Room rental agreement template
Renting out a spare room is different from renting out a whole apartment. You share a kitchen with the person, you need rules about guests and quiet hours, and you still need the rent, deposit and notice terms in writing. This room rental agreement is written for a homeowner or main tenant who lives in the home and rents one room to one person.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 4 min read
The contract
Gray blanks are yours to fill in before you send. Each signer fills in the blanks in their color.
- You, before sending
- Renter
- Landlord
Room Rental Agreement
This Room Rental Agreement (the "Agreement") is made on Agreement date between Landlord name (the "Landlord") and Renter name (the "Renter").
1. The room
The Landlord rents to the Renter the room described as Room description in the home at Home address (the "Home"), where the Landlord also lives. The room comes with this furniture: Furniture included.
2. Shared areas
The Renter may use these parts of the Home in common with the Landlord and other household members: Shared areas the renter may use. All other areas, including the Landlord's bedroom, are private.
3. Term
The rental starts on Move-in date. It runs from month to month until either party ends it by giving the other at least Days of notice to end days' written notice, or any longer notice the law requires. If a fixed end date is filled in here, the rental ends on that date unless both parties agree in writing to continue: Fixed end date.
4. Rent
The Renter will pay rent of Monthly rent a month, due on day Rent due day of each month, by Rent payment method. Rent for a partial first month is First month prorated rent. Rent not received within Grace period in days days of the due date carries a late fee of Late fee, or the most the law allows if that is lower.
5. What the rent includes
Rent includes: Utilities and services included. The Renter pays separately for: Costs the renter pays separately. The Renter will use utilities reasonably, as anyone living in a shared home would.
6. Security deposit
The Renter pays a security deposit of Security deposit before moving in. After the Renter moves out and returns all keys, the Landlord will return the deposit, less lawful deductions for unpaid rent and for damage beyond normal wear and tear, with a written list of any deductions, within the time state law requires.
7. Keys, privacy and entry
The Renter receives these keys or codes: Keys and access codes. The Renter won't copy keys, share codes or change locks without the Landlord's permission. The Landlord won't enter the Renter's room without at least Hours of notice before entry hours' notice, except in an emergency or as the law otherwise allows.
8. House rules
- Quiet hours are from Quiet hours.
- The Renter cleans up after themselves in the kitchen and bathroom each day and keeps their room reasonably clean.
- No smoking or vaping anywhere in the Home.
- An overnight guest may stay no more than Guest nights per month nights a month without the Landlord's consent. The Renter is responsible for their guests.
- Other house rules: Other house rules
9. Pets, parking and storage
No pets are allowed unless described here: Pets allowed. This doesn't limit an assistance animal the law requires the Landlord to allow. Parking and storage for the Renter: Parking and storage.
10. Care of the room
The Renter will tell the Landlord promptly about leaks, broken appliances or anything else needing repair, and will pay for damage they or their guests cause beyond normal wear and tear. The Renter won't paint, make holes larger than small picture hooks, or change fixtures without the Landlord's written consent.
11. Insurance
The Landlord's insurance does not cover the Renter's belongings or the Renter's liability. The Renter is encouraged to carry renter's insurance.
12. Ending the rental
When the rental ends, the Renter removes their belongings, leaves the room clean and returns all keys. Either party may end this Agreement early only as the law allows. Neither party will change locks, remove the other's belongings or shut off utilities to force the other out; any eviction will follow the process state law requires.
13. General terms
This Agreement is the whole agreement between the parties about the room and can be changed only in writing signed by both. It is governed by the laws of the state of State. If a part of it can't be enforced, the rest still applies. Electronic signatures count as original signatures.
Renter's details
Phone: Renter phone Email: Renter email
Emergency contact: Emergency contact name Phone: Emergency contact phone
I have read this whole Agreement, including the house rules in section 8.
Renter
Landlord
Opens it in SignMaster as a template you can edit and send.
A starting point, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review it for your state and situation.
On this page
When a room rental agreement fits
Use it when you live in the home and rent a bedroom to someone, with shared use of the kitchen, bathroom or living room. It's built for a month-to-month arrangement with an optional fixed end date, which suits most spare-room rentals: a student for a semester, a traveling nurse for a contract, or a long-term lodger.
If you're one of several tenants splitting a place you all rent, that's a roommate agreement. If you're renting your room to someone else while you're away, you need a sublease agreement and probably your landlord's consent. And if you're renting a whole unit you don't live in, start from a residential lease.
What the template covers
- The room: which bedroom, the address, and the furniture that comes with it, so nothing is disputed at move-out.
- Shared areas: the parts of the home the renter can use, and a line that everything else stays private.
- Term and notice: month to month by default, a notice period you set, and an optional fixed end date.
- Rent: the amount, due day, payment method, prorated first month and a late fee capped at what the law allows.
- What rent includes: utilities, internet and anything else, plus what the renter pays on top.
- Deposit: the amount and a promise to return it with an itemized list of deductions within your state's deadline.
- Keys and entry: the keys or codes handed over, no lock changes, and how much notice you give before entering their room.
- House rules, pets and parking: quiet hours, cleaning, smoking, overnight guests, pets and parking or storage space.
- Ending it: move-out duties, and a promise that neither side uses lockouts or utility shutoffs instead of the legal process.
Mistakes to avoid when you rent out a room
- Assuming a lodger has no rights. In many states someone renting a room is a tenant, and you'll need a court order to make them leave. Read your state's rules before a problem starts.
- Changing the locks or shutting off the internet to make a renter leave. Self-help eviction is illegal almost everywhere and can cost you damages; section 12 rules it out for both sides.
- Leaving utilities vague. Spell out whether rent includes power, water, internet and heating, especially if the renter runs a space heater all winter.
- No guest limit. A guest who stays every night is effectively a second renter who never signed anything.
- Taking a deposit with no written terms for returning it. Many states set a deadline and require an itemized list of deductions.
Fair housing still applies to ads
The federal Fair Housing Act exempts some rooms in owner-occupied homes, but the ban on discriminatory advertising still applies, and many states and cities have broader rules. Describe the room and the house rules, not the kind of person you want. Read 42 U.S.C. § 3603 for the federal exemption.
How to send it with SignMaster
- 1
Add it to your account
Choose Use this template. SignMaster creates a template with two signers, the renter and you as landlord, in that order.
- 2
Describe the room and the rent
Fill in the gray blanks: the room, the shared areas, the rent, deposit, notice period and house rules. Leave optional blanks like the fixed end date empty if they don't apply.
- 3
Send it to the renter
Enter their name and email. They fill in their own details and an emergency contact, tick that they've read the house rules, and sign from their phone. Nothing to install, and no account to create.
- 4
Countersign last
With the renter first and you second in the signing order, your turn comes once they've signed. Reminders go out automatically if they leave it sitting in their inbox.
- 5
Keep the signed copy
You both get the signed PDF with its certificate of completion. Keep it with the deposit receipt and your move-in photos.
Renting several rooms
If you rent rooms in more than one house and raise rents once a year, bulk send can send each renter a fresh agreement in one go: one row per renter in a spreadsheet, with columns named after the gray blanks, such as Room description and Monthly rent. For people applying to rent a room, a rental application sent first keeps the screening separate from the agreement.
Questions? Answers.
Is a person renting a room a tenant or a lodger?
It depends on your state. Some states treat a single renter in an owner-occupied home as a lodger with a simpler removal process; most give them the same rights as any tenant. The template uses neutral wording, so check your state's landlord-tenant law.
How much notice do I give to end a month-to-month room rental?
Section 3 lets you write the notice period. Many states require at least 30 days for month-to-month rentals and longer once someone has lived there a while, so set it to at least your state's minimum.
Can I enter the renter's room?
Only as the agreement and the law allow. The template sets a notice period before entry, with an exception for emergencies. Shared areas like the kitchen stay open to everyone.
Who fills in what?
You fill in the gray blanks before sending: the room, rent, deposit and rules. The renter adds their phone, email and an emergency contact, ticks the read-it box and signs first; you sign last.
Sources
- 42 U.S.C. § 3603, Fair Housing Act exemptions (Cornell LII) · law.cornell.edu