Texas Residential Lease Agreement Template

What a Texas residential lease agreement is for

Texas gives landlords more freedom than most states, but Chapter 92 of the Property Code still dictates parts of the lease. Some provisions only work if they are written into the lease, and some only if they are underlined or in bold: the tenant's repair remedies, a landlord's right to change the locks for unpaid rent, and a requirement for advance notice of move-out before the deposit is refunded. A late fee is lawful only if the lease provides for it, and only after rent is two full days late. A lease must tell tenants about their right to end it early in cases of family violence or military service, or the landlord loses the right to collect rent from a tenant who leaves. Since 2022, a separate flood disclosure notice must be given before signing.

This template builds all of that into one Texas lease. It covers the parties and occupancy limits, term and month-to-month continuation, rent and late fees, the security deposit, utilities, use, pets and parking, repairs and the emergency number, the repair remedies notice, security devices and smoke alarms, entry, an optional lockout clause, early termination rights, default and the 2026 notice-to-vacate rules, and move-out. Schedules give the flood disclosure, an inventory, the lead disclosure and parking rules.

When to use it

Use it to rent a single-family home, duplex unit, townhouse, condo or apartment anywhere in Texas, especially if you manage your own property and do not have access to the Texas REALTORS forms. It works for 6- or 12-month leases that roll over to month to month.

It is not built for HUD-subsidized or public housing with required leases, manufactured home lots, or short-term vacation rentals. If you own an apartment complex that tows vehicles, attach your parking rules as Schedule D.

What's inside

The full list of sections and fields in this template, in the order they appear.

1. Parties, premises and term

   • Landlord and agent
   • Tenants and occupants
   • Occupancy limit
   • Premises and keys
   • Term and month-to-month continuation

2. Rent and late fees

   • Monthly rent
   • Cash receipts
   • Late fee after two full days
   • Safe harbor
   • Returned payments

3. Security deposit

   • Amount
   • No withholding last month's rent
   • 30-day refund and itemized list
   • Forwarding address
   • Advance notice of surrender
   • Deductions

4. Utilities, use and pets

   • Utility responsibilities and submetering
   • Occupancy and guests
   • No subletting
   • Pets and assistance animals
   • Parking and towing rules

5. Repairs and safety

   • Repair duty
   • Emergency phone number
   • Bold repair remedies notice
   • Security devices and rekeying
   • Smoke alarms
   • Entry

6. Lockouts and termination rights

   • Bold lockout clause
   • Family violence sexual offense stalking and military statement

7. Default and move-out

   • Notice to vacate and S.B. 38 delivery methods
   • No self-help
   • Attorney's fees
   • Duty to mitigate
   • Move-out

8. Schedules A to D

   • Flood Disclosure Notice
   • Move-in and move-out inventory
   • Lead disclosure
   • Parking and towing rules

9. Landlord's Checklist

   • 11 checks before signing

Preview pages

How to fill in the lease

1. Give the flood notice first. Complete Schedule A and give it to the tenant before they sign the lease.
2. Name the parties and occupants. Respect the three-adults-per-bedroom limit.
3. Set the term. Fill in the dates and the notice needed to end it at the end of the term.
4. Set rent and the late fee. Start the fee after two full days and keep the total within 12% (four or fewer units) or 10%.
5. Record the deposit and the surrender notice requirement. Keep the bold text.
6. Fill in utilities and the emergency phone number.
7. Decide on the lockout clause. Keep it in bold, or delete it.
8. Add email consent for notices if you want to deliver notices to vacate electronically.
9. Complete the inventory, lead disclosure and checklist, then sign and give each tenant a copy.

Example: late fees and the deposit in Austin

A fictional landlord, Barton Creek Rentals LLC, leases a duplex unit in Austin to Daniela Ortiz for 12 months from March 1, 2026 at $1,950 a month.

Late fee: rent due on the 1st; an initial fee of $75 if unpaid at the end of the 3rd, plus $10 a day, capped at $230 a month (11.8% of rent, within the 12% safe harbor for a duplex). Deposit: $1,950. Daniela gives 30 days' written notice of surrender and her forwarding address on January 30, 2027. Move-out: February 28, 2027. Barton Creek must send the refund and itemized list by March 30, 2027. Flood notice: given on February 20, 2026; the landlord ticks "is not aware" for both floodplain and five-year flooding.

Texas rules to know

• Late fees (Property Code section 92.019). Only after two full days; 12% or 10% safe harbor.
• Flood disclosure (section 92.0135). Separate notice before signing, since January 1, 2022.
• Repair remedies (section 92.056(g)). Must be described in the lease in underlined or bold print.
• Lockouts (section 92.0081). Allowed only with a bold or underlined lease clause, advance notice and a key at any hour.
• Early termination statement (section 92.016(f)). Family violence and military rights must be mentioned.
• Security deposits (sections 92.103 to 92.109). 30-day refund after a forwarding address; bad faith penalties.
• Security devices (section 92.153). Deadbolts, door viewers and sliding door locks; rekey within 7 days of turnover.
• Notice to vacate (section 24.005). For 2026 suits, only the four delivery methods S.B. 38 allows.

Lease mistakes that cost Texas landlords

Texas landlords lose cases on technicalities more often than on the facts. A late fee charged on the 2nd of the month, or one worth 20% of the rent. A lockout clause in plain type, which makes the lockout unlawful. No flood notice, so a tenant whose car and furniture flooded can walk away from the lease. No family violence statement, so the landlord cannot collect rent from a tenant who leaves under the statute. A deposit held past 30 days after the tenant gave a forwarding address. Or a notice to vacate taped to the outside of the door, which S.B. 38 no longer allows for 2026 cases. This lease's formatting, schedules and checklist are designed to prevent each of these.