Notice to Vacate Template: 30, 60 and 90-Day Free Forms

A notice to vacate is a written letter that a landlord or tenant uses to end a tenancy and confirm the move-out date.‍

A landlord sends one to end a periodic tenancy or decline renewal; a tenant sends one to give notice they are leaving. How much notice is required, and whether a landlord may end the tenancy at all, is set by the law of the state the property is in. Use the table below to find your jurisdiction, and the free templates to draft your notice.

Key takeaways

• 30 days is the most common notice period for ending a month-to-month tenancy, but it is far from universal. North Carolina is 7 days. Delaware is 60 days. Hawaii is 45 days from a landlord and 28 from a tenant.
• In several jurisdictions a landlord cannot end a month-to-month tenancy by giving notice at all, and must instead establish a legal ground.
• The notice must be in writing and state the exact move-out date.
• A notice to vacate is not an eviction notice. Eviction requires a court order.
• How the notice must be served, when the period starts, and what the notice must say all vary by state. Never put a notice in the tenant's mailbox.

Managing tenant turnover is a central part of the job of a landlord. Whether it's due to a lease coming to a natural end or problematic tenants, knowing how to draft a notice to vacate is essential.

In this guide, we take a closer look at what a notice to vacate is, what needs to go in one, and practical tips you can employ to create yours. Additionally, we've included free notice to vacate templates you can use to help you get started.

Notice to vacate requirements across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

This table summarises statewide rules for ending ordinary residential month-to-month tenancies. It is not a single national notice rule: requirements can depend on who is ending the tenancy, how long the tenant has occupied the property, the reason for termination, the lease terms, and state or local law. Some jurisdictions require a specific legal ground rather than simply allowing a landlord to end a tenancy after a set number of days.

Local rules, subsidised housing requirements, mobile-home tenancies, fixed-term leases and other tenancy protections may impose additional requirements not captured here. Last reviewed September 2026. Statutory sources are provided for each jurisdiction. State and local rules can change, so check the cited law and any applicable local requirements before serving notice.

Notice periods are not the only thing that varies by state. Our guides to maximum late fees by state and security deposit laws by state cover two of the other big ones.

Notice to vacate template from a landlord to a tenant

This is a notice terminating a periodic tenancy, or declining to renew at the end of a term, in a jurisdiction that does not prescribe its own form or wording. It is not a pay-or-quit notice, a cure-or-quit notice, or any part of an eviction filing, and it is not sufficient where a just-cause rule applies or where the state prescribes a statutory form. Check your entry in the table above before using it. If your tenant owes rent or has breached the lease, use the notice your state prescribes for that ground instead - our past-due rent notice covers the non-payment case.

You can copy and paste the template into a Google Doc or Word document and fill out the relevant fields with your specific information.

[Full Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email]
[Landlord/Leasing Office Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Date]

Notice to Vacate

Tenant Name(s): ______________________________
Rental Address: ______________________________
Date of Notice: _____________

Dear _____________________:

To the above tenant and all others in possession of the described premises. You are hereby given notice that your tenancy of the above premises is terminated, and that you are required to vacate and deliver possession on or before [MM/DD/YYYY].

(Optional) The reason for this notice is:
______________________________

The premises should be returned in the condition required by the lease signed [ _ _/_ _/_ _ _ _ ] and by applicable law, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

If you do not vacate and deliver possession by the date above, _____________________ may begin a court action to recover possession of the premises as permitted by law.

Your security deposit of $___________ will be returned subject to any lawful deductions permitted by your lease and applicable state law.

Landlord Name: _____________________
Landlord Signature: _____________________
Landlord Address: ______________________________
Date: ____________________

Enter the termination date required by the law that applies to your property. Find your jurisdiction in the table above and work out the correct date from the notice period and the conditions listed for it, then write that date into the notice. Do not enter a number of days.

Notice to vacate template from a tenant to a landlord

You can copy and paste the template below and fill out the required fields. Send it using the method your lease specifies, and check your jurisdiction's row above for the notice period that applies to you.

[Full Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email]
[Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Date]

Re: Notice of Intent to Vacate

Dear [landlord or property manager's name],

This letter shall serve as my written notice to vacate on [MM/DD/YYYY]. I request to vacate and terminate the lease which was signed and agreed upon on [start of lease date].

I will be moving out of the property at [current full address], at the latest, by [MM/DD/YYYY].

I would like to schedule a move-out walkthrough the week prior to my move for a full inspection of the unit. Please contact me via email at [email address] to schedule a walkthrough.

I believe the property to be in good condition and anticipate my security deposit of [$(amount agreed to in the lease)] will be refunded in full to me.

My security deposit can be sent [new address: number and street name, unit/apt., city, state, zip code].

Thank you,
[Full name and signature]
[Date]

What is a notice to vacate?

A notice to vacate is a formal written communication either from a landlord to a tenant or vice versa, which informs the other party of the tenant's intended departure date from a residential rental property such as an apartment, condo, or house.

A notice to vacate letter is designed to give the recipient a long enough notice period to make preparations. For example, a notice to vacate given to a tenant should provide a long enough lead time for the tenant to find a new home to move into. And, when a tenant provides a notice to vacate to their landlord it should give the landlord ample time to create a rental property listing and secure a new tenant.

In cases where the notice originates from the tenant to the landlord, the letter should specify the address for the return of the security deposit, provided there is no property damage beyond regular wear and tear. Our guide to security deposit laws by state covers the deadlines for returning it.

When the notice period starts

When the notice period starts depends on the law of the jurisdiction. Some measure the period from service or from receipt, while others tie the termination date to the next rent-payment date or to the end of a rental period. The difference matters: in a state that anchors termination to a rent date, serving late in a month can push the end of the tenancy to the end of the following month.

Check the relevant entry in the table above before calculating the termination date, then build in delivery time. Put the notice in writing, record how and when you delivered it, and keep proof.

Serving a notice to vacate

How a notice must be served depends on the jurisdiction and on the type of notice being given. Personal delivery, posting, substituted service and mail are treated differently between states. Some states require personal service. Some require service by a court officer such as a marshal, constable or licensed process server, which means the landlord cannot serve the notice themselves. Others permit posting or mailing only after an attempt at personal delivery has failed. Follow the service rules that apply to the property and to the specific notice being used, and check your jurisdiction's entry above.

Do not put the notice in the tenant's mailbox. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1725 it is an offence to knowingly deposit mailable matter on which no postage has been paid into a letter box approved by the Postal Service, and each offence carries a fine. The Supreme Court upheld that provision in USPS v. Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations, 453 U.S. 114 (1981). Mailboxes are for stamped mail only. Do not rely on email or text message unless your state and your lease both allow it.

What the notice has to say

A notice period is only part of the requirement. Several jurisdictions prescribe wording that the notice itself must carry, and a notice that omits it can be void however much warning it gave. California requires a no-fault just-cause notice to tell the tenant about relocation assistance or a rent waiver. Maine requires the notice to advise the tenant of the right to contest the termination in court. Nevada requires it to inform the tenant of the extension available to older and disabled tenants. Washington requires the supporting facts to be set out with specificity. Rhode Island prescribes a statutory form outright.

Check the conditions column for your jurisdiction before relying on any template, including the one on this page.

Types of notices to vacate

There are a few different types of notices to vacate which are used for different purposes and at different times. Below we go through some of these distinct situations.

Landlord to tenant: notice to vacate with cause

A notice to vacate with cause from a landlord to a tenant is typically issued when a tenant breaches the terms of the lease agreement. The most common breaches include failure to pay rent, subletting the property without prior consent, harboring unauthorized pets or guests, or other violations of the lease terms.

It is not the same as being evicted: removing a tenant requires a court order, whatever the notice says.

These notices have their own statutory forms. A pay-or-quit notice for unpaid rent and a cure-or-quit notice for a lease breach each carry wording, cure periods and service requirements set by state law, and they are not the same document as the termination notice templated above. The cure period and the required wording vary significantly by state, so use the notice prescribed for your jurisdiction. Our past-due rent notice template covers the non-payment case.

Tenant to landlord: notice to vacate with cause

A notice to vacate with cause initiated by a tenant normally occurs when the landlord breaches the lease or when the rental property becomes uninhabitable or unsafe — for example where maintenance concerns go unaddressed. Examples of critical repairs include a broken HVAC system, pest infestations, or an inoperative toilet.

How quickly a landlord must respond is set by state and local law, not by a national standard, and it varies with the severity of the problem. Defects that affect habitability or safety typically demand a much faster response than a cosmetic repair, and many states set an explicit statutory deadline. Check your state's repair-and-deduct and habitability provisions before relying on any particular timeframe, and document every request in writing.

Tenant to landlord: notice to vacate without cause

A notice to vacate without cause from a tenant signals the tenant's desire or necessity to end the tenancy, and functions as a formal lease termination letter.

A no-cause notice from a landlord is less straightforward. In several jurisdictions — including New Jersey, Washington and the District of Columbia — it is not available at all for most residential tenancies, and in California, Colorado, New Hampshire, New York and Oregon a cause requirement can have the same effect. Check the table above before assuming a no-cause notice is an option.

Tips for writing a notice to vacate letter

1. Check the table, then the lease. Find your jurisdiction above, read the conditions alongside the notice period, and then check whether your lease sets a different period where the law allows it to.
2. Be clear and professional: a notice to vacate can evoke emotional responses. Maintain a courteous tone and avoid using the letter to raise complaints or revisit past issues.
3. Provide forwarding information: if you're the tenant, include a forwarding address for the return of your security deposit.
4. Include a specific date: ensure the notice contains an exact termination date rather than a number of days, so there is no dispute about when the tenancy ends.

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Notice to vacate frequently asked questions

How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out?

It depends on the jurisdiction, and in several of them a notice period alone is not enough. Find your state or D.C. in the table above and read the conditions column alongside the notice period. 30 days is the most common figure, but North Carolina is 7 days, Delaware is 60, Hawaii is 45 from a landlord, and New Jersey, Washington and the District of Columbia require a legal ground rather than a notice period.

Can a landlord make you move out without notice?

A landlord must provide any termination notice required by the law of the jurisdiction and by the lease. Some fixed-term tenancies end on their stated expiration date without a separate termination notice, though this is not true everywhere — in New Hampshire, for example, the expiry of a lease alone is not good cause to end a tenancy on restricted property.

What a landlord cannot do is physically remove a residential tenant themselves. If a tenant remains after their lawful right to occupy has ended, the landlord generally must use the court eviction process rather than changing locks, removing belongings or shutting off utilities. Doing it themselves is a self-help eviction, and tenants can generally sue for damages. Even Arkansas, which has among the fewest tenant protections in the country, requires a writ of possession before a sheriff can remove anyone, as Legal Aid of Arkansas sets out.

What happens if a tenant does not leave after the notice period ends?

The tenancy ends but the tenant becomes a holdover, and the landlord must go to court to recover possession. You file an eviction or unlawful detainer action, the court hears it, and if you win the sheriff or marshal enforces the order. You cannot skip that step, and the notice itself gives you no right to remove anyone. See our guide on how to evict a tenant with no lease for the process where no written agreement exists.

Is a notice to vacate the same as an eviction notice?

No, although the phrases are often used interchangeably. A notice to vacate ends a tenancy and asks the tenant to leave by a date. An eviction is the court process that follows if they do not. Only a judge can order a tenant removed. The order of the steps varies by state and by the ground relied on: for non-payment or a lease breach the statutory notice is often the first step of the eviction process itself rather than something that comes after the lease has already ended.

Can I use this template for unpaid rent or a lease breach?

No. The templates on this page terminate a periodic tenancy or decline renewal. Unpaid rent calls for a pay-or-quit notice, and a lease breach calls for a cure-or-quit notice, and both have wording, cure periods and service requirements set by state law. They also will not satisfy a just-cause rule or a state that prescribes its own form. Using the wrong notice can produce an invalid one. Use the form your jurisdiction prescribes, or ask a local attorney.

How should I send a notice to vacate letter?

Service methods are set by the law of the jurisdiction, so check your entry in the table above and your lease before choosing one. Some states require personal service, some require service by a court officer such as a marshal or process server, and some permit posting or mailing only after an attempt at personal delivery has failed.

Do not put the notice in the tenant's mailbox. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1725 it is an offence to knowingly deposit mailable matter with no postage paid into a letter box approved by the Postal Service, and each offence carries a fine. Whichever method you use, keep proof of how and when you served it.

Does a fixed-term lease need a notice to vacate?

Fixed-term leases are outside the scope of the table above, which covers month-to-month tenancies. Depending on the jurisdiction and the lease, a fixed term may end automatically on its stated date, may require advance notice of non-renewal, or may be subject to cause restrictions that prevent the landlord treating expiry as a reason to end the tenancy. Check the lease first, then the law that applies to the property.

Can a notice to vacate be rescinded?

There is no rule making a notice irrevocable, and a landlord and tenant can agree to withdraw one. The constraint is practical rather than legal: if you have already signed a lease with a replacement tenant, withdrawing the notice may not be possible without breaching that new lease. Put any withdrawal in writing and have both parties sign it.

Is a notice to vacate the same as a non-renewal of lease letter?

They serve different purposes and arrive at different points. A non-renewal of lease letter is given closer to the end of the lease term to signal the lease will not renew. A notice to vacate is the broader instrument: it ends a periodic tenancy on notice, or ends a fixed-term lease early where there is cause or where the lease allows it. A landlord generally cannot end a fixed-term lease early without cause. A lease termination letter is the related document for ending a fixed-term lease.

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This page is general information, not legal advice. It draws on the statutes cited in the table above, each checked against its own text in September 2026, together with 18 U.S.C. § 1725 and USPS v. Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations, 453 U.S. 114 (1981), cited where they are used. Notice periods, cause requirements, service methods and local rules change. The templates here are termination and non-renewal notices only, not pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit or eviction forms, and they do not carry the extra statutory wording some jurisdictions require. Verify the current requirement against the cited law, or with a local attorney, before you serve a notice.