A notice to vacate is the written notice that ends a tenancy on a specific date. Tenants use it to announce they are moving out at the end of a lease or a month-to-month term. Landlords use it to end a tenancy without alleging fault.
This template adapts to whichever side you are on: pick tenant or landlord and the letter rewrites itself with the right wording, the move-out date, and the deposit instructions.
How much notice do you have to give?
For month-to-month tenancies, most states require at least 30 days of written notice from either side, and several require 60 days when the tenant has lived in the home for over a year (California is the best-known example). For fixed-term leases, check the lease itself: many require 30 or 60 days of notice before the end date, and some convert automatically to month-to-month if nobody gives notice.
- Month-to-month, most states: 30 days from either party
- California, tenants in place over a year: 60 days from the landlord
- Georgia: 60 days from the landlord, 30 days from the tenant
- Delaware and the District of Columbia: 60 days in most cases
Your lease can require more notice than state law
When the lease requires 60 days and state law only 30, the lease usually controls. Read your lease before dating the letter.
Move-out checklist for tenants
- Send the notice in writing and keep proof of delivery (certified mail works best)
- Give at least the notice period your lease and state require
- Include a forwarding address so the deposit refund can reach you
- Request a walk-through inspection and photograph every room when you leave
- Return all keys, remotes, garage openers, and mailbox keys
When a landlord should use this notice
Use this notice to end a month-to-month tenancy without alleging fault, or to remind a tenant that a fixed-term lease will not be renewed. If the tenant owes rent or violated the lease and you want them out faster than the no-fault period allows, use a pay-or-quit or cure-or-quit notice instead: those follow the shorter statutory periods for cause.
Rent control and just-cause laws
In rent-controlled cities and in states with just-cause eviction laws (California, Oregon, Washington, New Jersey, among others), a landlord may need a legally recognized reason and sometimes relocation assistance to end a tenancy. Check local rules before serving a no-fault notice.
Frequently asked questions
Is a notice to vacate the same as an eviction notice?
No. A notice to vacate ends a tenancy on a set date without alleging fault. An eviction notice (pay or quit, cure or quit) is the first step of a court eviction based on nonpayment or a lease violation.
Can I give notice mid-month for a month-to-month tenancy?
In many states, notice takes effect at the end of the next full rental period, so a notice given on June 10 often ends the tenancy on July 31. Some states allow any 30-day window. Check your state's rule before choosing the date.
What happens if I move out without giving notice?
You typically remain liable for rent through the notice period you should have given, and the landlord may deduct it from your security deposit or pursue it in small claims court.
Do I have to give a reason for the notice?
For a standard month-to-month termination, most states do not require a reason from either party. Just-cause jurisdictions are the exception for landlords: there, a recognized reason is required.
Should I send the notice by certified mail?
Yes, whenever possible. Certified mail gives you a dated receipt and tracking, which settles any later argument about whether and when the notice was received.
Notice to Vacate rules in all 50 states
The table below summarizes the verified state rules with their statutory citations. Click your state for the full local guide; where a cell says "see statute", the rule is either not uniform or not compressed into a single number, and the state page explains what to check.
| State | Landlord notice | Tenant notice | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 30 days | 30 days | Ala. Code 35-9A-441(b) |
| Alaska | 30 days | 30 days | Alaska Stat. 34.03.290(b) |
| Arizona | 30 days | 30 days | Ariz. Rev. Stat. 33-1375(B) |
| Arkansas | 30 days | 30 days | Ark. Code Ann. 18-17-704 |
| California | 30 days | 30 days | Cal. Civ. Code 1946.1 |
| Colorado | See statute | 21 days | Colo. Rev. Stat. 13-40-107(1)(c) |
| Connecticut | See statute | See statute | See statute |
| Delaware | 60 days | 60 days | Del. Code tit. 25, 5106, 5107 |
| District of Columbia | See statute | 30 days | D.C. Code 42-3202 |
| Florida | 30 days | 30 days | Fla. Stat. 83.57 |
| Georgia | 60 days | 30 days | Ga. Code Ann. 44-7-7 |
| Hawaii | 45 days | 28 days | Haw. Rev. Stat. 521-71(a) |
| Idaho | 30 days | 30 days | Idaho Code 55-208 |
| Illinois | 30 days | 30 days | 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/9-207 |
| Indiana | 30 days | 30 days | Ind. Code 32-31-1-1 |
| Iowa | 30 days | 30 days | Iowa Code 562A.34(2) |
| Kansas | 30 days | 30 days | Kan. Stat. Ann. 58-2570(b) |
| Kentucky | 30 days | 30 days | Ky. Rev. Stat. 383.695(2) |
| Louisiana | 10 days | 10 days | La. Civ. Code art. 2728 |
| Maine | 30 days | 30 days | Me. Stat. tit. 14, 6002 |
| Maryland | 60 days | See statute | Md. Code, Real Prop. 8-402(c) |
| Massachusetts | 30 days | 30 days | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, 12 |
| Michigan | 30 days | 30 days | Mich. Comp. Laws 554.134(1) |
| Minnesota | See statute | See statute | See statute |
| Mississippi | 30 days | 30 days | Miss. Code Ann. 89-8-19 |
| Missouri | 30 days | 30 days | Mo. Rev. Stat. 441.060 |
| Montana | 30 days | 30 days | Mont. Code Ann. 70-24-441 |
| Nebraska | 30 days | 30 days | Neb. Rev. Stat. 76-1437(2) |
| Nevada | 30 days | See statute | Nev. Rev. Stat. 40.251 |
| New Hampshire | See statute | See statute | See statute |
| New Jersey | See statute | See statute | See statute |
| New Mexico | 30 days | 30 days | N.M. Stat. Ann. 47-8-37(B) |
| New York | 30 days | 30 days | N.Y. Real Prop. Law 226-c |
| North Carolina | 7 days | 7 days | N.C. Gen. Stat. 42-14 |
| North Dakota | 30 days | 30 days | N.D. Cent. Code 47-16-15 |
| Ohio | 30 days | 30 days | Ohio Rev. Code 5321.17(B) |
| Oklahoma | 30 days | 30 days | Okla. Stat. tit. 41, 111(B) |
| Oregon | 30 days | 30 days | Or. Rev. Stat. 90.427 |
| Pennsylvania | 15 days | See statute | 68 Pa. Stat. 250.501(b) |
| Rhode Island | 30 days | 30 days | R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-37 |
| South Carolina | 30 days | 30 days | S.C. Code Ann. 27-40-770 |
| South Dakota | 30 days | 30 days | S.D. Codified Laws 43-32-13 |
| Tennessee | 30 days | 30 days | Tenn. Code Ann. 66-28-512 |
| Texas | 30 days | 30 days | Tex. Prop. Code 91.001 |
| Utah | 15 days | See statute | Utah Code 78B-6-802(1)(b)(i) |
| Vermont | 60 days | See statute | Vt. Stat. tit. 9, 4467(c) |
| Virginia | 30 days | 30 days | Va. Code 55.1-1253(A) |
| Washington | See statute | 20 days | Wash. Rev. Code 59.18.200 |
| West Virginia | 30 days | 30 days | W. Va. Code 37-6-5 |
| Wisconsin | 28 days | 28 days | Wis. Stat. 704.19(3) |
| Wyoming | See statute | See statute | See statute |