A sublease agreement lets a current tenant rent out their place, or a room in it, to someone else while their own lease is still running. It sets the rent, the dates, and the ground rules, and it keeps the whole thing on the record so no one is guessing later. Download it free, fill it in, and both sides sign, after you have your landlord's okay.
Free to use. Legally binding under the ESIGN Act, UETA, and eIDAS.Updated August 2026 by Document eSign
A sublease agreement is a contract in which a current tenant, called the sublandlord, rents out the place they lease, or part of it, to a new occupant called the subtenant, while the tenant's own lease is still in force. It sits underneath the original lease, which is known as the master lease, and it cannot override it. The sublandlord stays fully on the hook to the landlord: they remain responsible for the rent and for any damage for the whole time, even though someone else is now living there and paying them. That is the single most important thing to understand about subletting. A sublease is what you use when you need to leave your rental for a while, for a summer, a semester abroad, or a job in another city, or when you want to bring in someone to share the space and the rent, but you are not ready to hand your lease over for good. It is different from an assignment, where a tenant transfers the entire remaining lease to someone else and steps away. Almost every lease requires the landlord's written permission before you can sublet, so the first step is always to check your lease and get that consent. This template gives you a clear sublease that ties into your master lease and records the landlord's consent, so the arrangement holds up for everyone.
Who uses it
A tenant leaving town for a summer, a semester, or a work assignmentA student subletting an apartment over a breakA renter who wants to sublet a spare room to help cover rentSomeone who needs to move before their lease ends but is not assigning itA subtenant who wants the terms and the landlord's consent in writing
What's inside
The sublandlord and subtenant names and the property address
Whether the whole place or just a room is being sublet
The sublease start and end dates, capped at the master lease term
The rent amount, due date, and how it is paid
The security deposit and how it is returned
The master lease attached and made part of the sublease
The subtenant's agreement to follow the master lease
A record of the landlord's written consent
A clear statement that the sublandlord stays responsible to the landlord
Utilities, condition, furnishings, default, and a governing-law line
HOW IT WORKS
From template to signed in three steps.
01
Start from the template
Open it in the editor with the fields already mapped, or download the DOCX to edit offline.
02
Add signers and send
Drop signature and date fields, then route each party in order or in parallel.
03
Get a sealed copy
Everyone signs, and you get a tamper-evident PDF plus an audit certificate.
Free forever. No credit card. Your recipients sign with no account.
The details
Everything to know before you send it.
1
How to fill it in
A sublease has to line up with your existing lease, so fill it in with the master lease in front of you and do not promise anything the master lease does not allow.
Parties and premises: the sublandlord (you) and the subtenant, the property address, and whether it is the whole unit or a specific room.
Term: the start and end dates. The end date cannot go past the end of your master lease.
Rent: the monthly amount, the due date, and how the subtenant pays you, plus any late fee your lease and state law allow.
Security deposit: the amount, and when and how you return it after move-out.
Master lease: attach a copy and confirm the subtenant has read it and agrees to follow it.
Landlord consent: get the landlord's written consent first and record or attach it.
Sign: both parties sign and date, and each keeps a copy along with the attached master lease.
2
Get your landlord's consent first
This is the step people skip, and it is the one that causes the most trouble. Almost every residential lease says a tenant cannot sublet without the landlord's prior written consent. If you sublet anyway, you are breaking your lease, and the landlord can treat it as a default, which in the worst case leads to eviction, of both you and your subtenant. So before you sign anything, read your lease's assignment-and-subletting clause and ask your landlord in writing. In some places the law helps you: certain leases and some state or local rules say a landlord cannot unreasonably withhold consent, and a few jurisdictions give tenants a limited right to sublet. New York is the clearest example. Under Real Property Law section 226-b, a tenant in a building with four or more residential units has a right to sublet with the landlord's advance written consent, which cannot be unreasonably withheld; the tenant makes the request by certified mail with the proposed sublease and a copy of the original lease attached, and if the landlord does not respond within 30 days, the law treats that silence as consent. Most states do not go that far, so this is the exception rather than the rule. Even where the landlord can say no for any reason, getting a clear written yes protects you and the subtenant, so always put the request and the consent in writing and keep them with the sublease.
3
Sublease vs. assignment
These two get confused, and the difference matters a lot for who stays responsible. In a sublease, you keep your lease and rent the place, or part of it, to a subtenant for less than your full remaining term, or on your own terms; you remain the tenant and stay liable to the landlord. In an assignment, you transfer your entire remaining lease to someone else, who takes your place as the tenant dealing directly with the landlord. The practical test is whether you are stepping away for good or just for a while. If you plan to come back, or you are only renting out a room, that is a sublease. If you are leaving for good and want to hand the lease over, that is an assignment, and it usually needs its own landlord-approved paperwork. One thing they share: both almost always require the landlord's written consent.
4
You are still on the hook
The hardest lesson in subletting is that a sublease does not get you off your lease. As the sublandlord, you stay fully responsible to your landlord for the rent and for the condition of the place for the entire sublease period. If your subtenant stops paying, pays you late, or damages the unit, the landlord still looks to you, because your name is on the master lease. You can and should pursue the subtenant for whatever they owe you, which is exactly why a written sublease with a deposit matters, but that is a claim between you and the subtenant; it does not change what you owe the landlord. Screen your subtenant the way a landlord would, collect a deposit, and keep the sublease and the master lease together, because if anything goes wrong, you are the one the landlord holds accountable.
5
The master lease sets the rules
A sublease can never give the subtenant more than the master lease gives you. Whatever the master lease says about pets, smoking, guests, quiet hours, parking, or how long the tenancy runs applies to the subtenant too, which is why this template attaches the master lease and has the subtenant agree to follow it. Two limits come up most often. First, the sublease term cannot run past the end of your master lease; you cannot promise a subtenant a year if you have eight months left. Second, you cannot charge in a way your lease or local law forbids, and some rent-regulated units cap what a subtenant can be charged. Read the master lease closely before you set the terms, and hand the subtenant a copy so there are no surprises.
6
Rent, the deposit, and utilities
Money is where subleases go wrong, so spell it out. Set the rent, the day it is due, and how the subtenant pays you, and decide whether they pay you and you pay the landlord, or some other arrangement your landlord has approved. Take a security deposit from the subtenant to cover unpaid rent or damage; hold it as your state's security-deposit law requires, since those rules, including limits on the amount and deadlines to return it, can apply to you as the sublandlord, and note that this deposit is separate from the one you gave your own landlord. Sort out utilities clearly: say who pays electricity, gas, water, and internet, and whether anything is included in the rent. A quick move-in checklist that both of you sign, noting the condition of the place, saves an argument over the deposit when the subtenant moves out.
7
Sublease vs. roommate agreement vs. adding a tenant
Depending on your situation, a sublease might not be the document you want. A sublease is for when you, the tenant, rent the place or a room to someone who is not on your lease, and you act as their landlord. A roommate agreement is different: it is a side agreement between people who share a rental to divide rent, chores, and house rules, and it does not change anyone's relationship with the landlord. Adding a co-tenant is different again: that means the landlord puts the new person on the lease itself, so they deal with the landlord directly and share the same obligations you do. If you want a true shared, equal arrangement, ask the landlord to add the person to the lease. If you are renting a room and staying in charge of it, use this sublease. If you just want to set house rules with people already on the lease, use a roommate agreement.
8
Signing it
A sublease is a contract, and both the sublandlord and the subtenant should sign and date it. It does not normally need to be notarized, and an electronic signature is valid under the ESIGN Act and UETA, so you can fill it in and sign online. Attach the master lease and the landlord's written consent, sign the move-in checklist, and give the subtenant a full copy. Keep the signed sublease, the consent, and the master lease together, because those three documents are what protect you if a dispute comes up later.
9
Common mistakes to avoid
Most sublease problems trace back to a few avoidable errors.
Subletting without the landlord's written consent, which is a lease violation and can get everyone evicted.
Forgetting that you, the sublandlord, remain responsible to the landlord for rent and damage.
Setting a sublease end date past the end of your own master lease.
Not attaching the master lease or making the subtenant agree to follow it.
Skipping a security deposit or a move-in checklist, then arguing about damage later.
Not screening the subtenant, since their unpaid rent becomes your problem.
This template and the guidance on this page are provided for general information only and are not legal advice. Laws differ by country and state, so review the final document against your own situation and have a qualified lawyer check anything high-value or regulated before you sign.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is a sublease agreement?
It is a contract in which a current tenant, the sublandlord, rents their place or a room in it to a subtenant while their own lease is still running. It sits under the original master lease and cannot override it, and the sublandlord stays responsible to the landlord for the rent and the condition of the unit.
Do I need my landlord's permission to sublet?
Almost always, yes. Most leases require the landlord's prior written consent before you can sublet, and subletting without it is a lease violation that can lead to eviction. Some leases and some state or local rules say a landlord cannot unreasonably withhold consent, but you should still get the consent in writing before you sign a sublease.
What is the difference between a sublease and an assignment?
In a sublease you keep your lease and rent the place, or a room, to a subtenant while staying liable to the landlord. In an assignment you transfer your entire remaining lease to someone else who takes your place as the tenant. Use a sublease if you plan to return or are renting out a room, and an assignment if you are leaving for good.
Am I still responsible for the rent if I sublet?
Yes. Subletting does not release you from your lease. As the sublandlord you remain responsible to the landlord for the rent and for any damage for the whole sublease term. If your subtenant does not pay or causes damage, the landlord looks to you, and you would have to pursue the subtenant separately for the loss.
Can my landlord refuse to let me sublet?
Often yes. In many states a landlord can refuse consent for any reason, so it depends on your lease and where you live. Some leases and some state or local rules say consent cannot be unreasonably withheld. New York goes furthest: under Real Property Law section 226-b, a tenant in a building with four or more units has a right to sublet with the landlord's consent, which cannot be unreasonably withheld, and if the landlord does not answer a proper request within 30 days it counts as consent. Check your lease and your state's rules.
Can I sublet for longer than my own lease?
No. A sublease cannot run past the end of your master lease, because you cannot give a subtenant rights you do not have. If you have eight months left on your lease, your sublease can be at most eight months. The sublease also has to follow the other terms of your master lease, such as rules on pets, guests, and smoking.
Does a sublease agreement need to be notarized?
Usually no. A residential sublease does not normally require notarization, and an electronic signature is valid under the ESIGN Act and UETA. What it does need is the landlord's written consent where the lease requires it, a copy of the master lease attached, and the signatures of both the sublandlord and the subtenant.
Is the sublease agreement available in Word format?
Yes. Download the sublease agreement as a Word (.docx) file and edit it in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Pages. You can also download a PDF or fill it in and sign online.
Can I download the sublease agreement as a PDF?
Yes. A print-ready PDF is available alongside the Word version. Download either one free, or fill it in and sign online without downloading anything.
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