What this hub covers

A residential lease agreement is the written contract between landlord and tenant that defines the terms of renting a dwelling unit. Every U.S. state has its own statutory framework — mandatory disclosures, security deposit caps, notice requirements, and tenant protections that vary dramatically across jurisdictions. A generic lease used in the wrong state is the #1 cause of security deposit disputes and unlawful detainer dismissals.

Why state-specific matters

We publish state-specific lease agreement templates because California Civil Code §1940 imposes different obligations than Texas Property Code Chapter 92 — and using the wrong template will fail in court. Each template below incorporates the disclosures, security deposit limits, notice periods, and habitability standards required by the corresponding state.