Non-Renewal Lease Letter: Templates, Notice Periods and Tips
A non-renewal lease letter is a short written notice saying a lease will end on its expiry date and won't be renewed. Landlords and tenants both use one. The rule that matters most: send it so it arrives before the longer of your lease's notice period and the legal one. Below you'll find state examples, what to include, and two templates you can copy. It's general information, not legal advice.
What is a non-renewal lease letter?
A non-renewal lease letter, also called a notice of non-renewal of lease, is a written notice from a landlord or tenant saying the lease will not continue after its current term. It names the property, the parties and the end date. It is not an eviction notice. It simply ends the tenancy on the date the lease already allows.
A lease renewal letter does the opposite. It offers the tenant a new term, often with updated rent. Tenants use the same idea in reverse. A not renewing lease letter from a tenant tells the landlord they plan to move out when the lease ends.
One caution before you start. In some places a landlord can't simply decline to renew. Just cause or good cause rules may require a lawful reason, and the state examples below show how much the rules differ.
When should you send a notice of non-renewal of lease?
Send your notice of non-renewal of lease early enough to satisfy both the lease and the law. Where the two differ, the longer period usually sets the deadline. Expect 30, 60 or 90 days, depending on the state, the city, the type of tenancy and how long the tenant has lived there.
The four states below are summaries of the official sources, checked in October 2026. Cities often add rules on top, so check yours (or ask a lawyer) before you rely on any number here.
California
In California, the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara guide puts it simply. Thirty days' notice ends a month-to-month tenancy, and a landlord needs 60 if the tenant has been there more than a year. A tenant who wants to leave never owes more than 30 days, even after ten years in the unit.
Then there's the Tenant Protection Act. The California Department of Real Estate explains that its just cause protections apply once a tenant has lived in the unit for more than 12 months, though some units are exempt. If the landlord's reason is no-fault (say the owner wants to move back in), the tenant is owed relocation assistance worth one month's rent. Plenty of cities go further.
New York
New York ties the notice to how long the tenant has been there. Under New York Real Property Law section 226-c, a landlord who won't renew a residential tenancy, or who plans a rent increase of 5% or more, has to say so in writing. That's at least 30 days for a tenant of under a year, 60 days for one to two years, and 90 days for anyone there longer than two years or on a lease of two years or more.
In New York City, the Good Cause Eviction Law goes further. NYC Housing Preservation and Development says that for covered market-rate homes, not renewing a lease counts as ending a tenancy, so the landlord needs a good cause reason. Small landlords who own 10 units or fewer are exempt. Some other New York localities have opted in, so check yours.
Texas
Texas Property Code section 91.001 lets either party end a month-to-month tenancy by giving notice. Where rent is paid monthly, the tenancy ends on the later of the date in the notice or one month after the notice is given. The parties can agree a different notice period in a document both of them sign, so read the lease closely.
Florida
Florida Statutes section 83.57 says a month-to-month tenancy can be ended by written notice given at least 30 days before the end of any monthly period. A year-to-year tenancy needs at least 60 days. Under section 83.575, a fixed-term lease can require the tenant to give notice before moving out only if the landlord must also give notice of non-renewal, and that period must be 30 to 60 days.
A short note for readers in England
England works differently now. GOV.UK guidance says most assured shorthold tenancies became rolling assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026, under the Renters' Rights Act, and section 21 no-fault evictions ended. Tenants can end the tenancy with 2 months' notice. Landlords need a legal ground for possession and usually have to give four months' notice. A US-style non-renewal letter doesn't fit this system.
What should a lease non-renewal letter include?
A lease non-renewal letter should name every party, identify the property, state clearly that the lease will not be renewed, and give the exact final date. It should also explain move-out steps and how to reach you. Keep it factual and polite. Include anything your lease or local law requires, such as a stated reason or specific wording.
- Date of the letter.
- Full names of every tenant and every landlord or managing agent on the lease.
- Full property address, including unit number.
- Lease start date and current end date.
- A plain sentence that the lease will not be renewed.
- The move-out date and the time keys should be returned.
- A reason, if your state or city requires one.
- Move-out steps: inspection, keys, utilities and a forwarding address for the security deposit.
- Contact details and a signature.
- A request to confirm receipt in writing.
Landlord non-renewal of lease letter template
Landlords and property managers, this one's yours. Fill in the brackets and delete the reason line if your area doesn't need one. Before it goes out, check two things: the notice period (lease or local law, whichever is longer) and whether a just cause or good cause rule covers the unit.
[Date]
To: [Tenant full name(s)], [Property address, unit number, city, state, ZIP]
Re: Notice of non-renewal of lease for [property address]
Dear [Tenant name(s)],
I'm writing to let you know that your lease for [property address] will not be renewed. It began on [lease start date] and ends on [lease end date].
Please move out and return all keys, fobs and garage remotes by [time] on [move-out date].
[Reason for non-renewal, if required by local law. Delete this line if not required.]
We'd like to do a move-out inspection with you. Please call or email by [date] to pick a time.
Send us your forwarding address in writing and we'll return your security deposit, less any lawful deductions, within the time [state] law allows.
Questions? Contact [contact person] at [phone] or [email]. Please reply in writing to confirm you received this notice.
Sincerely, [Landlord or property manager name], [Management company], [Signature]
Tenant not renewing lease letter template
Tenants, use this one. Fill in the brackets, then look up two things in your lease: how much notice it wants, and how it wants the notice delivered. What counts is the day the letter arrives, not the day you post it.
[Date]
To: [Landlord or property manager name], [Landlord address]
Re: Notice that I will not renew my lease at [property address, unit number]
Dear [Landlord name],
I'm writing to give notice that I won't be renewing my lease for [property address]. The lease began on [lease start date] and ends on [lease end date].
I'll move out and return all keys by [time] on [move-out date].
Could we arrange a move-out inspection before then? I'm usually free [days and times].
Please send my security deposit, less any lawful deductions and with an itemized list of them, to this forwarding address: [forwarding address].
You can reach me at [phone] or [email]. I'd be grateful for a short written reply confirming you got this notice.
Sincerely, [Tenant full name(s)], [Signature]
How do you deliver a non-renewal notice and prove it?
Use whatever method your lease and local law require, and keep proof of when the notice went out and when it arrived. If the lease names a method or an address, use exactly that. If it doesn't, US landlords and tenants usually send certified mail with a return receipt, because the receipt comes back with a signature and a date on it.
Hand delivery works if the other person signs and dates your copy. Email only works if the lease allows it, and then you keep the sent message and any reply. Whichever you pick, send it to every person named on the lease, not just the one you usually deal with, and file the signed letter with its receipt or tracking record.
Allow a few extra days for the post. Depending on the rules that apply, a notice that arrives one day late may not count.
What are the most common mistakes with non-renewal letters?
Most mistakes are about timing. A typical one: a New York landlord sends the usual 30-day letter to a tenant who's lived in the apartment for three years, when section 226-c required 90. Vague dates and missing names cause their share of trouble too.
- Counting the notice period from the wrong date, or forgetting mail time.
- Leaving out a co-tenant or a second landlord.
- Writing an unclear move-out date, such as "end of the month".
- Keeping no proof of delivery.
Two more. Read the lease for an automatic renewal clause, because it can roll the tenancy over before anyone acts. And keep the tone flat. An angry letter won't end the tenancy any sooner, and it may one day be read out in court.
How do you never miss a lease notice deadline?
Put the notice deadline on your calendar, not the lease end date. Work backward from the end date by the required notice period, add mailing time, then set reminders 90, 60 and 30 days before that notice date. Give each lease a named owner so one person is responsible for acting.
Here is a simple example. A lease ends on June 30 and needs 60 days' notice. Sixty days before June 30 is May 1, so the notice must reach the other party by then. If you add a week for mail, the real working deadline is late April. A reminder on June 1 would be far too late.
- List every lease in one register with the property, parties, start date and end date.
- Record the notice period from the lease and from local law, and use the longer one.
- Work out the notice deadline. The renewal date calculator does this for you.
- Set reminders at 90, 60 and 30 days before the notice deadline, plus a final one at 7 days.
- Assign a named owner to each lease and note the decision: renew, renegotiate or send non-renewal.
- Save the sent letter and proof of delivery against the lease record.
If you manage a handful of units, a spreadsheet can work. This contract renewal tracker template has columns for end dates, notice periods and owners.
Once you manage more leases, reminders that depend on someone opening a spreadsheet tend to slip. ExpiryEdge keeps a register with a named owner for each lease, reminds that person by email, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack or Microsoft Teams before each notice date, escalates to a manager if nobody acts, and keeps an audit trail of who was reminded and when. See how property teams use it on the real estate page. It won't draft or serve the notice for you; it makes sure the right person knows the deadline is coming. There's a 14-day free trial, no card needed.
Frequently asked questions
In many places yes, but not everywhere. California's Tenant Protection Act and New York's Good Cause Eviction Law limit no-reason non-renewals for many covered units, and some cities have their own rules. Check local law or ask a lawyer before sending a non-renewal of lease letter without a reason.
Only if your lease or local law requires one. Where just cause or good cause rules apply, the reason and supporting details may be required. Where they do not, a short, factual non-renewal lease letter without a reason is common.
Sometimes. If the lease allows email notice and local law does not require another method, email may work. Many landlords and tenants also send a copy by certified mail with a return receipt so they have proof of delivery. Follow any method your lease names.
A renewal letter offers a new lease term, usually with updated rent or terms. A non-renewal letter says the current lease ends on its expiry date and won't continue. Both run on deadlines, and in New York a renewal with a rent rise of 5% or more needs the same advance notice as a non-renewal. Track the send-by date for each.
It depends on the lease and the law. The lease may renew automatically, the tenancy may continue month to month, or the notice may only take effect at a later date. Read the lease and check local law. Tracking the notice date with reminders is the simplest way to avoid this.
Usually, yes. The federal ESIGN Act and state UETA laws make e-signatures valid for most documents. So a tenant or landlord can e-sign to confirm they got your notice. But you still have to deliver the notice itself the way your lease and state law require. Treat the e-signed form as extra proof they got it. It doesn't replace proper delivery.
