Sign a residential lease online, in 2 minutes
Unfurnished or furnished rental lease between a landlord (individual or SCI) and a tenant (or roommates + 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 (roommates, 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 principal residence, governed by law no. 89-462 of July 6, 1989 (called "ALUR law" since 2014). There are two main variants: the unfurnished lease 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 inventory of fixtures at entry, 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 writing with the same probative force as paper writing. No provision of the law of July 6, 1989 requires a handwritten signature for a residential lease. Electronic signature is fully recognized by courts and administrations (CAF for APL, tax authorities for residential tax).
Multi-signatories (roommates, couple, guarantor)
A residential lease often involves multiple signatories: co-tenant couple (solidarity clause), roommates (each signs), physical or legal guarantor(s) (action logement, Visale). Our flow handles sequential or parallel signature of all, each with their individual OTP SMS.
Long-term archiving
Certyneo archives the signed lease + its eIDAS audit trail for the entire duration of the lease and 5 years beyond (civil action prescription period). Useful for producing the lease in case of rental dispute (non-payment, damage, security deposit restitution).
Enforceable eIDAS audit trail
Each lease comes with a proof PDF: identity of each signatory (verified by OTP SMS), qualified timestamp, SHA-256 hash, IP geolocation. Enforceable in case of dispute over rent, charges, duration, inventory of fixtures 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 or 6 years, rent + IRL, security deposit ≤ 1 month excl. charges, recoverable charges decree 87-713, tight market mentions where applicable). Attach the DDT (diagnostics).
2. Add signatories
Landlord(s) + tenant(s) + guarantor(s). In roommate situations, add each roommate with their individual link. For a landlord or tenant couple, provide 2 signatories. Visale guarantor? Action logement signs via their interface.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) recommended: identity verification by OTP SMS, 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 property 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 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 a natural person or family SCI; 6 years if the landlord is a legal entity (non-family SCI, SA, SARL). For furnished accommodation: 1 year minimum (9 months for students). In tight markets: tenant notice reduced to 1 month.
- How to manage a shared rental or couple tenant?
- All roommates must sign the lease. If a solidarity clause is included (recommended), each roommate is responsible for the full rent. Our multi-signatory flow 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, single certificate. SES (simple signature) is acceptable for a short furnished lease (< 1 year). QES is rarely used for residential leases.
- Should the property condition report also be signed electronically?
- Yes, recommended. The entry condition report is mandatory (art. 3-2 law 89-462) and must be appended to the lease. It can be completed via a mobile application or a bailiff, then signed electronically by landlord and tenant — Certyneo manages this separate flow with qualified timestamping.
- Is the security deposit capped?
- Yes: 1 month's rent excluding utilities for an unfurnished property (art. 22 law 89-462), 2 months for furnished. No adjustment during the lease term. The electronically signed lease must state the exact amount and restitution terms (2 months after keys returned, or 1 month if no deduction).
- Can the lease be terminated before its end date?
- The tenant can terminate at any time with 3 months' notice (1 month in tight markets or for personal reasons). The landlord can only terminate at the end of term, with 6 months' notice and legitimate grounds (sale, personal use, tenant fault). The termination itself can be signed electronically.
- Is an electronically signed lease enforceable before a rental court?
- Yes — the district court (formerly small claims court for residential leases) accepts eIDAS-compliant electronic signature. Advanced signature (AES) benefits from the presumption of reliability (art. 1367 Civil Code): Certyneo's audit trail produced in court proves the identity of signatories and document integrity.
Also Read
Sign your first residential lease online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes/month), no credit card. ALUR law and eIDAS compliant. Audit trail and long-term archiving included.