Sign a residential lease online, in 2 minutes
Unfurnished or furnished rental lease between a lessor (individual or SCI) and a tenant (or co-tenants + guarantor), signed electronically with the same legal force as a paper lease. Compliant with law no. 89-462 of 6 July 1989 (ALUR law) and eIDAS regulation — advanced signature recommended, multi-signatories (co-tenancy, couple, guarantor), 3-year term (individual lessor) or 6-year term (legal entity lessor).
- Legal framework
- Law No. 89-462 (ALUR)
- Signature level
- AES eIDAS recommended
- Legal archiving
- Lease term + 5 years
What is a residential lease?
A residential lease is a contract for renting accommodation for use as a primary residence, governed by Law No. 89-462 of 6 July 1989 (known as the "ALUR law" since 2014). There are two main variants: an unfurnished lease with a minimum duration of 3 years (for individual landlords or family SCIs) or 6 years (for corporate landlords), and a furnished lease with a minimum duration of 1 year (9 months for students). The law requires a standard contract, a file of technical diagnostics (DDT), an entry condition report, a capped security deposit, and annual indexation on the IRL (Rental Reference Index).
Why sign the residential lease electronically?
Identical legal value
Article 1366 of the Civil Code recognizes electronic documents as having the same evidentiary force as paper documents. No provision of the Law of 6 July 1989 requires a handwritten signature for a residential lease. Electronic signatures are fully recognized by courts and public authorities (CAF for APL, tax authorities for housing tax).
Multi-signatories (co-rental, couples, guarantors)
A residential lease often involves multiple signatories: co-tenant couples (with solidarity clause), co-tenants (each signs), physical or legal guarantors (Action Logement, Visale). Our workflow handles sequential or parallel signing by all, each with their individual SMS OTP.
Long-term archiving
Certyneo archives the signed lease and its eIDAS audit trail for the entire lease duration plus 5 years beyond (civil action prescription period). Useful for producing the lease in case of rental disputes (non-payment, damage, security deposit restitution).
Enforceable eIDAS audit trail
Each lease is delivered with a proof PDF: identity of each signatory (verified by SMS OTP), qualified timestamp, SHA-256 hash, IP geolocation. Enforceable in case of disputes over rent, charges, duration, condition report or security deposit.
Sign a residential lease in 4 steps
From lease preparation to legal archiving, in less than 5 minutes.
1. Prepare the lease
Upload your existing PDF or start from an ALUR-compliant template (3-year or 6-year duration, rent + IRL, security deposit ≤ 1 month excluding charges, recoverable charges under Decree 87-713, tight zone clauses if applicable). Attach the DDT (diagnostics).
2. Add the signatories
Landlord(s) + tenant(s) + guarantor(s). In co-rental situations, add each co-tenant with their individual link. For a couple landlord or tenant, plan for 2 signatories. Visale guarantor? Action Logement signs via their interface.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) recommended: identity verification by SMS OTP, unique certificate per signatory, qualified timestamp. SES (simple signature) is acceptable for a short furnished lease but undersized for a 3-year lease.
4. Sign and archive
Each signatory signs from their phone or computer. The finalized lease and proof PDF are archived for the entire lease duration. Remember to sign the condition report when keys are handed over (separate procedure).
Frequently asked questions
- Can a residential lease be signed electronically?
- Yes, without restriction. Law No. 89-462 of 6 July 1989 does not require a handwritten signature. Article 1366 of the Civil Code gives electronic signatures the same value as paper signatures. Courts, CAF (for APL) and tax authorities recognize electronically signed leases.
- What is the minimum duration of a residential lease?
- 3 years if the landlord is an individual or family SCI; 6 years if the landlord is a legal entity (non-family SCI, SA, SARL). For furnished accommodation: minimum 1 year (9 months for students). In tight zones: tenant notice period reduced to 1 month.
- How do I manage co-rental or couple tenants?
- All co-tenants must sign the lease. If a solidarity clause is included (recommended), each co-tenant is responsible for the full rent. Our multi-signatory workflow allows each co-tenant to sign from their phone with their individual SMS OTP.
- Which signature level: SES, AES or QES?
- Advanced signature (AES) is recommended for a 3-6 year lease: presumption of reliability (art. 1367 Civil Code), identity verification by SMS OTP, unique certificate. SES (simple signature) is acceptable for a short furnished lease (< 1 year). QES is rarely used for residential leases.
- Should the condition report also be signed electronically?
- Yes, recommended. The entry condition report is mandatory (art. 3-2 law 89-462) and must be attached to the lease. It can be completed via a mobile app or a bailiff, then signed electronically by landlord and tenant — Certyneo handles this separate workflow with qualified timestamp.
- Is the security deposit capped?
- Yes: 1 month''s rent excluding charges for unfurnished accommodation (art. 22 law 89-462), 2 months for furnished. No revision during the lease term. The electronically signed lease must mention the exact amount and restitution conditions (2 months after key handover, or 1 month if no deduction).
- Can the lease be terminated before its expiry?
- The tenant may terminate at any time with 3 months'' notice (1 month in tight zones or for personal reasons). The landlord may only terminate at expiry, with 6 months'' notice and legitimate cause (sale, personal use, tenant breach). The termination itself can be signed electronically.
- Is an electronically signed lease enforceable before the rental court?
- Yes — the judicial court (formerly civil court for residential leases) accepts eIDAS-compliant electronic signatures. Advanced signature (AES) benefits from the presumption of reliability (art. 1367 Civil Code): the Certyneo audit trail produced in court proves the identity of signatories and document integrity.
See also
Sign your first residential lease online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes/month), no credit card required. ALUR law and eIDAS compliant. Audit trail and long-term archiving included.