Each party must keep a signed original
Under Belgian law, each party with a distinct interest in the lease must keep a signed original. In practice: one for the landlord, one for the tenant, and one for registration with the SPF Finances. For leases signed electronically, each party receives an identical digital original.
This requirement comes from Article 1325 of the former Civil Code, which states that contracts creating reciprocal obligations must be drawn up in as many originals as there are parties with distinct interests.
If there are multiple landlords or multiple tenants, the number of originals may increase accordingly.
How many copies are needed
| Situation | Number of originals |
|---|---|
| 1 landlord + 1 tenant | 3 (landlord, tenant, registration) |
| 1 landlord + 2 co-tenants | 4 (landlord, 2 tenants, registration) |
| 2 co-landlords + 1 tenant | 4 (2 landlords, tenant, registration) |
| Property managed by agency | 4 (landlord, tenant, agency, registration) |
Each original must bear the signatures of all parties. A copy without all signatures is not a valid original.
The lease should also mention the number of originals produced. A typical clause reads: “Done in [number] originals, each party acknowledging receipt of their copy.”
A lease with insufficient originals is not automatically null, but it weakens the evidentiary value of the document. In case of dispute, a party without an original may have difficulty proving the exact terms agreed.
Electronic signatures and originals
When a lease is signed electronically, the concept of “original” takes on a different meaning:
- Each party receives an identical digital file (PDF with embedded electronic signature)
- Every copy is an original — there is no distinction between “original” and “copy” for electronic documents
- The digital file can be used directly for registration on MyRent
- No need to produce multiple paper copies — the electronic file satisfies the requirement of Article 1325
This is one of the practical advantages of electronic signing: the question of “who has the original” becomes irrelevant, as every party holds an equally valid version.
BailBelgique generates a single electronic document signed by all parties, which is automatically distributed to everyone and ready for registration.
Regional specifics
The requirement for multiple originals is governed by federal civil law (former Civil Code, Article 1325) and applies uniformly across all three regions.
Regional legislation does not add specific requirements regarding the number of originals, but all three regions accept electronically signed leases, which simplifies compliance with this obligation.
Former Civil Code, Art. 1325 — Contracts with reciprocal obligations must be drawn up in as many originals as there are parties with distinct interests.