A 30-Day Notice To Landlord is a document where a tenant notifies the landlord that they will not be renewing the lease. This notice also informs the landlord of the move-out date and where to send the security deposit.
Failure to give this notice may mean the lease converts into a month-to-month tenancy when it expires. This can result in additional rent, penalties, and the withholding of the security deposit.
Some jurisdictions do not have an exactly 30-day standard. Depending on the lease and local laws, tenants may need to provide a greater amount of notice.
The landlord and tenant both have to give notice of non-renewal if they intend to discontinue the lease. This document is often called a 30-Day Notice, but the actual time allowed may vary based on the lease agreement or state law.
For fixed-term leases, the lease agreement may specify the minimum time required (if any) for sending a notice of non-renewal to the landlord. Many lease agreements require 60-90 days of notice from the tenant, rather than just 30.
Some leases contain no standards for notice of non-renewal. This is most common in month-to-month rentals that result from an expired fixed-term lease.
State laws specify the timeframe for sending notice of termination. It’s important that tenants meet these timeframes to avoid delays in ending their lease. The following table provides state standards for notice of termination to a landlord:
| State | Month-to-Month Lease |
| Alabama | 30 days |
| Alaska | 30 days |
| Arizona | 30 days |
| Arkansas | 30 days |
| California | 30 days |
| Colorado | 21 days |
| Connecticut | No statute |
| Delaware | 60 days (counted from the first day of the month following the date the notice was sent) |
| Florida | 15 days |
| Georgia | 30 days |
| Hawaii | 28 days |
| Idaho | One month |
| Illinois | 30 days |
| Indiana | One Month |
| Iowa | 30 days |
| Kansas | 30 days |
| Kentucky | 30 days |
| Louisiana | 10 days |
| Maine | 30 days |
| Maryland | 30 days |
| Massachusetts | The interval between days of payment or 30 days, whichever is longer |
| Michigan | One month |
| Minnesota | The interval between the time rent is due or 3 months, whichever is shorter |
| Mississippi | 30 days |
| Missouri | One month |
| Montana | 30 days |
| Nebraska | 30 days |
| Nevada | 30 days |
| New Hampshire | 30 days |
| New Jersey | One month |
| New Mexico | 30 days |
| New York | One month |
| North Carolina | 7 days |
| North Dakota | One month |
| Ohio | 30 days |
| Oklahoma | 30 days |
| Oregon | 30 days |
| Pennsylvania | No statute |
| Rhode Island | 30 days |
| South Carolina | 30 days |
| South Dakota | One month |
| Tennessee | 30 days |
| Texas | One month |
| Utah | No statute |
| Vermont | One rental period |
| Virginia | 30 days |
| Washington | 20 days |
| Washington D.C. | 30 days |
| West Virginia | One month |
| Wisconsin | 28 days |
| Wyoming | No statute |
Moving out without a lawful notice of termination can lead to the following consequences:
It’s customary for tenants to give more notice than legally required. This is strictly optional, but is beneficial for the following reasons:
A 30-day notice to the landlord usually includes the following information:
The following information is usually avoided in notice to the landlord:
It’s in the tenant’s interest to document existing issues, plus any that may arise during the move-out process. However, unnecessarily antagonizing a landlord can lead to disputes which may delay or complicate the move.
Most lease agreements specify how to deliver a notice of non-renewal.
When the lease is silent, it’s customary to send notice in a way that documents delivery with a signature. Certified mail is a popular choice. Restricted delivery is an additional option, since only the addressee can sign for it.
Savvy tenants usually keep a copy of non-renewal notices filed with a notation of what means were used to deliver the notice, the postmarked date, and any other relevant information.
After sending a 30-Day Notice To Landlord, the next step is to make initial move-out preparations.
In most cases, after getting notice of non-renewal, the landlord acknowledges the notice and provides a copy of their move-out checklist (which may already be included in the lease). At this point a tenant can discuss timing for completing the checklist items. These include things such as:
Tenants don’t stop needing housing when a lease ends. The period before move-out is typically when the soon-to-be former tenant finds a new property to rent. A landlord’s reference letter often helps tenants to secure a new rental property.
Month-to-Month Lease Agreement
Rental Application Form
Residential Sublease Agreement
Lease Termination Letter
Room Rental Agreement
Commercial Lease Agreement
