Sign a residential lease online, in 2 minutes
Unfurnished or furnished rental lease between a lessor (individual or SCI) and a lessee (or roommates + guarantor), signed electronically with the same legal value as a paper lease. Compliant with law no. 89-462 of 6 July 1989 (ALUR law) and eIDAS regulation — advanced signature recommended, multi-signatories (roommates, couple, guarantor), duration 3 years (individual lessor) or 6 years (legal entity lessor).
- 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 main residence, governed by law no. 89-462 of 6 July 1989 (called "ALUR law" since 2014). There are two main variants: the unfurnished lease (non-furnished) with a minimum duration of 3 years (individual lessor or family SCI) or 6 years (legal entity lessor), 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 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 administrations (CAF for APL, tax authorities for housing tax).
Multi-signatories (roommates, couple, guarantor)
A residential lease often involves multiple signatories: co-resident couple (solidarity clause), roommates (each signs), physical or legal guarantor(s) (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 + its eIDAS audit trail for the entire duration of the lease and 5 years beyond (statute of limitations for civil actions). Useful to produce the lease in case of rental disputes (unpaid rent, damage, security deposit return).
Enforceable eIDAS audit trail
Each lease comes with a proof PDF: identity of each signatory (verified by SMS OTP), qualified timestamp, 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 a template compliant with ALUR law (duration 3 years or 6 years, rent + IRL, security deposit ≤ 1 month excluding charges, recoverable charges decree 87-713, tight zone mentions if applicable). Attach the DDT (diagnostics).
2. Add the signatories
Lessor(s) + lessee(s) + guarantor(s). In a roommate situation, add each roommate with their individual link. For a couple lessor or lessee, 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 + proof PDF are archived for the entire duration of the lease. Remember to sign the inventory 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 lessor is an individual or a family SCI; 6 years if the lessor 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 a roommate situation or couple lessee?
- All roommates must sign the lease. If a solidarity clause is provided (recommended), each roommate is responsible for the full rent. Our multi-signatory workflow allows each roommate to sign from their phone with their individual SMS OTP.
- What 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 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 lessor and lessee — Certyneo handles this separate workflow with qualified timestamp.
- Is the security deposit capped?
- Yes: 1 month's rent excluding charges for an unfurnished dwelling (art. 22 law 89-462), 2 months for a furnished one. No revision during the lease term. The electronically signed lease must mention the exact amount and return conditions (2 months after key return, or 1 month if no deductions).
- Can the lease be terminated before its end?
- The lessee may terminate at any time with a 3-month notice (1 month in tight zones or for personal reasons). The lessor may only terminate at the end of the term, with 6 months notice and a legitimate reason (sale, personal use, lessee fault). Termination can itself be signed electronically.
- Is the electronically signed lease enforceable before the residential lease court?
- Yes — the district court (formerly small claims 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 is evidence of the identity of the signatories and the integrity of the document.
Also read
Sign your first residential lease online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes / month), no credit card. Compliant with ALUR law and eIDAS. Audit trail and long-term archiving included.