Rekey the locks within seven days of the tenant moving in (§ 92.156).

This template covers a standard residential tenancy. It doesn’t cover commercial leases, subsidised housing rules (such as Section 8 addenda), rent-to-own arrangements, HOA rules or local ordinances. Laws change: check the review date at the top of the tool, and ask a Texas attorney or the Texas Apartment Association resources if your situation is unusual.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Texas lease have to be in writing?

A lease of one year or less can be oral, but a written lease is strongly recommended. Several landlord rights — such as charging late fees or requiring repair requests in writing — only apply if they're in a written lease.

How much can a Texas landlord charge as a late fee?

Texas Property Code § 92.019 requires the fee to be in a written lease, reasonable, and charged only if rent remains unpaid two full days after it's due. A fee up to 12% of monthly rent (buildings with four or fewer units) or 10% (more than four units) is presumed reasonable.

How quickly must the security deposit be returned?

Within 30 days after the tenant surrenders the property, with a written itemized list of any deductions. The tenant must give the landlord a forwarding address in writing.

What is the Texas flood disclosure?

Since 2022, landlords must tell tenants whether they know the home is in a 100-year floodplain and whether it has flooded in the last five years. The notice must be a separate written document given at or before signing. The generator creates it on a separate page.

Do I need a lead paint disclosure?

Yes, for most homes built before 1978, under federal law. Tick the pre-1978 box and the generator adds the disclosure; you must also give the tenant the EPA pamphlet 'Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home'.

How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease?

At least one month's written notice from either side, unless the parties agree otherwise in writing (Texas Property Code § 91.001).

Can a landlord enter without notice?

Texas law doesn't set a specific notice period, so the lease should. This template requires reasonable advance notice except in emergencies.

Is this lease valid in other states?

It's written for Texas. Other states have different deposit limits, return deadlines, disclosures and notice periods, so don't use it outside Texas without changes.

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