Does a Lease Need to Be Notarized?
LocalNotaryFinder — Last updated August 2026
Usually not for a standard, shorter-term lease — but the answer changes based on two things that vary by state: how long the lease term is, and whether you plan to record the lease in the public record. Several states specifically require notarization once a lease crosses a length threshold (often 3 years), and in most other states, notarization isn't required for the lease to be valid between landlord and tenant but becomes required if you want to record it, which matters for protecting your rights against a future buyer of the property.
Two Separate Questions: Validity vs. Recording
These are genuinely different legal questions, and conflating them is the most common source of confusion. "Is my lease valid" and "is my lease notarized" are usually independent in most states — an unnotarized lease is typically still a binding contract between the two people who signed it. "Can I record my lease" is a separate question, and recording generally does require notarization, because a county recorder's office needs the same identity-verification a deed requires before accepting any document into the public record. Recording matters most for long-term leases, where a tenant wants their leasehold interest to be enforceable against a future buyer of the property, not just against the original landlord.
States With a Real Length-Based Notarization Requirement
| State | Rule |
|---|---|
| Ohio | Leases of 3+ years must be notarized to be valid (Ohio's Statute of Conveyances, R.C. §5301.01) — leases under 3 years just need signatures. |
| Washington | Residential leases over 1 year need the landlord's signature notarized (RCW 59.18.210). Commercial leases over 1 year no longer require notarization as of a 2024 law change (RCW 64.04.010, amended by SSB 5840). |
| New York | Leases over 3 years should be recorded to bind a future buyer of the property (RPL §291) — and recording requires notarization, even though the lease itself is valid between the original parties without it. |
Washington's 2024 change is worth flagging specifically: commercial leases used to need notarization past the same 1-year mark as residential, and that requirement was dropped — a lease that needed notarization two years ago in Washington may not need it today. This is a live, moving area of state law, the same way vehicle title requirements are (see the related guide below); confirm the current rule rather than relying on what it used to be.
The More Common Pattern: Not Required to Sign, Required to Record
California, Florida, and most other states follow this pattern rather than a hard length threshold. In California, an unrecorded lease is valid between landlord and tenant without notarization (Civil Code §1217), but notary acknowledgment is required before a lease or memorandum of lease can be recorded (Gov't Code §27287). Florida works the same way: a lease doesn't need to be notarized to be valid, but any document recorded in the public record — including a lease — must be notarized to be accepted (Fla. Stat. §695.26, §695.03).
In practice, this means most everyday residential leases never get notarized, because most tenants never record them. Recording becomes relevant mainly for long-term commercial leases, or any lease where a tenant specifically wants their interest protected against a future sale of the property — talk to a real estate attorney about whether recording makes sense for your situation, since the decision to record is usually a bigger question than the notarization step itself.
What to Bring If You Do Need It Notarized
- The unsigned lease, or the specific page requiring the landlord's (or both parties') signature — sign in front of the notary
- Government-issued photo ID for everyone whose signature needs notarizing
- Confirmation of whether your state requires only the landlord's signature notarized (like Washington) or all signing parties
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a month-to-month lease need to be notarized?
Almost never. Month-to-month and other short-term leases fall well under every state's length threshold (where one exists) and aren't typically recorded, so notarization essentially never comes up for them.
If my state doesn't require it, is there any reason to notarize a lease anyway?
Yes, in two situations: if you want to record the lease (recording almost always requires notarization regardless of state), or if you simply want an extra layer of signature verification for a high-value or long-term agreement. Neither is required, but both are reasonable.
Does the tenant's signature need to be notarized too, or just the landlord's?
This varies by state — Washington's residential rule only requires the landlord's signature notarized, for example. Where a state does require lease notarization, check whether it applies to one party or both before your appointment.
More Notary Guides
Find a notary near you
Search the LocalNotaryFinder directory to browse notaries by state and city — with addresses, phone numbers, hours, and ratings.