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    Free lease amendment form

    A lease amendment is a short written agreement, signed by the landlord and every tenant, that changes specific terms of an existing lease while leaving the rest of it in place. It names the original lease, says when the changes start, lists each change (new rent, a new end date, a tenant added or removed, new pet or parking terms) and states that all other terms stay the same. Fill in the form below to get a ready-to-sign amendment, or download the blank version to complete by hand.

    Last reviewed: · by MakeLease Editorial Team

    Lease Amendment generator

    The original lease

    The date the changes start, unless a change below has its own date.

    Every tenant on the lease now, including anyone being removed. Each gets a signature line.

    Changes

    What is changing?

    Pick every change that applies. Each one becomes a numbered item in the amendment.

    Rent

    $
    $

    Usually the first rent due date after the change is agreed.

    Lease end date

    For a lease extension, the last day of the extended term.

    Other changes

    Anything not covered above. Write each change as a full sentence that says what the lease now provides.

    Blank PDF

    Free, no account needed. Showing example details. Replace them with yours.

    Amendment to Lease Agreement

    This Amendment to Lease Agreement (the “Amendment”) changes the lease agreement dated November 20, 2025 between Avery Brooks (“Landlord”) and Jordan Ellis and Sam Ellis (“Tenant”) for the property at 123 Maple Street, Unit 4, Springfield (the “Property” and the “Lease”). This Amendment takes effect on October 27, 2026 (the “effective date”), unless a change below states a different date.

    1. Changes to the Lease

    Landlord and Tenant agree to change the Lease as follows:

    1. Rent. The monthly rent changes from $1,850 to $1,925 per month, starting with the rent due on December 1, 2026. The due date, payment method and other rent terms stay as stated in the Lease.
    2. Lease term. The Lease end date changes from November 30, 2026 to May 31, 2027. Until then, the terms of the Lease, as changed by this Amendment, continue to apply.

    2. All other terms stay the same

    Except as changed by this Amendment, all terms of the Lease remain in full effect. If this Amendment and the Lease conflict, this Amendment controls. Terms defined in the Lease have the same meaning in this Amendment.

    3. Signing

    This Amendment may be signed in counterparts (separate signed copies that together form one agreement), and signatures delivered electronically or as scanned copies count the same as originals. Each party should keep a signed copy with the Lease.

    Landlord signature (Avery Brooks)
    Date
    Tenant signature (Jordan Ellis)
    Date
    Tenant signature (Sam Ellis)
    Date

    Made free at make.lease/forms/lease-amendment

    What to include in a lease amendment

    • The lease it changes. The date of the original lease, the landlord and tenant names, and the property address, so there is no doubt which agreement is being amended.
    • An effective date. The day the changes start. If one change starts later, such as new rent from the next due date, give that change its own date.
    • Each change as its own numbered item. Say what the lease now provides, not just what is different: "The monthly rent changes from $1,850 to $1,925, starting with the rent due on December 1, 2026" is clearer than "rent goes up $75."
    • For a removed tenant, whether they are released. State whether the departing tenant stays responsible for the lease, and how their share of the security deposit is handled.
    • A line that everything else stays the same, and that the amendment controls if it conflicts with the lease.
    • Signatures from the landlord and every tenant, including anyone being added or removed. The form adds a signature line for each person you list.

    Do both sides have to agree?

    Yes. An amendment is a mutual agreement: it changes the lease because the landlord and every tenant on the lease sign it. If a tenant won't sign, the amendment doesn't bind them, and the lease stays as it was.

    A change one side makes on its own is a notice, not an amendment. A landlord raising rent on a month-to-month tenancy, or either side ending a periodic tenancy, does it by giving written notice, and how much notice is required depends on state (and sometimes city) law and on the lease. Check your state's landlord-tenant law before you rely on a notice to change terms.

    Lease amendment vs. addendum

    The two words are often used interchangeably, but in common usage they do different jobs. Either way, the landlord and every tenant sign it and it is kept with the lease.

    AddendumAmendment
    What it doesAdds terms the lease doesn't coverChanges terms the lease already has
    Typical timingOften signed with the lease, or when something new comes upLater, during the tenancy
    ExamplesPet terms, parking space rules, a smoking policyNew rent, a new end date, adding or removing a tenant

    Some changes need both. If the lease says "no pets" and you now allow a dog, an amendment can replace the no-pets clause and a pet addendum can set out the pet description, deposit, fee and rules. For a smaller change to existing pet terms (say, a lower pet rent), the "Change the pet terms" option in this form is enough. The lease addendum guide covers the common types of addendums in more detail.

    When an amendment isn't enough

    • The other side won't agree. An amendment needs every signature. During a fixed-term lease, a rent increase or other change generally needs the tenant's agreement unless the lease itself allows it. On a month-to-month tenancy, a landlord usually changes rent with written notice instead: use the rent increase notice and check your state's notice period first.
    • Removing a tenant. Taking a name off the lease doesn't by itself end that person's responsibility. Unless the landlord agrees to release them, a departing tenant may still owe rent or damage costs. The release is the landlord's decision, and the remaining tenants have to agree to carry the lease on their own. Decide the security deposit at the same time: landlords commonly hold the deposit until the whole tenancy ends, so the tenants often settle the departing tenant's share between themselves.
    • Ending the lease early. If the goal is to end the tenancy rather than change it, use a lease termination letter.
    • Offering a renewal. An amendment can extend the end date once you and the tenant agree. To propose a new term and give the tenant a deadline to answer, start with a lease renewal letter, then put the agreed terms in an amendment or a new lease.
    • Many changes at once. If you are rewriting most of the lease, a fresh lease from the lease agreement generator is easier to read than a long list of amendments.
    • Rent-regulated units. In cities with rent stabilization or rent control, rent changes and lease renewals can follow their own rules and forms. Check local requirements or get advice before changing rent there.

    Worked example: extend 6 months and raise the rent

    Jordan and Sam Ellis have a 12-month lease that ends November 30, 2026, at $1,850 a month. They want to stay through the end of the school year, and the landlord, Avery Brooks, agrees to a 6-month extension at $1,925.

    1. In the form, tick Change the rent amount and Extend or change the lease end date.
    2. Rent: current rent $1,850, new rent $1,925, starting December 1, 2026, the first rent due date in the extended term.
    3. Lease end date: current end November 30, 2026; new end May 31, 2027.
    4. The amendment prints two numbered changes, the "all other terms stay the same" clause, and signature lines for Avery, Jordan and Sam.

    The rent goes up $75 a month (about 4.1%), or $450 over the six-month extension. Everything else, from the due date to the security deposit and the pet rules, carries over unchanged. Have everyone sign before November 30, so there is no gap between the old end date and the extension. If your state or city limits rent increases, check that the new rent fits before you agree to it.

    Signing tips

    • Get every signature before the effective date. Until everyone has signed, the lease stays as it was.
    • Electronic signatures are fine for most amendments. The form includes a counterparts and electronic-signature clause. Under the federal E-SIGN Act, a contract relating to a transaction in or affecting interstate commerce "may not be denied legal effect, validity, or enforceability solely because an electronic signature or electronic record was used in its formation" (15 U.S.C. § 7001(a)(2)). The Act does not cover notices of default, eviction or the right to cure under a rental agreement for a primary residence (15 U.S.C. § 7003(b)(2)(B)), so don't treat an amendment as a substitute for those notices.
    • Keep it with the lease. Staple or file the signed amendment with the original lease and any earlier amendments, and give each party a copy.
    • Keep amendments in order. If you amend the same lease more than once, file each signed amendment in date order with the lease so anyone reading it can follow what changed and when.
    • Update your records. Change the rent amount in your ledger and receipts, and note the new end date wherever you track lease expirations.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the difference between a lease addendum and a lease amendment?

    In common usage, an addendum adds terms the lease does not cover, often at signing (a pet addendum is a typical example), while an amendment changes terms the lease already has, usually partway through the tenancy, such as the rent or the end date. Both are signed by the landlord and every tenant and kept with the lease.

    Can a lease amendment extend the lease?

    Yes. Choose the end-date change and enter the new end date. Every other lease term carries over into the extended period unless the amendment changes it too, so it is common to set the new rent in the same amendment.

    Who needs to sign a lease amendment?

    The landlord and every tenant on the lease, including a tenant who is being removed and any new tenant being added. An amendment is a change both sides agree to, so a tenant who does not sign has not agreed to it.

    Can a landlord change the lease without the tenant's agreement?

    Not with an amendment, which only works if everyone signs. A one-sided change, like a rent increase on a month-to-month tenancy, is made with a written notice instead, and the notice period depends on state law and the lease. During a fixed-term lease, terms generally stay as written unless the tenant agrees or the lease itself allows the change.

    Does removing a tenant from the lease release them from the rent?

    Only if the landlord agrees to release them. The form lets you choose: release the departing tenant from obligations that arise after the effective date, or keep them responsible until the lease ends. Either way, settle in writing how that tenant's share of the security deposit will be handled.

    Can a lease amendment be signed electronically?

    The amendment includes a clause saying electronic and scanned signatures count the same as originals. Under the federal E-SIGN Act, a contract relating to a transaction in or affecting interstate commerce may not be denied legal effect solely because it is in electronic form or was signed electronically. The Act excludes some documents, including notices of default or eviction under a rental agreement for a primary residence.

    Sources

    Sources last checked 2026-10-27.

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