Tennessee Residential Lease Agreement Template
The Tennessee-compliant residential lease drafted from Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-101 et seq. (URLTA, for counties with 75,000+ population) and Tennessee common law for smaller counties. Includes the methamphetamine lab disclosure (§ 66-28-535), 30-day deposit return (§ 66-28-301), 10% late fee cap (§ 66-28-201), 14-day pay-or-quit (§ 66-28-505), 24-hour entry notice (§ 66-28-403), URLTA applicability advisory, and the federal lead-paint addendum. Editable Word + print-ready PDF.
A Tennessee Lease That Holds Up in TN Court
If you’ve been searching for a Tennessee residential lease agreement, you’ve noticed the gap: most free TN lease templates miss the URLTA applicability rule (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-101 et seq. applies only in counties with population 75,000+ — Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Rutherford, Williamson, Madison, Sullivan, Montgomery, and others). They miss the § 66-28-535 methamphetamine lab disclosure required statewide. They quote the wrong late fee cap (Tennessee URLTA is 10% under § 66-28-201). And they skip the 14-day pay-or-quit under § 66-28-505. This TN rental agreement template is different. It’s drafted from Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-101 et seq. with every URLTA requirement built in plus a county-applicability checkbox.
⚠ URLTA Applicability — Check Your County
Tennessee’s URLTA applies only in counties with population of 75,000 or more (Davidson/Nashville, Shelby/Memphis, Knox/Knoxville, Hamilton/Chattanooga, Rutherford, Williamson, Madison, Sullivan, Montgomery, Sumner, Wilson, Bradley, Anderson, Blount, Sevier, Washington, Maury, and others). For properties in smaller counties, common law and local ordinances govern. The template includes a URLTA applicability advisory and a county field on the lease so the right framework applies.
What This Template Covers at a Glance
Lease Structure
53 sections
TN Compliance
TCA § 66-28
Meth Disclosure
§ 66-28-535
Reusability
Unlimited
Everything Tennessee Landlords Need in One File
Editable Microsoft Word · Print-ready PDF · Instant download
Tennessee Residential Lease Agreement Template
2026 Edition · Word + PDF · Drafted from Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-101
- 53 sections covering parties, property, rent, deposits, conduct, termination
- Both Fixed Lease and Month-to-Month options
- URLTA Applicability Advisory (county 75,000+ population)
- Methamphetamine Lab Disclosure (§ 66-28-535)
- Owner / Agent Disclosure (§ 66-28-302)
- 30-Day Deposit Return + Itemized List (§ 66-28-301)
- 60-Day Forfeiture if No Forwarding Address
- 10% Late Fee Cap (§ 66-28-201)
- 24-Hour Entry Notice (§ 66-28-403)
- 14-Day Pay-or-Quit Notice (§ 66-28-505(d))
- 14-Day Cure / 30-Day Termination Material Breach (§ 66-28-505(a))
- 3-Day Notice for Criminal/Drug Activity (§ 66-28-517)
- Anti-Retaliation (§ 66-28-514)
- Habitability Obligations (§ 66-28-304)
- Tenant Remedies (§ 66-28-501)
- Servicemember Termination + Federal SCRA
- Smoke + CO Alarm Compliance
- Federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure attachment (pre-1978)
- Editable Word · Lifetime use across all your TN rentals
TN Residential Lease Template
Every Required Tennessee Provision, Already Drafted In
Methamphetamine Lab Disclosure
Required statewide if premises was used in meth manufacture and not certified remediated. Built into Section XLVIII.
URLTA Applicability
URLTA applies in counties with population 75,000+. For smaller counties, common law governs. Built into Section XLIX.
30-Day Deposit Return
30 days with itemized list (URLTA). 60-day forfeiture if no forwarding address. Failure forfeits Landlord’s retention right.
10% Late Fee Cap
URLTA counties: late fee not to exceed 10% of past-due rent.
Owner / Agent Disclosure
URLTA: name and address of owner and any authorized manager required in lease.
24-Hour Entry Notice
URLTA: 24 hours’ notice for non-emergency entry at reasonable times.
14-Day Pay-or-Quit
URLTA: 14 days for non-payment; 14-day cure / 30-day termination for material breach.
3-Day Notice for Criminal/Drug
URLTA: 3-day notice for criminal or drug-related conduct.
Anti-Retaliation
URLTA: Landlord prohibited from retaliating against tenant for code complaints or organizing.
Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (Federal)
Federal requirement for pre-1978 properties. Full attachment included.
Who Drafted This Template
Mark Sias — Noble Notary & Legal Document Preparers
Mark is a Florida-commissioned notary and legal document preparer based in Port Orange, FL. He co-owns Noble Notary & Legal Document Preparers with his wife Grace, where they prepare residential and commercial real estate documents for clients across multiple states.
Important: Mark is a Florida-registered legal document preparer and is not a licensed Tennessee attorney. This template is a self-help legal document drafted from public Tennessee statutes. For complex situations or contested Detainer actions in Tennessee General Sessions Court, consult a Tennessee-licensed attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this Tennessee residential lease agreement legally binding?
Yes. The template is drafted from Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-101 et seq. (URLTA) for properties in counties with population 75,000+ and Tennessee common law for smaller counties. When properly filled in, signed, and dated, it forms a legally binding contract under Tennessee law.
Does URLTA apply to my property?
URLTA applies in Tennessee counties with population 75,000 or more — Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Rutherford, Williamson, Madison, Sullivan, Montgomery, Sumner, Wilson, Bradley, Anderson, Blount, Sevier, Washington, Maury, and others. The template identifies the county on the lease so the right framework applies.
What’s the security deposit cap in Tennessee?
No statutory cap. URLTA counties require deposit held in a separate financial institution account, 30-day return with itemized list, 60-day forfeiture if no forwarding address.
What’s the late fee cap?
Under TCA § 66-28-201(d), URLTA counties: 10% of past-due rent maximum.
Does Tennessee require a methamphetamine disclosure?
Yes. TCA § 66-28-535 requires landlord disclosure if premises was used in meth manufacture and not certified remediated.
Does Tennessee have rent control?
No. T.C.A. § 66-35-102 preempts municipal rent control statewide.
Does the lease need to be notarized?
Tennessee does not require notarization for residential leases.
Is there a refund policy?
Due to the instant-download nature of digital products, all sales are final. At $9.97, the risk is minimal.
© 2026 Noble Notary & Legal Document Preparers. All rights reserved.
This template provides a self-help legal document for use by Tennessee landlords. It is not legal advice. Noble Notary & Legal Document Preparers is not a law firm and Mark Sias is not a licensed Tennessee attorney. The template is drafted from public Tennessee statutes (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-101 et seq. — URLTA, applies in counties 75,000+ population; § 66-28-535 Methamphetamine Disclosure; § 66-35-102 Rent Control Preemption) and federal lead-paint disclosure requirements (24 CFR Part 35). Use of this template does not create an attorney-client relationship. Tennessee statutes may change — always verify current law. For properties in counties under 75,000 population (non-URLTA counties), common law and local ordinances govern. For complex situations including commercial leases, government-subsidized housing, or contested Detainer matters, consult a Tennessee-licensed attorney. Individual outcomes vary; purchase does not guarantee enforceability in any specific dispute.