Renting is how most newcomers start in Lithuania, and the rules are less intimidating than the language of the contract. The pitfalls are the usual ones: paying before seeing, signing something you cannot read and forgetting that the landlord must let you declare your address.
How does renting in Lithuania work?
You rent on the basis of a written lease (nuomos sutartis), signed before you pay anything. A lease of more than one year must be written (Civil Code, article 6.478). Not registered, it remains valid between you and the landlord, but a new owner is not bound by it if the flat is sold.
The IOM recommends a lease in both Lithuanian and English. It should state the rent, the term, the utilities (heating, water, electricity, waste, whether included or billed apart), an inventory of furniture and the conditions for leaving.
Where do you find a flat?
The listing sites cited by the IOM and Go Vilnius are Aruodas, Domoplius, Rebaltic, Skelbiu and Ober-Haus. Flat-shares are common and cheaper. Prices rise before the September student intake. Indicative rents, with their dates, are in cost of living in Lithuania.
Visit in person and check that the person in front of you is the owner. An extract from the real-estate register can be ordered at the Centre of Registers for €2.64 in electronic form (2026), but if you are not the owner you must state why you are asking, and delivery is not automatic.
How much deposit can you be asked?
The IOM says "generally one to three months of rent". The Civil Code, in the official version up to date at 30 June 2022, fixes no cap. The contract decides. Pay the deposit and first rent only after signing, preferably by bank transfer, to keep a trace.
A lease only in Lithuanian, a deposit that seems high, or a landlord who hesitates about your address declaration? Moovy can read your situation, flag the clauses to question and draft a reply in Lithuanian with an English version.
How much notice applies?
- You, the tenant: you can end the lease at any time with one month's written notice, otherwise the landlord can claim damages.
- A commercial landlord: for an open-ended lease, six months' written notice.
- A fixed-term lease: ends at its term.
These come from articles 6.609 and 6.614 of the Civil Code, in the official English translation up to date at 30 June 2022. A later amendment is possible, so check the current text or ask a lawyer before relying on the figures for a high-stakes dispute.
Should you register the lease?
Registration is not mandatory between the parties, but it protects you against a sale. At the Centre of Registers it costs €8.19 in five working days, €10.65 in three or €16.38 in one (2026). You can do it online with a qualified electronic signature from all parties, by email, by post, at the counter or with a notary. The online service is in Lithuanian only.
How do you declare your address in a rented flat?
Declare within a month (residence in Lithuania). The landlord must give written consent, or confirm online within five working days. It is free. Without a declared address, many procedures block: health, taxes, bank. Make the landlord's cooperation a line in the lease. A home must offer at least 7 m² per adult.
How do you avoid rental scams?
The IOM's number one warning: do not pay to "reserve" a flat you have not seen, and never wire money before signing a contract. Verify the owner. Ask for a version of the lease in a language you understand, signed by both parties, and keep it.
When you leave, make a joint inventory and photographs, so you can recover your deposit.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Paying before seeing the flat and the contract.
- An unwritten or unregistered lease for a longer rental.
- A landlord refusing the address declaration.
- Forgotten utilities. Heating can weigh heavily in winter; ask for last winter's bills.
- A contract only in Lithuanian that you cannot read.
If you plan to stay for years, compare the monthly outlay with a mortgage in buying property in Lithuania.
What should a lease for renting in Lithuania contain?
A good lease is short and specific. It should name the parties, identify the home (and, if you register it, its unique number), state the rent and when it is due, the term (fixed or open-ended), the deposit and how it is returned, who pays which utilities, the inventory of furniture and the conditions for leaving. Add the landlord's commitment to let you declare your address. The IOM advises a lease in Lithuanian and English, both signed.
Keep a copy of the lease, the proof of the deposit payment and the inventory with dated photos. You will need them for the address declaration and, one day, for the deposit.
How much does renting in Lithuania cost?
Rents differ by city and season. EURES (April 2025) gave Vilnius from €410 for a studio and €650 for a two-room flat, Kaunas from €320 and €470, and Klaipėda around €300 and €400. The IOM mentions a range from €270 in the suburbs to over €700 plus utilities in the centre of big cities for a one-bedroom flat. Flat-shares are common and cheaper (best places to live in Lithuania).
What if there is a dispute?
Write to the landlord first, and keep proof of what you send. We could not read the procedural texts on rental disputes, so we do not describe a specific tenancy tribunal. For a dispute over the deposit, an inventory and photos made at the start and the end of the lease are your best evidence. For legal advice on a serious dispute, consult a lawyer.
How do you leave a flat properly?
Give your notice in writing, one month ahead as a tenant. Agree a date for the final inspection, compare the inventory and photos, and ask for the return of the deposit in writing. Cancel utilities and declare your departure or your new address, so your old address does not remain in the register (residence in Lithuania).
What about British and Swiss tenants?
Tenancy rules apply to everyone, whatever the nationality. EU, EEA and Swiss tenants have the same rules as Lithuanians. British tenants use the same lease; the address declaration follows the residence permit, so apply for the permit first (moving to Lithuania from the UK).
Before you sign, read the notice clause twice. The Civil Code gives a tenant the right to end a lease with one month's written notice, so a clause that sets a longer tenant notice period deserves a question, as does a clause that charges a penalty. Ask the landlord to explain it in English, and keep the explanation in writing. If something remains unclear, a lawyer or International House Vilnius can point you to the right help.