Essential Requirements for Residential Leases in Iran: Writing, Witnesses, and the Tracking Code

Under Iranian property law, lease agreements (both residential and commercial) are binding, legal, and reciprocal contracts. Although a purely oral agreement technically holds basic validity under the Civil Code, in modern Iranian judicial and practical reality—especially when landlords require the swift execution of judgments (such as rapid eviction or deposit forfeiture)—strict adherence to a precise written and registered framework is absolutely vital and indispensable.

Disclaimer: This guide merely outlines the general legal requirements for lease contracts in Iran and does not replace a rigorous review of documents by legal counsel. Formal contract requirements can evolve with new government directives. Last updated: March 2026.

1. The Core Pillars of a Valid Written Lease

For a lease agreement to reap the golden benefits and the powerful protective umbrella of the Landlord and Tenant Relations Act of 1997 (specifically, the one-week expedited Fast-Track Eviction Order process), the text of the lease must, without exception, possess the following precisely defined formal and visual characteristics:

1. Written and Official/Ordinary Status: The contract must indispensably be recorded (written) on paper. This contract can be drafted in "Real Estate Agency Offices" (producing an ordinary contract) or in "Notary Public Offices" (producing an official, notarized deed).
2. Two Identical Original Copies: According to Article 2 of the 1997 Act, the lease must imperatively be drafted and exchanged in at least two identical, equal copies, where one original is held by the landlord and the other original is securely possessed by the tenant.
3. The Golden Signatures of Two Witnesses (Crucial): Beyond the primary parties, modern contracts must be signed and verified by at least two sane, adult individuals acting as witnesses (Gowah) at the time of drafting. The absence or violation of even a single witness signature instantly disqualifies the contract from the fast-track eviction benefits of this law at the Dispute Council, forcing the landlord to endure the slow and agonizing "Eviction Judgment" process in civil court.
4. Precise Determination of Lease Expiration: Without the explicit inclusion of an exact start date and a definitive, concrete expiration day (end of the term), under the country's jurisprudential and legal system, the nature of the entire contract will be recognized as void and annulled.
5. Detailed Description of Financial Amounts (Rent and Rahn/Deposit): The agreed-upon monthly figures and the amounts of the security deposit or massive Rahn must be flawless, unambiguous, and written in both words and numerals, alongside clear instructions on how the deposit will be returned.

2. Required Identification and Registration Documents

Prior to drafting the agreement and reaching the signature phase, each party must display specific documents and credentials to each other and to the drafting agent:

• Personal Documents: The Iranian National Smart Card and the first page of the new Birth Certificate (Shenasnameh) for the landlord, tenant, and witnesses, to record their 10-digit national identity codes.
• Proof of Ownership and Power of Attorney: The presentation of the original ownership deed (either a modern hologram single-page deed or an older booklet deed) by the owner/landlord is mandatory for identity verification. If a third party is drafting the contract on the owner's behalf, they must submit a certified true copy of a valid, notarized Power of Attorney issued in a Notary Public Office.

3. National Systems and Obtaining a Tracking Code (Kod-e Rahgiri)

Historically in Iran, drafting old, frozen, handwritten contracts on paper between two individuals was customary among families and the general public (known as a manual Qulnameh). However, to enforce transparency, collect taxes, and prevent rampant corruption (such as leasing an apartment to multiple people simultaneously and fraudulently collecting massive, multiple Rahn deposits), the government and the State Registration Organization adopted a sweeping national approach.

The National Real Estate Transactions Registration System

Visiting authorized real estate agencies and brokerages that possess a permanent or temporary business license and direct online access to this government portal is now an absolutely mandatory custom in today's market.

• Information clerks input the 10-digit postal code, the status of the property's water and electricity meters, and identity documents into the system.
• Upon approval and submission, this system issues a nationally printed, hologram-bearing contract titled "Sales/Lease Agreement."
• The most crucial piece of paper generated is the SMS receipt and the registration of a unique 13-digit code known as the "Tracking Code" (Kod-e Rahgiri).

The Extreme Importance of the Tracking Code:

1. Without the presence of the written Tracking Code on the modern printed document, filing a lawsuit, citing it as evidence, or rapidly obtaining notices in Iran's Dispute Resolution Councils and judicial authorities is utterly impossible and will hit an insurmountable legal wall.
2. Beyond judicial validity, many other secondary government organs—such as the public school enrollment system (to verify residential zoning for children) and the police force (for issuing background checks)—compel the tenant to provide a copy of property contracts that bear a valid Tracking Code.

Landager's cohesive and secure cloud archiving system enables the real-time, precise storage of high-quality scans of all written contract versions. It features direct integration and logging of issued 13-digit national real estate Tracking Codes, alongside the parties' identity documents and the electronic signatures of witnesses. This ensures that landlords' evidential trails and archive management remain consistently up-to-date, secure, and perfectly compliant with the landmark 1997 Act.

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