Sign a residential lease online, in 2 minutes
Unfurnished or furnished rental lease between a landlord (individual or SCI) and a tenant (or co-tenants + guarantor), signed electronically with the same legal value as a paper lease. Compliant with law No. 89-462 of July 6, 1989 (ALUR law) and the eIDAS regulation — advanced signature recommended, multi-signatories (co-tenancy, couple, guarantor), duration 3 years (individual landlord) or 6 years (legal entity landlord).
- Legal framework
- Law No. 89-462 (ALUR)
- Signature level
- AES eIDAS recommended
- Legal archiving
- Lease duration + 5 years
What is a residential lease?
A residential lease is a rental contract for a dwelling for use as a primary residence, governed by law No. 89-462 of July 6, 1989 (called the "ALUR law" since 2014). There are two main variants: the unfurnished lease (non-furnished) with a minimum duration of 3 years (individual landlord or family SCI) or 6 years (legal entity landlord), and the furnished lease with a minimum duration of 1 year (9 months for students). The law requires a standard contract, a technical diagnostics file (DDT), an entry inventory, a capped security deposit, and an 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 writing with the same probative force as paper writing. No provision of the law of July 6, 1989 requires handwritten signature for a residential lease. Electronic signature is fully recognized by courts and administrations (CAF for APL, tax authorities for housing tax).
Multi-signatories (co-tenancy, couple, guarantor)
A residential lease often involves multiple signatories: co-tenant couple (solidarity clause), co-tenants (each signs), physical or legal guarantor(s) (action logement, Visale). Our flow handles sequential or parallel signature of all, each with their individual SMS OTP.
Long-term archiving
Certyneo archives the signed lease + its eIDAS audit trail for the entire duration of the lease and 5 years beyond (statute of limitations for civil actions). Useful for producing the lease in case of rental dispute (non-payment, damages, security deposit restitution).
Enforceable eIDAS audit trail
Each lease comes with a proof PDF: identity of each signatory (verified by SMS OTP), qualified timestamping, SHA-256 hash, IP geolocation. Enforceable in case of dispute over rent, charges, duration, inventory 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 or 6 year duration, rent + IRL, security deposit ≤ 1 month ex. charges, recoverable charges decree 87-713, tight zone mentions if applicable). Attach the DDT (diagnostics).
2. Add the signatories
Landlord(s) + tenant(s) + guarantor(s). In co-tenancy, add each co-tenant with their individual link. For a landlord or tenant couple, 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 timestamping. Simple signature (SES) 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 + proof PDF are archived for the entire lease duration. Remember to sign the inventory at key handover (separate procedure).
Frequently asked questions
- Can a residential lease be signed electronically?
- Yes, without restriction. Law No. 89-462 of July 6, 1989 does not require handwritten signature. Article 1366 of the Civil Code gives electronic signature the same value as paper signature. 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 a family SCI; 6 years if the landlord is a legal entity (non-family SCI, SA, SARL). For a furnished dwelling: 1 year minimum (9 months for students). In tight zones: tenant notice reduced to 1 month.
- How to manage co-tenancy or a couple tenant?
- All co-tenants must sign the lease. If a solidarity clause is provided (recommended), each co-tenant is responsible for the entire rent. Our multi-signatory flow allows each co-tenant to sign from their phone with their individual SMS OTP.
- What level of signature: 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. Simple signature (SES) is acceptable for a short furnished lease (< 1 year). QES is rarely used for residential leases.
- Should the inventory also be signed electronically?
- Yes, recommended. The entry inventory is mandatory (art. 3-2 law 89-462) and must be attached to the lease. It can be completed via a mobile application or a bailiff, then signed electronically by landlord and tenant — Certyneo handles this separate flow with qualified timestamping.
- Is the security deposit capped?
- Yes: 1 month's rent excluding charges for an unfurnished dwelling (art. 22 law 89-462), 2 months for furnished. No review during the lease term. The electronically signed lease must state the exact amount and restitution terms (2 months after key handover, or 1 month if no deduction).
- Can the lease be terminated before its term?
- The tenant may terminate at any time with 3 months' notice (1 month in tight zones or for personal reasons). The landlord can only terminate at expiration, with 6 months' notice and legitimate reason (sale, repossession, tenant fault). The termination itself can be electronically signed.
- Is the electronically signed lease enforceable before the landlord-tenant court?
- Yes — the district court (formerly county court for residential leases) accepts eIDAS-compliant electronic signature. Advanced signature (AES) benefits from the presumption of reliability (art. 1367 Civil Code): the Certyneo audit trail produced in court is proof of signatory identity and document integrity.
Also read
Sign your first residential lease online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes / month), without credit card. Compliant with ALUR law and eIDAS. Audit trail and long-term archiving included.