How to sign a lease electronically
Quick answer: To sign a lease electronically, open the lease PDF in a signing tool like Quick PDF, read it fully, add your initials on every page that asks for them, place your signature and the date on the signature page, then download the signed lease and send it back to your landlord or property manager. Keep a copy for your records.
Sign in with Google or email and start editing. Saving your file starts a free trial: 7 days on yearly ($29.78/yr) or 2 days on monthly ($2.99/mo). Cancel anytime. 🔒 Your file stays on your device.
Landlords and property managers increasingly email the lease as a PDF and ask you to sign and return it. If they sent a link from a signing service, follow that link. If they sent a PDF, you can sign it yourself on a phone or computer in a few minutes, no printer required.
This guide covers the full routine for a PDF lease: what to check before you sign, how to handle initials, signatures and dates, how co-tenants can each sign, and how to return it safely. It is general information, not legal advice.
Sign a PDF lease with Quick PDF
- Save the lease PDF to your device Download the attachment from your email to Downloads, or on iPhone save it to the Files app.
- Open it in Quick PDF and read every page Go to quickpdfapp.com, sign in, open the lease and zoom in on the rent, dates, deposit, pet and parking terms before you add anything.
- Fill in your details Tap fillable boxes, or use Add text to type your name, phone number, move-in date and other blanks on a flat PDF.
- Initial every page that asks for it Tap Sign, create a short signature with your initials, and place it in each initials box or at the bottom of each page.
- Sign and date the signature page Create your full signature with Sign, place it on the tenant signature line, then add the date beside it with Add text.
- Download, check and send it back Tap Download, open the file once to check every page, then send it to your landlord by email or with Share.
Read these lease terms before you sign
Signing on a screen is as binding as signing on paper, so give the lease the same attention. Check:
- Names and address: every adult tenant spelled correctly, the right unit number.
- Dates: lease start and end dates, and when rent is due each month.
- Money: monthly rent, security deposit, late fees, and who pays which utilities.
- Rules: pets, guests, smoking, parking, subletting and maintenance responsibilities.
- Renewal and move-out: how much notice you must give and whether the lease renews automatically.
If something does not match what you agreed, ask the landlord to send a corrected lease. Do not edit the landlord's text yourself and sign it; both sides need to agree to the same version.
Initials, signatures and dates: getting the details right
| The lease asks for | How to add it in Quick PDF |
|---|---|
| Initials on every page | A short signature of your initials, placed with Sign on each page |
| Initials next to a specific clause (for example a pet or lead paint clause) | The same initials signature, placed next to that clause |
| Full signature | Sign, drawn, typed in a script font, or uploaded |
| Date next to signature | Add text, in the date format the lease uses |
| Checkboxes (for example, "I have received the disclosure") | Tap the checkbox, or type an X with Add text on a flat PDF |
| Printed name | Add text on the "print name" line |
Turn on Save for next time for both your initials and your full signature, and initialing a long lease takes only a few taps per page.
Co-tenants and roommates
Each adult on the lease usually needs to sign. With a PDF lease, the simplest way is to pass the file along:
- The first tenant signs and downloads the file.
- They send that signed copy to the next tenant.
- The next tenant opens it in Quick PDF on their own device, adds their initials and signature, and downloads it.
- The last signer sends the completed lease to the landlord.
Quick PDF does not send the lease to others for signature or keep a record of who signed when; it is for adding your own signature to a file you have open. If your landlord wants every tenant tracked in one signing flow, they will usually send a link from an e-signature service instead.
Is an electronically signed lease valid?
This is general information, not legal advice. In the US, the ESIGN Act and UETA generally make electronic signatures valid for most contracts, and residential leases are commonly signed electronically. Local rules can add requirements for certain disclosures, and a landlord may have their own process.
Quick PDF adds an electronic signature image to the page. It is not a certificate-based digital signature and it does not produce an audit trail. For most PDF leases sent by email that is what landlords expect, but if your landlord asks for a particular method or a wet-ink signature, follow their instructions. More background: electronic vs digital signature.
Returning the lease safely
- Leases contain your name, address and sometimes your ID or bank details, so send them only to the landlord or property manager you know. Watch out for rental scams that ask you to sign and pay before you have seen the property.
- Before downloading, consider choosing Flatten form on a fillable lease so the answers cannot be changed. See how to flatten a PDF.
- For extra protection, you can add a password with Protect and share the password separately. See how to send a PDF securely.
- Keep your own copy of the fully signed lease, and ask the landlord for a copy once they have countersigned.
Filling out the application before the lease? See how to fill out a rental application PDF.
Troubleshooting a PDF lease
The lease is a scan
Scanned leases are images, so there are no boxes to click. Use Add text for your details and Sign for initials and signature; both work on scanned pages.
The lease is very long
Zoom out to move between pages quickly, and zoom in to place initials precisely.
The file is too large to email back
See PDF too large to email for options.
Questions people ask
Can I sign a lease on my phone?
Yes. Save the lease PDF to your phone, open it in Quick PDF in Safari or Chrome, add your initials and signature with Sign and the date with Add text, then download or share the signed lease.
Is it legal to sign a lease electronically?
In the US, electronic signatures are generally valid for most contracts, including residential leases, under the ESIGN Act and UETA. Local rules and your landlord's process can add requirements. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do I need to initial every page of a lease?
Only if the lease asks for it. Many leases have initials boxes on each page or next to specific clauses. Fill every one, because a missing initial can mean the landlord sends it back.
How do two tenants sign the same PDF lease?
One tenant signs and downloads the file, then sends it to the other, who opens that copy, adds their signature and returns the completed lease to the landlord.
Can I change something in the lease before signing?
Ask the landlord to make the change and send a new version. Both sides must agree to the same text, so editing the lease yourself before signing can cause disputes.
What should I do after signing my lease?
Keep a copy of the signed lease, confirm the landlord received it, and ask for a fully signed copy once they have countersigned.
Do I have to pay to use Quick PDF?
You can open a PDF and edit, sign or fill it after signing in with Google or email. To download, print or share the finished file you start a subscription with a free trial: 7 days on the yearly plan ($29.78 per year) or 2 days on the monthly plan ($2.99 per month). You are charged when the trial ends unless you cancel, and you can cancel anytime.
Sign in with Google or email and start editing. Saving your file starts a free trial: 7 days on yearly ($29.78/yr) or 2 days on monthly ($2.99/mo). Cancel anytime. 🔒 Your file stays on your device.