# Alberta Residential Tenancy Agreement: What Your Lease Must Cover > Plain-language guide to writing a residential lease in Alberta: deposit cap, inspection reports, rent increase notice, landlord entry rules, notice periods and the clauses every Alberta tenancy agreement needs, with section references to the Residential Tenancies Act. Last updated 2026-09-02. Canonical: https://www.canadarentalagreement.ca/guides/alberta-lease-agreement ## What a residential tenancy agreement is in Alberta A residential tenancy agreement (usually called a lease or rental agreement) is the contract between a landlord and a tenant for a self-contained home in Alberta: a house, apartment, condominium, basement suite, townhouse, room or mobile home. It is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act, RSA 2004, c R-17.1 (the Act) and its regulations. The Act sets a floor of rights and duties that no lease can remove. Anything the agreement says that conflicts with the Act is void, and the Act's rule applies instead. The lease records the specifics the Act leaves to the parties: rent, the term, who pays which utilities, house rules and the details of the property. An agreement can be oral or written, but a written lease protects both sides. Section 13 requires a landlord to give the tenant written notice of the landlord's legal name and an address for service, and a landlord who uses a written agreement must give the tenant a copy within 21 days of signing. ## Fixed term or periodic tenancy Alberta leases are either fixed term or periodic. A fixed term runs from a start date to an end date and ends on that date without notice from either side. A periodic tenancy (week-to-week, month-to-month or year-to-year) renews automatically until one party gives proper written notice. Minimum notice to end a periodic tenancy under sections 5 to 9 of the Act: - Week-to-week: one tenancy week, from either the landlord or the tenant. - Month-to-month: one tenancy month from the tenant, three tenancy months from the landlord. - Year-to-year: 60 days from the tenant, 90 days from the landlord. - A landlord can only end a periodic tenancy for a reason listed in the Act or its regulations, such as moving in a close family member, selling the property to a buyer who will live in it, or major renovations that require the home to be vacant. ## Security deposit rules Section 43 caps a security deposit at one month's rent at the time the tenancy starts. The landlord must place the deposit in an interest-bearing trust account at a bank, treasury branch, credit union or trust company in Alberta within two banking days, and must pay the tenant interest at the rate set annually by the Security Deposit Interest Rate Regulation. Within 10 days after the tenant gives up possession, section 46 requires the landlord to return the deposit with interest, or deliver a written statement of account showing any deductions, or both. Deductions for damage or cleaning are only allowed if the landlord completed both a move-in and a move-out inspection report. A non-refundable pet fee or cleaning fee is separate from the security deposit and is not capped by section 43, but it must be described as non-refundable in the lease. ## Move-in and move-out inspection reports are mandatory Section 19 and the Residential Tenancies Ministerial Regulation require the landlord and tenant to inspect the premises together within one week before or after the tenant moves in, and again within one week before or after the tenant moves out. The landlord must prepare a written report of each inspection, both parties sign it, and the tenant gets a copy. A landlord who skips either report loses the right to deduct from the security deposit for damage or cleaning. A good lease reminds both parties of this and schedules the inspections. ## Rent, payment and rent increases The lease should state the rent amount, how often it is paid, the day it is due, the accepted payment methods and any charge for a returned payment. Alberta does not set a statutory cap on late fees, but a late fee must be a reasonable estimate of the landlord's cost, not a penalty, and it should be written into the lease to be enforceable. Section 14 limits rent increases. Rent cannot be increased within the first year of a tenancy or more than once in any 365-day period, and never during a fixed term unless the agreement itself provides for it. For periodic tenancies the landlord must give written notice of at least: - 12 tenancy weeks for a week-to-week tenancy. - 3 tenancy months for a month-to-month tenancy. - 90 days for any other periodic tenancy. ## Landlord entry and the tenant's privacy Under section 23 a landlord may enter the premises without consent only after giving at least 24 hours' written notice that states the reason, the date and the time of entry. Entry must be between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and may not occur on the tenant's day of religious worship if the tenant has told the landlord which day that is. No notice is needed in an emergency or where the tenant has abandoned the premises. A lease can give the tenant more notice than 24 hours, but never less. ## Ending a tenancy for a breach Section 29 lets a landlord end a tenancy with 14 days' written notice for a substantial breach, such as unpaid rent, significant damage or repeated disturbance. Section 30 allows 24 hours' notice where the tenant has assaulted or threatened the landlord or other tenants, or caused significant damage. Tenants can end a tenancy on 14 days' notice where the landlord has committed a substantial breach. Either side can apply to the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS) or the Court of King's Bench of Alberta to enforce the Act or the lease. ## Clauses every Alberta lease should include Beyond the statutory points above, a complete Alberta residential tenancy agreement covers: - Full legal names of every landlord and tenant, and the landlord's address for service (section 13). - The municipal address and a description of the premises, including parking, storage and any furnishings or appliances. - The term: fixed dates, or the period of a periodic tenancy, plus any early possession date. - Rent amount, frequency, due date, payment methods, late and returned-payment charges. - Security deposit amount, the trust and interest requirements, and the 10-day return rule. - Who pays each utility (electricity, gas, water and sewer, garbage, internet, television) and who handles routine maintenance such as lawn care and snow removal. - Occupants who live in the home without signing, and the rule for guests. - Pets, smoking, vaping and cannabis rules. - Tenant insurance, alterations and improvements, and any option to purchase. - Entry notice, inspection reports, notice periods and what happens at the end of the term or on renewal. - A statement that the Act prevails over any conflicting term, and signature blocks with dates for every party. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is a verbal lease legally binding in Alberta? Yes. The Residential Tenancies Act applies to oral and written agreements alike. A written lease is still strongly recommended because it records what was agreed, and a landlord must in any case give the tenant written notice of their legal name and address for service under section 13. ### How much can a landlord charge as a security deposit in Alberta? No more than one month's rent (section 43 of the Act). The deposit must be held in an Alberta trust account within two banking days, earns interest at the prescribed rate, and must be returned or accounted for within 10 days after the tenant moves out. ### Can a landlord raise the rent during a fixed-term lease? Not unless the lease itself provides for the increase. For periodic tenancies rent can rise at most once every 365 days, never in the first year, and only with the written notice required by section 14: 12 tenancy weeks for weekly, 3 tenancy months for monthly, 90 days otherwise. ### How much notice does a landlord need to give to enter the rental? At least 24 hours' written notice stating the reason, date and time, with entry between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and not on the tenant's day of religious worship (section 23). Emergencies are the exception. ### Are move-in and move-out inspection reports required in Alberta? Yes. Both are mandatory under section 19 and the Ministerial Regulation. Without both reports the landlord cannot deduct from the security deposit for damage or cleaning. ### What happens when a fixed-term lease ends in Alberta? The tenancy ends on the end date and neither party has to give notice. If the tenant stays and the landlord keeps accepting rent, a new periodic tenancy is created on the same terms. Many leases state in advance whether they convert to month-to-month, and the parties can also sign a renewal. ### Can an Alberta lease ban pets or smoking? Yes. Alberta lets landlords decide whether pets are allowed, require written approval, and prohibit smoking, vaping and cannabis use in the premises. The rule needs to be written into the lease to be enforceable. ### Where can landlords and tenants get help with a dispute? The Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS) handles most Alberta tenancy disputes faster and more cheaply than court, and the Court of King's Bench of Alberta is the alternative. Service Alberta publishes guides and a consumer contact centre for questions about the Act. ## Sources - [Residential Tenancies Act, RSA 2004, c R-17.1 (Alberta King's Printer)](https://kings-printer.alberta.ca/1266.cfm?page=R17P1.cfm) - [Government of Alberta: Residential tenancies](https://www.alberta.ca/residential-tenancies) - [Government of Alberta: Starting a tenancy](https://www.alberta.ca/starting-a-tenancy) - [Government of Alberta: Security deposits](https://www.alberta.ca/security-deposits) - [Government of Alberta: Ending a tenancy](https://www.alberta.ca/ending-a-tenancy) - [Government of Alberta: Information for landlords and tenants](https://www.alberta.ca/information-for-landlords-and-tenants) - [Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS)](https://www.alberta.ca/residential-tenancy-dispute-resolution-service) ## Create your agreement - Canada Rental Agreement builds an Alberta residential tenancy agreement from guided questions in about 10 minutes, and delivers it as a numbered, print-ready PDF with signature blocks for every landlord and tenant. - Price: one-time $34.99 CAD, paid through Whop with card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account, no subscription. Edits and re-downloads are free. - Statutory rules are built in: the one-month deposit cap, trust and interest requirements, mandatory inspection reports, 24-hour entry notice, rent increase notice periods and termination notice periods. - Answers save in the visitor's browser only; the site keeps no copy of the lease or the answers. - Alberta is available today; British Columbia and Ontario are next. Start: https://www.canadarentalagreement.ca/create _This guide is general information about Alberta tenancy law, not legal advice._