In short
The “student lease” is a bail meublé (furnished lease) whose term can be reduced to 9 months when the tenant is a student; it ends at expiry, with no tacit renewal (loi (Act) of 6 July 1989, art. 25-7). The student can leave at any time with 1 month’s notice (art. 25-8). They can also sign a 1-year furnished lease, a 3-year unfurnished lease or a bail mobilité (mobility lease) of 1 to 10 months (service-public.gouv.fr). The garantie Visale (Visale guarantee) covers students under 30 free of charge, with no proof of income, up to €1,000 of rent including service charges in Île-de-France, €840 in large urban areas and €680 elsewhere (service-public.gouv.fr; anil.org).
The 9-month furnished lease
Article 25-7 of the 1989 Act sets the term of a furnished lease at at least one year, then adds: where the letting is granted to a student, the term of the lease may be reduced to nine months, and tacit renewal does not apply (Légifrance). In practice (service-public.gouv.fr, sheet F920):
- the lease ends at expiry, without the landlord or tenant having to give notice;
- it is not renewed: to stay, a new lease must be signed;
- the lease must follow the regulatory model lease in force when it is signed.
The accommodation must genuinely be furnished, with the compulsory items of furniture; see the guide bail meublé (furnished lease). The dépôt de garantie (security deposit) is capped at 2 months’ rent excluding service charges (service-public.gouv.fr, sheet F1165).
Notice. The tenant can terminate at any time with one month’s notice, including when the term of the lease is reduced to nine months (art. 25-8, Légifrance).
Other options for a student
| Lease | Term | Security deposit | Tenant’s notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student furnished | 9 months, no renewal | 2 months excl. service charges at most | 1 month |
| Standard furnished | 1 year, renewed automatically | 2 months excl. service charges at most | 1 month |
| Unfurnished | 3 years minimum | 1 month excl. service charges at most | 3 months (1 month in some cases) |
| Bail mobilité (furnished) | 1 to 10 months, not renewable beyond 10 months | Prohibited | 1 month |
Source: service-public.gouv.fr (sheet F1165).
The bail mobilité is open in particular to tenants in higher education, vocational training, apprenticeships, internships or civic service; rent reviews are prohibited under it (service-public.gouv.fr). See the guide bail mobilité (mobility lease). For an unfurnished lease, the cases of reduced notice are set out in the guide préavis du locataire (tenant’s notice period).
The Visale guarantee for students
Visale is Action Logement’s free guarantee. Tenants aged at least 17 years and 10 months and under 30 are eligible, including students and work-study students (service-public.gouv.fr). For a student or work-study student under 30, the condition depends on the rent including service charges and on the municipality (service-public.gouv.fr; anil.org):
| Area | Rent accepted with no income condition | Rent accepted subject to income | Income condition for this 2nd band | Rent above which Visale is refused |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Île-de-France | Up to €1,000 | €1,000.01 to €1,940 | Total income above €2,000 | €1,940 |
| Urban areas of more than 100,000 inhabitants outside Île-de-France, Corsica, overseas, Saint-Martin | Up to €840 | €840.01 to €1,575 | Total income above €1,680 | €1,575 |
| Rest of the country | Up to €680 | €680.01 to €1,365 | Total income above €1,360 | €1,365 |
The income threshold is a fixed amount per area: it is not calculated from the rent applied for (service-public.gouv.fr). For other tenants under 30 the rule is different: the rent must not exceed half of their income.
The income counted includes in particular the State grant, internship allowances and housing benefit (service-public.gouv.fr). For a student lease, ANIL states that the guarantee covers the first 9 monthly payments. The visa (approval certificate) must be applied for before the lease is signed, and Visale excludes any other guarantee, guarantor or insurance (anil.org). See the guide garantie Visale (Visale guarantee).
Parents as guarantors. An individual landlord who has taken out rent default insurance can still ask a student or an apprentice for a caution (guarantor); a landlord that is a legal entity can ask for one from a student without a grant (1989 Act, art. 22-1).
Application. The landlord can ask for a student card or a certificate of enrolment for the current year, the grant award notice and a housing benefit simulation (service-public.gouv.fr, sheet F1169).
Student flatsharing
In a colocation (flatshare), the landlord signs either a single lease with all the co-tenants, or one lease per co-tenant (service-public.gouv.fr). With individual furnished leases, they can vary the term: for example 9 months for a student and 1 year for the others (sheet F34661).
- Visale: in a single lease for 2, one eligible co-tenant can apply for the guarantee for both; from 3 upwards, individual leases and one visa per co-tenant are recommended (service-public.gouv.fr).
- Benefits: each co-tenant can apply for housing benefit for their share if the accommodation measures at least 16 m² for 2, plus 9 m² per additional co-tenant; those under 30 can apply for Mobili-Jeune, and each can apply for a Loca-Pass advance for their share of the security deposit (service-public.gouv.fr).
The joint liability clause and a co-tenant’s departure are covered in the guide colocation (flatsharing).
FAQ
Is the 9-month student lease compulsory?
No. The law allows the term to be reduced to 9 months for a student; the parties can also sign a one-year furnished lease (art. 25-7).
Do I have to give notice at the end of the 9 months?
No: the lease ends at expiry without notice (service-public.gouv.fr).
Can I leave before the end of the 9 months?
Yes, at any time with one month’s notice (art. 25-8).
What is the maximum rent for Visale with no income?
€1,000 including service charges in Île-de-France, €840 in large urban areas, €680 elsewhere (service-public.gouv.fr).
Is a 9-month lease possible for an unfurnished letting?
No: the reduction to 9 months is provided for furnished lettings (art. 25-7); an unfurnished lease in principle lasts at least 3 years (service-public.gouv.fr).
Which professional to consult
An agent immobilier (estate agent) who manages student lettings drafts the 9-month furnished lease in line with the regulatory model, the furniture inventory and the guarantee deed, and accepts a Visale application. For a lease drawn up as an acte authentique (notarised deed), contact a notaire (notary).
Find a professional
One professional per trade and per area, selected and scored out of 100 from public data, with a verifiable title. The trade, its official register and the professionals selected (pages in French):
The real estate agent selected in the largest cities
| City | Professional | Area | Score /100 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | Laforêt Paris 15 Vaugirard | Paris, 15e arrondissement | 89 | Selected |
| Marseille | ERA Agence de la Bastide | Marseille, 13e arrondissement | 90 | Selected |
| Toulouse | Nestenn By Solvimo | Toulouse | 84 | Selected |
| Nice | Immo Gambetta | Nice | 71 | Selected |
| Lyon | Orpi Duguesclin Transactions | Lyon, 6e arrondissement | 89 | Selected |
| Montpellier | Immo Angels | Montpellier | 80 | Selected |
| Bordeaux | Human Immobilier Bordeaux Chartrons | Bordeaux | 90 | Selected |
| Lille | Orpi Lille République Beaux-Arts | Lille | 92 | Selected |
| Rennes | Nestenn Rennes Centre | Rennes | 80 | Selected |
| Toulon | iBox Immobilier Toulon Jaurès | Toulon | 84 | Selected |
The 10 cities with the most sales (DVF 2025) where a real estate agent is selected; in a city with several areas, the best-scoring profile. "Verified": title read at the register by Payotte; "Selected": title declared, verifiable on the profile.
Related guides
Sources
- Loi n° 89-462 du 6 juillet 1989, article 25-7 – version en vigueur depuis le 27 mars 2014 (Légifrance) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Loi n° 89-462 du 6 juillet 1989, article 25-8 – version en vigueur depuis le 29 juillet 2023 (Légifrance) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Rédaction du bail d'habitation (service-public.gouv.fr, vérifié le 1er octobre 2026) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Bail d'habitation : quelles différences entre logement vide et logement meublé ? (service-public.gouv.fr, vérifié le 6 mars 2026) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Garantie Visale : caution pour le locataire (impayés et dégradations) (service-public.gouv.fr, vérifié le 23 janvier 2026) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Caution et garanties (anil.org) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Colocation : quelles sont les règles ? (service-public.gouv.fr, vérifié le 1er octobre 2026) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Loi n° 89-462 du 6 juillet 1989, article 22-1 – version en vigueur depuis le 1er janvier 2022 (Légifrance) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Futur locataire d'un logement privé : justificatifs à donner au propriétaire (service-public.gouv.fr, vérifié le 10 avril 2025) (checked 12 October 2026)
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