Short Term Lease Addendum Template for the United States

A short term lease addendum is a legal modification document that allows you to temporarily alter specific terms of an existing lease agreement without replacing the entire contract. The addendum becomes part of your original lease and must be agreed upon by all parties involved, including landlords, tenants, and property managers when applicable. Because it amends rather than replaces the lease, every clause you do not change stays in force.

What is a lease addendum?

A lease addendum is a document that adds to or changes the terms of a signed lease. A short term lease addendum does this for a defined window, with a clear start and end date, after which the original lease terms resume. It differs from a full lease amendment that permanently rewrites a term, and from a renewal that extends the whole agreement. If you want a permanent change to a term, you would use a standard addendum to a contract or a new lease instead.

When do you need this document?

You need a short term lease addendum when circumstances require temporary changes to your lease arrangement. Common situations include:

• Adding a temporary roommate or long-staying guest, often paired with a tenant guest policy addendum that sets occupancy limits and visit length
• Adjusting rent because of temporary property modifications, repairs, or a seasonal arrangement
• Extending a lease for a few months while you search for new housing or tenants, including converting a fixed term into a month-to-month arrangement
• Temporarily modifying pet policies for service animals or short-term pet care
• Changing utility responsibilities, parking arrangements, or occupancy limits for a set period

What should a short term lease addendum include?

A clear addendum to a lease agreement identifies the exact lease it amends and leaves no doubt about what changes. It should contain:

• The names of the landlord and tenant and the date and address of the original lease
• The specific clause or term being modified, quoted or referenced by section
• The new terms, stated precisely (for example a revised monthly rent figure or a named additional occupant)
• The start and end dates of the temporary modification
• A statement that all other terms of the original lease remain in effect
• Signature lines for every party to the original lease

Worked example

Suppose a 12-month lease sets rent at $1,800 per month and limits occupancy to two named tenants. A tenant asks to host a relative for four months. A short term lease addendum would reference the original lease by date and address, add the relative as a temporary occupant from, say, March 1 to June 30, note any agreed rent change for the added occupancy, state that the two-person limit resumes on July 1, and carry signatures from the landlord and both existing tenants. Everything else in the lease stays unchanged.

Key legal considerations

Your short term lease addendum must clearly reference the original lease agreement and specify which terms are being modified and for how long. All parties from the original lease must sign the addendum for it to be legally binding. Include specific start and end dates so it is clear when original lease terms resume. Make sure any modification complies with your original lease's change procedures and does not conflict with non-negotiable clauses. Consider how temporary changes affect security deposits, insurance coverage, and liability. The addendum should address what happens if either party wants to end the temporary arrangement early and whether the modification can be extended.

Legal requirements in United States

Under United States law, your short term lease addendum must comply with federal regulations including the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on protected classes such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. If your property was built before 1978, you must maintain compliance with federal lead-based paint disclosure requirements even with temporary modifications. The Americans with Disabilities Act may require reasonable accommodations in your addendum terms. State landlord-tenant laws vary significantly and may impose specific requirements on lease modifications, including notice periods, permissible changes, and documentation standards. Some states have particular regulations governing short-term rental arrangements that could affect your addendum. You must also ensure that temporary modifications do not violate local zoning laws, housing codes, or homeowners association rules that apply to your property. For broader lease documents, GenieAI's lease agreement templates cover the underlying contract this addendum attaches to.