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Tennessee Lease Agreement Template

A printable Tennessee residential lease agreement, plus the Tennessee-specific rules worth knowing before you fill it in: the county-population quirk that decides whether the state's landlord-tenant act even applies to you, the 10% late-fee cap with its five-day grace period, and a deposit regime with no cap but real handling rules.

Educational sample — not legal advice

This template and the rules summarized here are general educational information as of this page's writing, not legal advice, and statutes change. Tennessee's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66, Chapter 28) governs residential tenancies — but only in larger counties, so which rules apply depends on where the property sits. Have a Tennessee attorney or current state resource verify your completed lease before anyone signs.

The Tennessee Rules That Shape a Lease

Topic Tennessee rule (commonly cited — verify current law)
Where URLTA applies Only in counties above a population threshold (commonly cited as ~75,000) — smaller counties fall back on common law and the lease
Security deposit cap None — no statutory limit; one to two months' rent is customary
Deposit handling & return URLTA counties: deposit kept in a separate account, deductions itemized in writing, return commonly cited as within 30 days of termination
Late fees URLTA counties: capped at 10% of the amount past due, with a 5-day grace period before rent is late; day-counting has nuances (weekends/holidays) — verify the current statute
Entry notice URLTA counties: entry at reasonable times with tenant consent not unreasonably withheld; notice commonly cited for end-of-term showings; outside URLTA the lease controls — write a clause either way
Month-to-month termination URLTA counties: at least 30 days' written notice by either party
Key disclosures Federal lead paint (pre-1978); identity of the owner and any authorized agent; showing-period terms if the landlord intends to show the unit near the end of the lease

The Tennessee Template

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

Tennessee Residential Lease Agreement

  1. 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. 2. PREMISES. Landlord leases to Tenant the residential premises located at ______________________________________________, Unit ______, ______________________ (City), ______________________ County, Tennessee __________ (ZIP) (the “Premises”), together with the following included items or areas (appliances, parking, storage): ______________________________________________.
  3. 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; either party may then terminate with at least 30 days' written notice.
  4. 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. 5. LATE FEES & RETURNED PAYMENTS. If rent remains unpaid after the grace period provided by applicable Tennessee law (commonly five days, with statutory day-counting rules), Tenant shall pay a late fee of $__________, not to exceed ten percent (10%) of the amount past due where Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201 applies. Tenant shall pay a fee of $__________ for any payment returned for insufficient funds, as permitted by law.
  6. 6. SECURITY DEPOSIT. Tenant shall pay a security deposit of $__________ before taking possession. Where Tennessee's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act applies, Landlord shall hold the deposit in a separate account and, after termination, shall provide a written itemization of any deductions and return the balance within the time current Tennessee law requires. The deposit may be applied to unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and other charges permitted by law or this Agreement.
  7. 7. UTILITIES & SERVICES. Tenant shall pay for the following utilities and services: ______________________________________________. Landlord shall pay for: ______________________________________________.
  8. 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. 9. MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS. Landlord shall comply with applicable building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety and keep the Premises in a fit and habitable condition. 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. 10. LANDLORD'S RIGHT OF ENTRY. Landlord may enter the Premises at reasonable times 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. Tenant shall not unreasonably withhold consent to reasonable entry. During the final 30 days of the term, Landlord may show the Premises to prospective tenants with reasonable advance notice as applicable law provides.
  11. 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. 12. ASSIGNMENT & SUBLETTING. Tenant shall not assign this Agreement or sublet any portion of the Premises without Landlord's prior written consent.
  13. 13. TERMINATION & RENEWAL. Either party may end a month-to-month tenancy 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, normal wear and tear excepted.
  14. 14. GOVERNING LAW & DISCLOSURES. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, including, where applicable by county, the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66, Chapter 28). 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 identification of the property's owner and any authorized agent — are attached and incorporated into this Agreement.
  15. 15. 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 Tennessee requirements — including whether URLTA applies in your county — and add any locally required disclosures before use.

Filling It In: The Tennessee-Specific Steps

  1. 1Find out which regime your county is in — URLTA only governs counties above the population threshold. Davidson (Nashville), Shelby (Memphis), Knox, and Hamilton are in; many rural counties are out, and there the lease itself does far more of the work.
  2. 2Set the late fee inside the 10% cap — in URLTA counties the fee can't exceed 10% of the overdue amount, and rent isn't late until the five-day grace period has run. The day-counting rules have wrinkles for weekends and holidays, so verify before you charge.
  3. 3Open a separate account for the deposit — no cap on the amount, but URLTA counties require segregated handling and a written itemization of deductions at move-out.
  4. 4Write a real entry clause — the statute's entry language is thin and applies only in URLTA counties, so the hours and reasons you write are what both sides will rely on.
  5. 5Attach the disclosures — lead paint (pre-1978) and the owner/agent identification, and calendar the deposit itemization and return for move-out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Tennessee's landlord-tenant act apply to every rental in the state?
No — and this is the quirk that shapes everything else. Tennessee's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA) applies only in counties above a population threshold (commonly cited as roughly 75,000), which covers the metro counties around Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and a handful of others. In smaller counties, older common-law rules and the lease itself control instead. Check which regime your county falls under before relying on any URLTA rule.
Does Tennessee limit how much security deposit a landlord can charge?
No — Tennessee has no statutory cap on residential security deposits; the market sets the amount, commonly one or two months' rent. What the law regulates is the handling and return: in URLTA counties the deposit goes in a separate account, deductions are itemized, and return is commonly cited as due within 30 days of termination — verify the current statute for the exact mechanics.
How much can a Tennessee landlord charge as a late fee?
In URLTA counties, late fees are capped at 10% of the amount of rent past due, and rent isn't considered late until a grace period of five days has run (commonly cited as § 66-28-201(d)). The day-counting rules around that grace period have nuances — how weekends and legal holidays extend it, for example — so state the fee and grace period in the lease and verify the current statute's counting rules before charging.
Does a Tennessee landlord have to give notice before entering?
In URLTA counties the tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to enter for inspections, repairs, and showings, and the statute addresses notice for certain entries — commonly cited as 24 hours for showings near the end of the term. Outside URLTA counties there is no statutory rule at all. Either way, the safe practice is the same: write the notice period and permitted reasons into the lease.
How do you end a month-to-month tenancy in Tennessee?
In URLTA counties, either party may terminate a month-to-month tenancy with at least 30 days' written notice. Outside URLTA counties the lease and common law control, so put the notice period in writing. In both regimes, a written notice clause in the lease removes the ambiguity.

Related: the standard lease template · Georgia lease agreement · North Carolina lease agreement · the security deposit guide.

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