Nebraska Residential Lease Agreement
Nebraska caps security deposits at one month's rent plus a pet deposit, returned within 14 days. Create a free lease agreement; attorney review optional.
Introduction
A residential lease agreement is a legally binding contract between a landlord (the lessor) and a tenant (the lessee) that sets the rent, the term, the security deposit, and each party's responsibilities for a rental home, and spells out how the tenancy ends. In Nebraska, the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA), Neb. Rev. Stat. Sections 76-1401 to 76-1449, governs most residential leases. Nebraska caps a security deposit at one month's periodic rent, plus an optional pet deposit of up to one-fourth of one month's rent, and requires the landlord to return the balance with a written itemization (an itemized list of any deductions) within 14 days after the tenancy ends. Before or at the start of the tenancy, the landlord must disclose in writing the name and address of the property manager and the owner (or the owner's agent) for service of process and notices, and, for housing built before 1978, provide the federal lead-based paint disclosure. Except in an emergency or when impracticable, the landlord must give the tenant at least 24 hours' written notice before entering. Nebraska has no statewide rent control, and state law bars cities and counties from enacting their own rent-control ordinances. Attorney review is available as an option before you sign.
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Key Things to Know
- 1
A residential lease agreement is a legally binding contract between a landlord (lessor) and a tenant (lessee) that sets the rent, term, deposit, and each party's responsibilities for a Nebraska rental, and spells out how the tenancy ends.
- 2
Nebraska caps a security deposit at one month's periodic rent, plus an optional pet deposit of up to one-fourth of one month's rent. The landlord must mail or deliver the balance and a written itemization within 14 days after the tenancy ends (Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 76-1416).
- 3
Nebraska law requires the landlord to disclose in writing, at or before the start of the tenancy, the name and address of the person who manages the property and of the owner (or the owner's authorized agent) for service of process and notices (Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 76-1417). Federal law also requires a lead-based paint disclosure for housing built before 1978.
- 4
Except in an emergency or when it is impracticable, the landlord must give at least 24 hours' written notice before entering, stating the purpose and a reasonable window for entry (Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 76-1423).
- 5
Nebraska's landlord-tenant act sets no statutory cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period for rent, so the lease itself must spell out any late-fee amount and grace period the parties agree to.
- 6
Either party ends a month-to-month tenancy with at least 30 days' written notice, or a week-to-week tenancy with at least 7 days' notice (Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 76-1437). Nebraska has no separate rent-increase-notice statute; a rent change on a periodic tenancy is delivered as a new termination notice under the same rule.
- 7
Nebraska has no rent control anywhere in the state. A 2025 law (Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 13-331) bars cities, villages, and counties from enacting rent-control ordinances on private property, with narrow exceptions for voluntary affordable-housing programs.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Residential Lease Agreement in Nebraska, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Residential Lease Agreement guide walks through them.
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Nebraska Requirements for Residential Lease Agreement
Security Deposit Cap and Pet Deposit
A Nebraska landlord may not demand a security deposit in excess of one month's periodic rent, though an additional pet deposit of up to one-fourth of one month's rent may be charged when a pet is appropriate (Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 76-1416).
Deposit Return and Itemization Within 14 Days
The landlord must deliver or mail the balance of the deposit, if any, and a written itemization (an itemized list of any deductions) to the tenant within 14 days after the tenancy ends (Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 76-1416). Willful noncompliance can expose the landlord to liquidated damages.
Landlord and Owner Name and Address Disclosure
At or before the start of the tenancy, the landlord must disclose in writing the name and address of the person managing the property and of the owner or the owner's authorized agent for service of process and notices (Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 76-1417).
Federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
For housing built before 1978, federal law requires the landlord to give the tenant a lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet before the lease is signed (42 U.S.C. Section 4852d). This applies in every state, including Nebraska.
24-Hour Written Entry Notice
Except in an emergency or when it is impracticable, the landlord must give the tenant at least 24 hours' written notice before entering, stating the purpose and a reasonable window for entry (Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 76-1423).
No Statutory Late-Fee Cap or Grace Period
The Nebraska Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act sets no cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period for rent. Any late fee and grace period the parties agree to must be written into the lease itself to be enforceable.
Month-to-Month and Week-to-Week Termination Notice
Either party may end a month-to-month tenancy with at least 30 days' written notice, or a week-to-week tenancy with at least 7 days' written notice (Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 76-1437). Nebraska has no separate rent-increase-notice statute; a rent change on a periodic tenancy is delivered as a new termination notice under this same rule.
No Rent Control Statewide
Nebraska has no rent control. State law bars cities, villages, and counties from enacting or enforcing rent-control ordinances on private property, with narrow exceptions for voluntary affordable-housing programs (Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 13-331).