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Georgia Lease Agreement Template

A printable Georgia residential lease agreement, plus the Georgia-specific rules worth knowing before you fill it in: the 30-day deposit return, which landlords are exempt from the escrow and inspection-list machinery, the lopsided 60/30-day month-to-month notice rule, and the flooding disclosure unique to Georgia.

Educational sample — not legal advice

This template and the rules summarized here are general educational information as of this page's writing, and statutes change — Georgia's landlord-tenant law was amended as recently as 2024 by the Safe at Home Act. O.C.G.A. Title 44, Chapter 7 governs residential tenancies; have a Georgia attorney or current state resource verify your completed lease before anyone signs.

The Georgia Rules That Shape a Lease

Topic	Georgia rule (commonly cited — verify current law)
Security deposit cap	Historically none; the 2024 Safe at Home Act added a cap commonly cited as two months' rent — verify the current statute, as older templates still say “no limit”
Deposit return	Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, with written itemization of deductions
Deposit handling	Escrow account or surety bond, plus move-in/move-out inspection lists — but owners of 10 or fewer units who self-manage are exempt from these handling rules
Late fees	No statutory cap; must be in the lease and defensible as reasonable
Entry notice	No statutory period — the lease clause controls, so write one
Month-to-month termination	Landlord: at least 60 days' notice; tenant: at least 30 days' notice
Key disclosures	Federal lead paint (pre-1978); owner/agent identity in writing; flooding disclosure if the living space has flooded 3+ times in the past 5 years

The Georgia Template

Print this page or copy the text into your document editor. It follows our standard residential lease structure with the Georgia-specific clauses adjusted.

Georgia Residential Lease Agreement

1. PARTIES. This Residential Lease Agreement (“Agreement”) is made on ___________, 20___, between ______________________________ (“Landlord”) and ______________________________ (“Tenant”). Each Tenant is jointly and severally liable for all obligations under this Agreement.
2. PREMISES. Landlord leases to Tenant the residential premises located at ______________________________________________, Unit ______, ______________________ (City), Georgia __________ (ZIP) (the “Premises”), together with the following included items or areas (appliances, parking, storage): ______________________________________________.
3. TERM. The term of this Agreement begins on ___________, 20___, and ends on ___________, 20___ (check one): ☐ Fixed term ☐ Month-to-month. If Tenant remains in possession after the end of a fixed term with Landlord's consent, the tenancy continues month-to-month on the same terms; Landlord may then terminate with at least 60 days' written notice, and Tenant with at least 30 days' written notice, as Georgia law provides.
4. RENT. Tenant shall pay rent of $__________ per month, due in advance on the ______ day of each month, payable to ______________________________ by the following method(s): ______________________________. Rent for any partial first or last month shall be prorated.
5. LATE FEES & RETURNED PAYMENTS. If rent is not received within ______ days after the due date, Tenant shall pay a late fee of $__________, which the parties agree is a reasonable charge for the costs of late payment. Tenant shall pay a fee of $__________ for any payment returned for insufficient funds, as permitted by law.
6. SECURITY DEPOSIT. Tenant shall pay a security deposit of $__________ before taking possession, in an amount permitted by current Georgia law. Landlord shall hold and account for the deposit as O.C.G.A. Title 44, Chapter 7 requires, including any applicable escrow, surety bond, or inspection-list requirements. Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, Landlord shall return the deposit less lawful deductions itemized in writing. The deposit may be applied to unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, and other charges permitted by law or this Agreement.
7. UTILITIES & SERVICES. Tenant shall pay for the following utilities and services: ______________________________________________. Landlord shall pay for: ______________________________________________.
8. OCCUPANCY & USE. The Premises shall be occupied only by Tenant and the following named occupants: ______________________________________________. The Premises shall be used as a private residence only. Guests staying more than ______ consecutive days require Landlord's written consent.
9. MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS. Landlord shall keep the Premises in repair as required by Georgia law. Tenant shall keep the Premises clean and sanitary, dispose of waste properly, use fixtures and appliances reasonably, promptly notify Landlord in writing of any condition needing repair, and be responsible for damage caused by Tenant's or Tenant's guests' negligence or misuse. Repair requests shall be sent in writing to: ______________________________________________.
10. LANDLORD'S RIGHT OF ENTRY. Landlord may enter the Premises to inspect, make repairs, or show the Premises to prospective tenants or buyers after giving Tenant at least ______ hours' advance notice, and may enter without notice in an emergency.
11. PETS. (Check one) ☐ No pets are permitted without Landlord's prior written consent. ☐ The following pet(s) are permitted: ______________________________, subject to a pet deposit of $__________ and/or pet rent of $__________ per month. This section does not apply to service or assistance animals as defined by applicable law.
12. ASSIGNMENT & SUBLETTING. Tenant shall not assign this Agreement or sublet any portion of the Premises without Landlord's prior written consent.
13. TERMINATION & RENEWAL. Landlord may end a month-to-month tenancy with at least 60 days' written notice, and Tenant with at least 30 days' written notice. For a fixed term, notice of non-renewal shall be given at least ______ days before the end of the term. Upon termination, Tenant shall return all keys, provide a forwarding address in writing, and leave the Premises clean and in the same condition as received, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
14. FLOODING DISCLOSURE. (Check one) ☐ The living space of the Premises has NOT been damaged by flooding at least three times within the five years immediately preceding this Agreement. ☐ The living space of the Premises HAS been damaged by flooding at least three times within the five years immediately preceding this Agreement, as Georgia law requires Landlord to disclose.
15. GOVERNING LAW & DISCLOSURES. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Georgia, including O.C.G.A. Title 44, Chapter 7. If any provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions continue in full force. Required disclosures and addenda — including the federal lead-based paint disclosure for housing built before 1978 and written identification of the property's owner or authorized agent — are attached and incorporated into this Agreement.
16. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement, together with any attached addenda, is the entire agreement between the parties and may be amended only in a writing signed by both parties.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement on the date first written above.

Landlord signature

Printed name & date

Tenant signature

Printed name & date

Sample for educational purposes — not legal advice. Verify current Georgia requirements and add any locally required disclosures before use.

Filling It In: The Georgia-Specific Steps

1Check the current deposit cap before setting the amount — Georgia's 2024 Safe at Home Act changed the old “no limit” rule, and older templates haven't caught up.
2Know whether the escrow rules apply to you — own ten or fewer units and manage them yourself, and you're exempt from the escrow-account and inspection-list requirements; use an agent or own more, and you're not.
3Write a real entry clause — Georgia gives you no statutory default, so the hours you write are the rule.
4Answer the flooding question honestly — three or more floods in five years must be disclosed in writing before signing; it's one of the few disclosures Georgia specifically names.
5Calendar the 30-day deposit clock at move-out — and remember the notice asymmetry: you owe 60 days to end a month-to-month tenancy, the tenant owes 30.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Georgia limit how much security deposit a landlord can charge?

For most of its history Georgia had no cap, and many older templates still say so — but Georgia's 2024 Safe at Home Act added a limit commonly cited as two months' rent. Because this is a recent change, verify the current statute before setting your deposit. Georgia has always regulated the return side: the deposit must come back within 30 days of the tenancy ending, less deductions itemized in writing.

How is a security deposit returned in Georgia?

Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, with a written itemized list of any deductions. Georgia also has handling rules — an escrow account or surety bond, plus move-in and move-out inspection lists — but small landlords are exempt from them: an owner of ten or fewer rental units who manages them personally (not through an agent) doesn't have to escrow the deposit or provide the statutory inspection lists. The 30-day return deadline applies to everyone.

Does a Georgia landlord have to give notice before entering?

Georgia has no statute setting an entry-notice period — the lease controls. That makes the entry clause one of the most important lines in a Georgia lease: write the notice period (24 hours is customary) and the permitted reasons into the agreement, because the lease is what a court will look at.

How do you end a month-to-month tenancy in Georgia?

Georgia's notice periods are asymmetric: the landlord must give at least 60 days' notice to terminate a month-to-month (at-will) tenancy, while the tenant needs to give only 30 days. Put both numbers in the lease so neither side is surprised.

What disclosures does a Georgia lease need?

Three main ones: the federal lead paint disclosure for pre-1978 housing; the identity of the property owner or authorized agent, in writing; and Georgia's flooding disclosure — if the living space has flooded at least three times in the past five years, the landlord must disclose it in writing before the lease is signed.

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