California Lease Renewal Agreement

California lease renewal guide

Review coverage before offering a renewal

Identify the protections for this particular home

Start with the property's address, completion date, ownership type and tenancy history. Civil Code 1946.2 and 1947.12 contain separate just-cause and rent-limit rules with exemptions and notice conditions. The California Attorney General explains that many residential rentals are covered. Record the basis for any claimed exemption and inspect the original lease notices. A renewal decision needs the property's actual coverage facts. Official source

Expiration and the right to continue living there

For covered tenancies, an expired lease can still involve just-cause protections. Review the applicable occupancy threshold, exemptions and local rules before treating expiration as a reason to recover possession. Discuss a renewal early, document the terms offered and preserve responses. A dispute over refusal to sign, new terms or termination requires careful review of Civil Code 1946.2 and the relevant local ordinance. Official source

Confirm the scope of this agreement

This packet extends the same home and parties for up to one year. It carries the existing lawful charges and provides for no additional deposit or new fee. Review the original lease, amendments and disclosures together. A new roommate, released tenant, new guaranty or materially revised obligation needs a separately reviewed agreement. Preserve any required statutory notices and local addenda with the completed renewal.

Plan dates that agree across the documents

For a continuous extension after a December 31 ending date, the next term ordinarily begins January 1. Put the beginning date, inclusive ending date, renewed rent and due day together in the agreement. Check whether a required notice changes the earliest date for a proposed rent change. Ask both parties to review the final figures and dates before signatures.

Calculate rent and check the local rules

Use the correct annual limit

For covered housing, the statewide cap is the lower of 10% or 5% plus the applicable cost-of-living change over twelve months. Location and effective date matter. Review the rent history and earlier increases before calculating the remaining permitted change. The Attorney General publishes dated regional figures. Record the rate, its applicable period and source in the property file. Official source

Compare the local ordinance

A more protective local cap can apply. Determine the actual city or unincorporated jurisdiction before choosing a rule. The Attorney General's local table identifies programs and exemptions. Read the linked local agency's current guidance for the property's coverage, allowed increases, registration and required notices. Avoid transferring a percentage from another city simply because it is in the same county. Official source

Los Angeles County illustrates the distinction

The County's rent stabilization program covers qualifying properties in unincorporated Los Angeles County. A Los Angeles postal address alone does not resolve jurisdiction. Use the County's coverage resources and inspect the relevant local rule before preparing a renewal. Keep a record of the jurisdiction determination with the rent calculation so the selected rule can be explained later. Official source

Allow time for the required notice

California guidance describes 30-day written notice for increases of 10% or less and 90-day notice for larger increases, with cumulative changes and applicable rules requiring review. Notice timing does not itself authorize an amount prohibited by a cap. The existing fixed-term lease also controls whether an increase can occur during its term. Review service requirements and the actual proposed effective date before finalizing the renewal. Official source

Protect the deposit and complete signatures

Record the existing security deposit

Civil Code 1950.5 generally limits newly demanded security to one month's rent, subject to exceptions including qualifying small landlords and rules concerning deposits collected before July 1, 2024. The small-landlord exception has ownership and unit-count conditions and a servicemember limitation. This renewal carries forward the existing balance. Check the ledger and preserve the original receipt rather than adding a new deposit through this form. Official source

Review inherited payment terms

The Department of Real Estate explains payment-method protections, including alternatives to cash or electronic transfer and the rule against charging a fee for paying rent or security by check beginning January 1, 2025. Inspect the original payment clause when renewing. Document the lawful payment address and method clearly, and reconcile the recurring-charges entry with the original agreement. Official source

One row for each participating signer

Match each tenant's full legal name to the original agreement. Each person signs and dates their own row; the owner or authorized agent has a separate row. Use actual signing dates and review the separately stated effective date. Save the complete signed packet, including required disclosures, and provide a copy to every party. Review any absent signer or changed household before treating the renewal as complete.

Keep a record that explains the decision

Store the original lease, renewal, coverage determination, rent calculation, notices, delivery evidence and deposit ledger together. Reviewed November 13, 2026 using official California materials. Rules can change and property-specific disputes require individual advice. The linked state guide supplies further reading and statutory references. Official source

Arizona lease renewal guide

Use this agreement when the landlord and the existing tenants agree to extend the same residential lease for a new fixed term. Read the lease and all signed addenda together before filling in the renewal.

Set the dates and rent

Check the existing lease for an expiration date, a renewal option, and any deadline for giving notice. If the current term ends December 31 and the parties want uninterrupted occupancy, the new term normally begins January 1. Write the exact end date, the renewed rent, and when the new rent starts. If a rent change falls mid-month, agree on how the partial month will be calculated. A.R.S. § 33-1314(A) and (C)

What happens after the old term expires?

Check whether the existing lease already provides for renewal or continuation. Arizona generally treats a rental agreement with no definite term as month to month, with an exception for a roomer paying weekly rent. The holdover statute points to that rule when the landlord consents in writing to continued occupancy after expiration. If there is a dispute about consent or possession, resolve that before using a mutual renewal form. A.R.S. § 33-1314(D) and § 33-1375(C)

Count notice time from the rental date

To end an existing month-to-month tenancy, give written notice at least 30 days before the periodic rental date named in the notice. For example, if rent is due on the first and the notice specifies June 1, notice must be received by May 2. For registered or certified mail, Arizona uses the earlier of actual receipt and five days after mailing. Keep the notice and delivery record together. A fixed-term renewal offer may follow a different deadline under the existing lease. A.R.S. § 33-1375(B) and § 33-1313(B)

Record the deposit already held

Compare the deposit in the renewal with the original receipt and payment records. State law generally caps security a landlord demands, including prepaid rent, at one and a half months’ rent. The statute allows a tenant to pay more rent voluntarily in advance. Record any agreed change separately so both parties can tell what is already held and what is newly due. A fee or deposit is refundable unless its nonrefundable purpose is stated in writing as required by the statute. A.R.S. § 33-1321(A) and (B)

Review changes to rules, services, and contact details

If parking, utilities, or another service will change, identify exactly what changes and when. A rule adopted during a tenancy generally requires 30 days’ notice and cannot substantially modify the rental agreement under the rulemaking provision. Review the original lease before treating a change in an agreed service as a house rule. Keep the management and notice contacts current and check the renewal for prohibited waivers of tenant rights. A.R.S. § 33-1342, § 33-1322, and § 33-1315

Sign and save the complete agreement

Have each named signer review the same terms before signing. Give each party the signed agreement and keep it with the original lease, amendments, and any related notices. Check the housing type before relying on this form. Arizona excludes certain arrangements from its residential landlord and tenant chapter, and subsidized housing may also have program-specific renewal requirements. A.R.S. § 33-1308