Updated April 14, 2023
A lease termination letter allows a landlord or tenant to cancel a month-to-month lease in accordance with state law. A termination letter can be sent at any time during the course of a tenancy-at-will and commonly gives 30 days’ notice to vacate the premises.
Send By:
- Certified Mail (USPS) – Recommended option that gives a receipt to the sender after successful delivery.
- Certificate of Service – For hand-delivery or any other state-approved option. It is best to have the recipient sign to prove they have received the termination letter.
By State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Table of Contents |
Other Types (2)
(Early) Lease Termination Letter – Used by a landlord or tenant to cancel a lease before it ends.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word, OpenDocument
Notice to Quit – Used by a landlord if the tenant has violated the lease which is most commonly due to late rent but can be for any type of lease violation.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word, OpenDocument
How to Terminate a Lease (5 steps)
- Step 1 – Review Your Lease
- Step 2 – Making Communication
- Step 3 – Sending Notice (2 options)
- Step 4 – Scheduling the Move Out
- Step 5 – Filing an Eviction (if necessary)
Step 1 – Review Your Lease
In most month-to-month leases, the minimum time period to terminate is included. If not, the state-required notice period should be used.
Step 2 – Contact the Other Party
Before sending the notice, communication should be made to inform the other party of the intent to terminate.
For example, if the landlord is terminating the lease, this will help both parties organize and schedule the best time for the move-out.
Step 3 – Send the Notice
It is highly recommended to give notice in 2 ways:
- Certified Mail (with return receipt) – This is the best option as the USPS will give a receipt to the sender after successful delivery.
- Certificate of Service – Use for personal delivery or any other type to prove the letter was sent.
Step 4 – Schedule the Move-Out
After the notice has been sent, it is advised to schedule a move-out date. In larger residential complexes, it’s best to inform management in the case of an elevator or other resources that need to be reserved.
Step 5 – Filing an Eviction (if necessary)
In the event a tenant refuses to vacate the premises, the landlord will have to seek an eviction lawsuit in the local housing court.
Even if the tenant mentions they will not vacate the premises, the landlord is required to wait the full notice period before filing a lawsuit.
Required Notice (By State)
State | Minimum Termination Required | Statute |
Alabama | 30 days | § 35-9A-441 |
Alaska | 30 days | § 34.03.290(b) |
Arizona | 30 days | § 33-1375 |
Arkansas | 30 days | § 18-17-704 |
California | 30 days for tenancy 1-year or less, 60 days for tenancy of more than 1-year | § 1946 |
Colorado | A tenancy for one year or longer, three months; A tenancy of six months or longer but less than a year, one month; A tenancy of one month or longer but less than six months, ten days; A tenancy of one week or longer but less than one month, or a tenancy at will, three days; A tenancy for less than one week, one day. | § 13-40-107 |
Connecticut | 3 days | § 47a-23 |
Delaware | 60 days | Title 25 § 5106 |
Florida | 15 days | § 83.57 |
Georgia | 30 days | § 44-7-7 |
Hawaii | The landlord must give at least 45 days’ notice, the tenant must give at least 28 days’ notice. | § 521-71 |
Idaho | 30 days | § 55-208 |
Illinois | 30 days | 735 ILCS 5/9-207 |
Indiana | 30 days | § 32-31-1-1 |
Iowa | 30 days | § 562A.34 |
Kansas | 30 days | § 58-2570 |
Kentucky | 30 days | § 383.695 |
Louisiana | 10 days | CC 2728 |
Maine | 30 days | Title 14 § 6002 |
Maryland | 60 days | § 8-402 |
Massachusetts | 30 days | § 186-15B |
Michigan | 30 days | § 554.134 |
Minnesota | 30 days | § 504B.135 |
Mississippi | 30 days | § 89-8-19 |
Missouri | 30 days | § 441.060 |
Montana | 30 days | § 70-24-441 |
Nebraska | 30 days | § 76-1437(2) |
Nevada | 30 days | NRS 40.251 |
New Hampshire | 30 days | § 540:11(2) |
New Jersey | 30 days | § 2A:18-56 |
New Mexico | 30 days | § 47-8-37 |
New York | 30 days | § 232-b |
North Carolina | 7 days | § 42-14 |
North Dakota | 30 days | § 47-16-07.2 |
Ohio | 30 days | § 5321.17 |
Oklahoma | 30 days | § 41-111 |
Oregon | 30 days | § 91.070 |
Pennsylvania | 15 days for tenancy 1-year or less, 30 days for tenancy of more than 1-year | § 250.501 |
Rhode Island | 30 days | § 34-18-37 |
South Carolina | 30 days | § 27-40-770 |
South Dakota | The landlord must give at least 30 days’ notice, the tenant must give at least 15 days’ notice. | § 43-32-13 |
Tennessee | 30 days | § 66-28-512 |
Texas | 30 days | § 91.001 |
Utah | 15 days | § 78B-6-802 |
Vermont | 60-day notice for tenancy 2 years and under and 90-day notice for tenancies of more than 2 years. | § 4467 |
Virginia | 30 days | § 55.1-1253(A) |
Washington | 20 days if served by tenant and notice requirements vary if served by landlords. | RCWA 59.18.650 |
Washington D.C. | 30 days | § 42–3505.54(a) |
West Virginia | 30 days | § 37-6-5 |
Wisconsin | 28 days | § 704.19 |
Wyoming | No minimum | No statute |
Sample Termination Letter
LEASE TERMINATION LETTER
(FOR MONTH-TO-MONTH TENANCY)Effective Date: March 1, 2022
RE: NOTICE TO TERMINATE LEASE
Dear Jon Smith,
I, Pete Anderson, as your Landlord am sending this letter as official notice with the intention of terminating the lease dated on May 1, 2022. In accordance with governing law, the lease shall be terminated upon 30 days from the date you receive this notice.
If any refundable deposits were made by the Tenant, they shall be disbursed a mailing address to be provided later.
In addition, the Landlord and Tenant agree to the following:
It is recommended that both the Landlord and Tenant perform a move-out inspection of the premises to inspect any damage (less wear and tear);
All possessions are required to be removed from the premises within the notice period; and
The Tenant agrees to arrange for all utilities to be turned off upon move-out.
Please contact me at (555) 555-1234 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Pete Johnson