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
Other Types (2)
(Early) Lease Termination Letter – Used by a landlord or tenant to cancel a fixed lease before its end date. |
Eviction Notice (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. |
How to Terminate a Lease (5 steps)
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.
3. Send the Notice
In accordance with the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, a landlord can send notice to a tenant in the following methods:
- Personal delivery. Delivered personally to the tenant;
- Mail. If sent via registered or certified mail.
Tenants are considered to have received notice when they have “actual knowledge of the fact.”
5. File 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.
State Termination Periods (# Days)
State | Required Termination Period | Laws |
Alabama | 30 days | § 35-9A-441(b) |
Alaska | 30 days | § 34.03.290(b) |
Arizona | 30 days | ARS § 33-1375 |
Arkansas | 30 days | § 18-17-704 |
California | 30 days if the tenancy has been 1 year or less, 60 days for more than 1 year. | CIV § 1946 |
Colorado | A tenancy for 1 year or longer, 91 days; A tenancy of 6 months or longer but less than a year, 28 days; A tenancy of 1 month or longer but less than 6 months, 21 days; A tenancy of 1 week or longer but less than 1 month, or a tenancy at will, 3 days; A tenancy for less than 1 week, 1 day. | § 13-40-107 |
Connecticut | 3 days | § 47a-23(a) |
Delaware | 60 days | Title 25 § 5106 |
District of Columbia | 30 days | § 42–3505.54(a) |
Florida | 30 days | § 83.57(3) |
Georgia | 60 days from the landlord and 30 days from the tenant. | § 44-7-7 |
Hawaii | 45 days from the landlord and 28 days from the tenant. | § 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(b) |
Kentucky | 30 days | § 383.695(2) |
Louisiana | 10 days | CC 2728(2) |
Maine | 30 days | Title 14 § 6002 |
Maryland | 60 days | § 8-402 |
Massachusetts | 30 days | Ch. 186 Sec. 12 |
Michigan | 30 days | § 554.134(1) |
Minnesota | 30 days | § 504B.135 |
Mississippi | 30 days | § 89-8-19(3) |
Missouri | Termination date must be a rent-paying date not less than one month from the receipt of notice. | § 441.060(1) |
Montana | 30 days | § 70-24-441 |
Nebraska | 30 days | § 76-1437(2) |
Nevada | 30 days | NRS 40.251 |
New Hampshire | 30 days | § 540:11(II) |
New Jersey | 30 days | N.J. § 2A:18-56(b), N.J. § 2A:18-53(a) |
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 |
Ohio | 30 days | § 5321.17(B) |
Oklahoma | 30 days | § 41-111(A) |
Oregon | 30 days | § 91.070 |
Pennsylvania | 15 days for tenancy of 1 year or less, 30 days for tenancy of more than 1 year. | § 250.501(b) |
Rhode Island | 30 days | § 34-18-37 |
South Carolina | 30 days | § 27-40-770(b) |
South Dakota | The landlord must provide at least 30 days, and the tenant must provide at least 15 days. | § 43-32-13 |
Tennessee | 30 days | § 66-28-512(b) |
Texas | 30 days | § 91.001(b) |
Utah | 15 days | § 78B-6-802(b)(i) |
Vermont | 90 days if the tenancy has been more than 2 years, 60 days if 2 years or less. | § 4467 |
Virginia | 30 days | § 55.1-1253(A) |
Washington | The landlord must provide at least 60 days, and the tenant must provide at least 20 days. | RCWA 59.18.650 |
West Virginia | 30 days | § 37-6-5 |
Wisconsin | 28 days | § 704.19 |
Wyoming | – | No statute |