Cosigners and guarantors both assume responsibility for a tenant's lease obligations, but the legal relationship is different. Cosigners are co-tenants on the lease; guarantors are not on the lease but are liable if the tenant defaults.
§ I — What "cosigner" and "guarantor" mean
A cosigner signs the lease itself and becomes a co-tenant — equally responsible for rent and capable of being sued for non-payment alongside the primary tenant. A guarantor signs a separate guaranty agreement and is only liable when the primary tenant defaults; the landlord must usually exhaust remedies against the tenant first. The choice between the two affects credit reporting, eviction procedures, and the order in which the landlord can recover unpaid rent.
§ II — How cosigner vs guarantor varies by state
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Massachusetts
See the Massachusetts lease agreement page for Massachusetts-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Florida
See the Florida lease agreement page for Florida-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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California
See the California lease agreement page for California-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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New York
New York imposes specific written-disclosure requirements on lease guaranties; the guarantor's obligation must be in writing and signed (Statute of Frauds, GOL § 5-701).
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Texas
See the Texas lease agreement page for Texas-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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North Carolina
See the North Carolina lease agreement page for North Carolina-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Georgia
See the Georgia lease agreement page for Georgia-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Pennsylvania
See the Pennsylvania lease agreement page for Pennsylvania-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Illinois
See the Illinois lease agreement page for Illinois-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Ohio
See the Ohio lease agreement page for Ohio-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Michigan
See the Michigan lease agreement page for Michigan-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Washington
See the Washington lease agreement page for Washington-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Arizona
See the Arizona lease agreement page for Arizona-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Virginia
See the Virginia lease agreement page for Virginia-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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New Jersey
See the New Jersey lease agreement page for New Jersey-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Colorado
See the Colorado lease agreement page for Colorado-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Tennessee
See the Tennessee lease agreement page for Tennessee-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Minnesota
See the Minnesota lease agreement page for Minnesota-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.
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Maryland
See the Maryland lease agreement page for Maryland-specific cosigner / guarantor rules.