Use our notice to vacate letter to give official notice to your landlord that you’ll be moving out of the property.
Updated August 15, 2024
Written by Ioana Gagiuc | Reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.
A notice to vacate letter is a written notice a tenant gives to a landlord, indicating the intent to leave the rental property by a specified date. This date must be in accordance with the terms and conditions of your lease agreement and relevant local or state laws.
You should send a notice to vacate letter to your landlord. Hence, the property owner understands your plans to vacate the premises soon, which allows them to plan future tenancies accordingly.
If you’re a landlord or property manager looking to notify tenants of lease violations they must resolve or face eviction (made to vacate the property), send an eviction notice instead.
A tenant notice to vacate letter is a legal document a tenant sends to a landlord to inform of a plan to move out of an apartment, condo, house, or another rental residence.
Tenants typically send this notice of their intent to vacate to property managers 30, 60, or 90 days before the intended move-out date, depending on the requirements of the lease and state laws.
Unlike an eviction notice, a tenant delivers it rather than a landlord. The notice of intent to vacate is also voluntary, unlike the mandated eviction that an eviction notice requires.
It’s a good idea to write a notice to vacate letter in the following situations:
If you need to break your lease early, you can use a notice to vacate letter to inform your landlord. Be aware that additional fees may apply. You may also not get your security deposit back (check your state’s rental laws).
Legally protect yourself by providing proper move-out notice:
Review your original lease agreement to ensure you comply with its terms as you prepare to provide a move-out notice. You can also check your state’s laws regarding how much notice you must give.
Write and send your letter to your landlord. Obtain receipt of delivery to ensure they got your notice on time. Once your landlord knows your intent to move, you can proceed with the final step.
Complete other move-out tasks to ensure you get your security deposit back and avoid legal trouble, including:
Many state laws require tenants to deliver proper notice when vacating a property after a month-to-month lease. View the state-specific guidelines below for your required notice period:
| State | Tenants' Required Notice to Landlord: Month-to-Month Leases | Laws | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 30 days | AL Code § 35-9A-441 | |||
| Alaska | 30 days | AK Stat. § 34.03.290 | |||
| Arizona | 30 days | AZ Rev. Stat. § 33-1375 | |||
| Arkansas | 30 days | AR Code § 18-17-704 | |||
| California | 30 days | CA Civ. Code § 1946 | |||
| Colorado | 21 days | CO Rev. Stat. § 13-40-107 | |||
| Connecticut | No provision | CT Gen. Stat. § 47a-23 | |||
| Delaware | 60 days | DE Code tit. 25 § 5106 | |||
| District of Columbia | 30-120 days depending on the reason for termination | DC Code § 42-3505.54 | |||
| Florida | 30 days | FL Stat. § 83.57 | |||
| Georgia | 30 days | GA Code § 44-7-7 | |||
| Hawaii | 28 days | HI Rev. Stat. § 521-71 | |||
| Idaho | 1 month | ID Stat. § 55-208 | |||
| Illinois | 30 days | 735 ILCS 5/9-207 | |||
| Indiana | 30 days | IN Code § 32-31-1-1 | |||
| Iowa | 30 days | IA Code § 562A.34 | |||
| Kansas | 30 days | KS Stat. § 58-2570 | |||
| Kentucky | 30 days | KY Rev. Stat. § 383.695 | |||
| Louisiana | 10 days | LA Civ. Code Art. 2728 | |||
| Maine | 30 days | ME Stat. Tit. 14 § 6002 | |||
| Maryland | 30 days | MD Code, Real. Prop. § 8-402 | |||
| Massachusetts | Longer of 30 days or interval between days of payment. | MA Gen. Laws ch. 186 § 12 | |||
| Michigan | 1 month | MI Comp. Laws § 554.134 | |||
| Minnesota | Lesser of 3 months or the interval between the time rent is due. | MN Stat. § 504B.135 | |||
| Mississippi | 30 days | MS Code § 89-8-19 | |||
| Missouri | 1 month | Montana | 30 days | MT Code § 70-24-441 | |
| Nebraska | 30 days | NE Rev. Stat. § 76-1437 | |||
| Nevada | 30 days | NRS § 40.251 | |||
| New Hampshire | 30 days | NH Rev. Stat. § 540:3 | |||
| New Jersey | 1 month | NJ Stat. § 2A:18-56 | |||
| New Mexico | 30 days | NM Stat. § 47-8-37 | |||
| New York | 1 month | NY Real Prop. Law § 232-B | |||
| North Carolina | 7 days | NC Gen. Stat. § 42-14 | |||
| North Dakota | 1 calendar month | ND Cent. Code § 47-16-15 | |||
| Ohio | 30 days | OH Rev. Code § 5321.17 | |||
| Oklahoma | 30 days | OK Stat. tit. 41 § 111 | |||
| Oregon | 30 days | ORS § 90.427 | |||
| Pennsylvania | No provision | 68 PA Stat. § 250.501 | |||
| Rhode Island | 30 days | RI Gen. Laws § 34-18-37 | |||
| South Carolina | 30 days | SC Code § 27-40-770 | |||
| South Dakota | 1 month | SD Codified Laws § 43-8-8 | |||
| Tennessee | 30 days | TN Code § 66-28-512 | |||
| Texas | 1 month | TX Prop § 91.001 | |||
| Utah | No provision | UT Code § 78B-6-802 | |||
| Vermont | One rental payment period | 9 V.S.A. § 4456 | |||
| Virginia | 30 days | VA Code § 55.1-1253 | |||
| Washington | 20 days | WA Rev. Code § 59.18.200 | |||
| West Virginia | 1 month | WV Code § 37-6-5 | |||
| Wisconsin | 28 days | WI Stat. § 704.19 | |||
| Wyoming | No provision | n/a | |||
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Before filling out a notice to vacate letter, write your state at the top of your form. Additionally, date the document with the month, day, and year you fill out the form.
1. Delivery Method
Choose the method of delivery of this notice to the landlord, including:
Consider using a proof of service as evidence of the date and delivery method for your notice to vacate letter to the landlord. An affidavit of service will verify when and how the notice arrived in your landlord’s possession.
2. Landlord Name. Write the full name of the landlord, who is the party who owns the property you’re renting or leasing.
3. Landlord Address. Enter the landlord’s current mailing address.
4. Lease Agreement Title. Provide the full name/title of the original lease or rental agreement you entered with the landlord.
5. Lease Agreement Date. Fill in the date you entered into the original lease or rental agreement.
6. Property Address. Write the street (physical) address of the property you’re leasing or renting. Include any unit or apartment number, if applicable.
7. Vacate Date. Enter the date you plan to vacate or leave the property, and indicate whether that date is before or at the end of the lease term.
8. Vacate Reason. You can provide the reason for terminating the lease or rental agreement. Providing a basis is helpful if you want to terminate the lease before the end of the lease term.
9. Where to Forward Security Deposit. Provide the full name and address where the landlord should forward any security deposit and notices.
Download a notice to vacate letter template as a PDF or Word file below:
