Notice to Vacate Letter
Page last updated: August 22, 2026 · How we source & update
A written notice telling your landlord that you intend to end your tenancy and move out. It creates a dated, documented record of your intent to leave.
Educational — information, not legal advice, and not attorney-reviewed.
When should I send a notice to vacate?
Use this when you've decided not to renew your lease or need to end a month-to-month tenancy and want to give official written notice.
What should a notice to vacate include?
- Your name, the rental address, and the date you're writing
- A clear statement that you are ending the tenancy
- Your intended move-out date, based on what your state and lease require
- Your forwarding address for return of your security deposit
- A request for a move-out inspection, if your state or lease allows one
- A statement that you'll leave the unit in the condition your lease requires
What should I attach to a notice to vacate?
- A copy of your lease showing the terms of your tenancy
- Any prior written communication about renewal or moving out
- Photos of the unit's condition before you leave
- Confirmation of how and when you delivered this notice
What should I check before I send a notice to vacate?
- Confirm the notice period your state and lease require using the app's state guide
- Make sure the letter is dated and signed
- Send it using a method that gives you proof of delivery, such as certified mail or email with confirmation
- Save a copy for your records, and let Renter Shield generate and customize this letter and track your move-out deadline
What should the letter say?
Everything in [square brackets] is yours to replace. Nothing is sent anywhere from this page — edit it here, copy it, and send it yourself however your lease says notices are given.
Deliberately no deadlines or dollar figures. Those are set by your state, city and lease, so this letter leaves them to you — your state page carries the sourced rule and its review status. This wording is a general-purpose draft, is not attorney-reviewed, and is information, not legal advice.
You can type directly in the box. Your edits stay in this browser tab and are not saved or transmitted.
When should I not send a notice to vacate?
- You are leaving early and your term has not ended. That is breaking a lease, which has financial consequences and specific legal exits — read the breaking-a-lease guide first; this notice alone does not release you.
- You are leaving because of conditions, harassment, or safety. There may be a protected route with different notice requirements; get free legal aid before you rely on an ordinary notice.
- You have already received an eviction notice or court papers. Do not respond with a move-out notice without advice — it can affect what you owe and what is on your record.
How do I send a notice to vacate and keep proof?
Sending. Send it by the method your lease names for notices, and keep proof of the date. Give the forwarding address in writing even if you also say it in person — in several states the deposit clock depends on it.
Keeping. Keep: your lease, this notice, delivery proof, the move-out photo set (every room, wide then close), the key handover record, and your forwarding-address proof.
Status of this wording: general-purpose draft, written by Renter Shield, not attorney-reviewed, no statutory deadline or dollar figure asserted. Rules vary by state, city, housing type and lease. Last updated September 3, 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.
Want the deadline tracked too?
The letter above is yours to use right now, free, with no account. The Renter Shield app can also keep your dated copy and photos together on your device — that part is optional. — free to start.
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