Ohio Residential Lease Agreement
What Ohio law requires in a residential lease — the deposit cap, the return deadline, the notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and the disclosures you have to give the tenant. Every figure is cited to the statute it comes from and dated. The free Ohio lease template is one click away.
Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
Other Ohio rules your lease has to live with
Beyond the deposit, Ohio law sets rules on entry, late fees, and repairs that apply whether or not the lease mentions them.
- Landlord entry. Ohio requires at least 24 hours’ notice before a non-emergency entry. — Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.04(A)(8) (current as of Jan. 1, 2026) ↗
- Repair and deduct. No statutory repair-and-deduct; after written notice and up to 30 days, tenant may deposit rent with the court clerk (rent escrow), seek court orders, or terminate (ORC 5321.07). — Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.07(A)-(B) (current as of Jan. 1, 2026) ↗
- Habitability. Ohio law implies a warranty of habitability into every residential lease; a clause waiving it is unenforceable. — Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.04(A)(2) (current as of Jan. 1, 2026) ↗
Each point links to the Ohio source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
What Ohio law requires · as of 2026
- Max security deposit
- No statutory limit
- Deposit return deadline
- 30 days after move-out
- Notice to end month-to-month
- 30 days
Source: Ohio Rev. Code §5321.16 · verify ↗. Laws change — confirm the current rule before you rely on it.
Deposit still not back 30 days after move-out? Ask for it in writing with a Ohio security deposit demand letter; if that doesn’t work, the usual next step is Ohio small claims court.
Need the document itself?
Fill in a Ohio residential lease agreement and download a print-ready PDF — free, no signup, and it runs entirely in your browser.
Open the generator →The generator opens with Ohio already selected.
Required disclosures in Ohio
What Ohio law says a residential landlord has to tell the tenant, each with the statute it comes from. Federal rules and some city ordinances can add more.
Owner and agent identity in the lease (mandatory)
Every written Ohio rental agreement must contain the name and address of the owner and of the owner’s agent, if any (for entities: the principal place of business in the county, naming the person in charge). Oral tenancies require the same information in a written notice at move-in. If the landlord skips this, they waive their right to the statutory notices tenants normally owe before deducting or acting — our template includes the fields.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code §5321.18
Security deposit interest (5% on large deposits)
A deposit exceeding $50 or one month’s rent (whichever is greater) earns 5% annual interest on the excess when the tenant stays 6 months or more — computed and paid to the tenant annually. On move-out, deductions must be itemized in writing within 30 days; wrongful withholding costs the landlord double the amount plus attorney’s fees (the tenant must provide a forwarding address to claim it).
Source: Ohio Rev. Code §5321.16
Lead-based paint (federal, pre-1978 buildings)
For housing built before 1978: disclose known lead-based paint hazards, provide the EPA pamphlet "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home," and include the federal lead warning language.
Source: 42 U.S.C. §4852d
Frequently asked questions
How much security deposit can a landlord charge in Ohio?
Ohio does not set a statutory cap on the security deposit, so the amount is negotiable — but it must be returned within 30 days after you move out (as of 2026). Source: Ohio Rev. Code §5321.16.
Is this lease valid in Ohio?
A written lease that identifies the parties, the property, the term, and the rent is generally enforceable in Ohio once both sides sign. What it cannot do is contract around Ohio law: the deposit rules, entry notice, and habitability duties below apply whether or not the lease mentions them.
How much notice must a landlord give before entering a rental in Ohio?
Ohio requires at least 24 hours' notice for a non-emergency entry. Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.04(A)(8) (current as of Jan. 1, 2026).
Can a tenant repair and deduct rent in Ohio?
No statutory repair-and-deduct; after written notice and up to 30 days, tenant may deposit rent with the court clerk (rent escrow), seek court orders, or terminate (ORC 5321.07). Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.07(A)-(B) (current as of Jan. 1, 2026).
What does a landlord have to disclose in Ohio?
Under Ohio law: Owner and agent identity in the lease (mandatory) (Ohio Rev. Code §5321.18); Security deposit interest (5% on large deposits) (Ohio Rev. Code §5321.16); Lead-based paint (federal, pre-1978 buildings) (42 U.S.C. §4852d). Federal and local rules can add more; each item on this page links to the law it comes from.
How does Ohio compare? See the security deposit limits in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute.
How Ohio compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Ohio: Ohio Rev. Code §5321.16 ↗.
- Ohio is one of 22 of 51 jurisdictions that set no statutory cap on the security deposit (29 cap the deposit by statute).
- Deposit return deadline
Deposit return deadline: 30 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 26 other states.
Deposit return deadline in neighboring states — Indiana (45 days), Kentucky (30 days), Michigan (30 days), Pennsylvania (30 days), West Virginia (60 days).
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy: 30 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 39 other states.
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in neighboring states — Indiana (30 days), Kentucky (30 days), Michigan (30 days), Pennsylvania (15 days), West Virginia (30 days).
The rest of what Ohio requires
The figures below are Ohio's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Ohio page for that document.
- Notice for unpaid rent · as of 2026
- 3 days to pay or quit Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.04; § 5321.11; § 5321.17 ↗
- Notice to cure a lease violation · as of 2026
- 30 days Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.04; § 5321.11; § 5321.17 ↗
- Small claims limit · as of 2026
- $6,000 O.R.C. ch. 1925 (limit: § 1925.02) ↗
- Where you file · as of 2026
- Small Claims Division of Municipal or County Court · filing fee Varies by court (set locally under each court's cost schedule), typically about $25–$75 plus service costs; e.g. Franklin County Municipal Court (Columbus) raised small claims filing costs by $6 effective Aug 1, 2026. Indigent filers may submit a poverty affidavit. O.R.C. ch. 1925 (limit: § 1925.02) ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- No statutory limit Ohio Revised Code ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Ohio BMV / DMV.ORG ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization recommended Ohio Rev. Code §1337.25 (form §1337.60) ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules Ohio Rev. Code § 1706.01(R) (definition); § 1706.08 (effect) ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- County Recorder · no witnesses Ohio Rev. Code § 5301.01 ↗
Lease agreement in other states
More Ohio legal forms
Different state? See lease agreements by state →