Real Estate & Rentals

Free Month-to-Month Rental Agreement Template (PDF)

A month-to-month rental agreement is a lease with no fixed end date: the tenancy renews automatically every month until the landlord or the tenant ends it with written notice. It covers the same ground as a yearly lease (rent, deposit, utilities, repairs, entry) plus how much notice each side must give to change the terms or end the tenancy.

When to use it

Use a month-to-month agreement when you or your tenant want flexibility: renting while a property is up for sale, housing someone for an uncertain period, converting a tenant whose fixed-term lease has ended, or renting a room. The trade-off is less certainty for both sides, since either party can end it with notice. If you want a tenant committed for a year, use a fixed-term residential lease instead.

What's typically included

• Premises and what's included
• Rolling monthly term with no end date
• Rent, due date, and prorated first month
• Written notice required to change rent or terms
• Late fees and returned payments
• Security deposit and its return
• Utilities
• Occupants, pets, and assistance animals
• Maintenance and repairs
• Landlord's entry and notice
• Subletting, alterations, and smoking
• Required disclosures, including federal lead-based paint disclosure
• Notice to end the tenancy and move-out
• Default (no lockouts or self-help eviction)
• Notices, entire agreement, and governing law
• Signature blocks for landlord and tenant

How to fill it in

• Look up your state's required notice periods before filling in Sections 4 and 13. Many states require 30 days' notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, but some require 60 or 90 days from a landlord once the tenant has lived there a year or more, and some cities only let a landlord end a tenancy for a listed "just cause."
• Check your state's security deposit cap and return deadline, and any late-fee limit, before filling in those amounts.
• If the home was built before 1978, attach the federal lead-based paint disclosure and give the tenant the EPA pamphlet before they sign.
• Add every adult tenant as a signer, and attach a move-in condition checklist with photos.

Frequently asked questions

How much notice do I need to give to end a month-to-month tenancy?

It depends on your state and city. Thirty days before the end of a rental period is common, but some states require longer notice from a landlord, especially after a tenant has lived there a year or more, and some cities require a legal reason ("just cause") to end a tenancy at all. Use at least the notice your location requires.

Can I raise the rent on a month-to-month tenant?

Usually yes, with written notice before the increase takes effect. Most states require at least 30 days' notice, and some require more for larger increases. Rent-control cities and a few states also limit how much and how often rent can go up.

Is a month-to-month agreement better than a yearly lease?

It's more flexible, not better. A yearly lease gives both sides certainty: the tenant can't leave early without consequences and the rent is locked for the term. A month-to-month agreement lets either side change course with notice, which suits short or uncertain stays.

Can a month-to-month rental agreement be signed electronically?

Yes. Under the U.S. ESIGN Act and state UETA laws, an e-signed rental agreement is as valid as a paper one. DocuAgree records each signer's consent and produces a certificate of completion with the signed agreement.