Lease Agreement in Ukraine 2026: Form, Notary and Handover

A lease agreement (also called hire) sets out who may use another person's property and on what terms — an apartment, a house, an office, equipment or a car. The form of the agreement and how complete its terms are decide whether you can recover the rent, get the property back and defend your rights in a dispute. Below — what the law requires in 2026 and how to put together a lease agreement without risk for either party.

What a lease agreement sets out

Under a lease (hire) contract the lessor transfers, or undertakes to transfer, property to the lessee for use against payment for a fixed term. That is the general rule of Article 759 of the Civil Code of Ukraine. A lease may be for a term or open-ended, and separate types of property have their own rules.

The agreement should record:

• a precise description of the property: address, area, rooms, inventory and condition;
• the lease term and how it may be renewed;
• the rent, payment date and method, and how it may be revised;
• how utilities and maintenance costs are shared;
• the security deposit and the conditions for its return;
• repairs: routine and major, who carries them out and at whose cost;
• the owner's access, subletting and early termination.

Form of the agreement: when writing is enough

A housing lease must be concluded in writing (Article 811 of the Civil Code of Ukraine). A written form lets you prove the terms: the rent, the term and liability. A lease of a building or another capital structure and of a separate part of it must also be in writing, and where the term is three years or more it requires notarial certification (Article 793). The exception is state or municipal property: such a lease is certified by a notary only where it is concluded for more than five years (part two of Article 793 of the Civil Code as amended by Law No. 3587-IX of 22 February 2024).

A lease of a building or another capital structure (or a separate part of it) for three years or more is subject to notarial certification.

Civil Code of Ukraine, Article 793

When a notary is required

Notarial certification is mandatory in several cases. A lease of a building or a capital structure (or its separate part) for three years or more is certified by a notary. A rent-to-own housing agreement is also subject to mandatory notarial certification (Article 811). Separately, a vehicle lease involving an individual must be certified by a notary (Article 799): that is when a vehicle lease agreement is ordered.

If the mandatory notarial form is not observed, the agreement is void — it does not create the legal consequences the parties relied on. That applies directly to a lease of premises for a long term.

State registration of the right of use

The right to use real estate arising from a lease of a building or another capital structure (or a separate part of it) concluded for at least three years is subject to state registration (Article 794 of the Civil Code of Ukraine). Registration is made in the State Register of Real Rights to Immovable Property; see the registration of real estate ownership rights page for details. Such registration protects the lessee if the property is sold to a third party.

Rent

Payment for the use of property is set by the agreement. Unless otherwise agreed, it is paid monthly (Article 762 of the Civil Code of Ukraine). The parties may agree a fixed amount, an indexed amount or payment as a share of income. A change in the rent at the request of one party is possible in the cases and under the procedure set by the agreement or the law.

State and municipal property

Leases of state and municipal property are governed by a separate law — the Law of Ukraine "On the Lease of State and Municipal Property" No. 157-IX of 3 October 2019. Such property is leased mainly following an auction in the electronic trading system, while certain categories of lessees may lease without an auction. The rent is set under a special methodology. A lease of state or municipal property is certified by a notary where it is concluded for more than five years, and the right of use under a lease concluded at an electronic auction is not subject to state registration (Articles 793 and 794 of the Civil Code).

Handover and return of the property

The handover to the lessee of a building or another capital structure (or a separate part of it) is documented by a handover record. The term of the agreement runs from the handover unless the agreement provides otherwise (Article 795 of the Civil Code of Ukraine). Attach photos of the condition, meter readings, and a list of keys and inventory.

Checks before signing

Before signing the agreement, find out:

1. Check the document confirming ownership or another right to dispose of the property.
2. Order an extract from the register of real rights and the register of encumbrances.
3. Confirm who the co-owners are and whether their consent is needed.
4. Verify the representative's authority under a power of attorney.
5. Compare the actual condition of the property with the description in the agreement.
6. Record meter readings on the date of handover.

Termination and return

The grounds and procedure for termination are set by the agreement and the law. When the property is returned, a record is drawn up to capture the condition and the settlements. If the property is damaged, the party may claim compensation, but the amount of loss must be proven.

Questions and answers

This article is informational and does not replace advice from a notary on a specific situation. Sources checked on 18 October 2026.