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    Free lease termination letter and agreement

    A lease termination letter ends a fixed-term lease before its scheduled end date, either by written agreement of landlord and tenant or under a right the lease or a law gives one side. It must name the parties, the property and the lease by date, state the exact termination date, and settle the money: rent through that date, any early termination fee, and how the security deposit will be returned.

    Last reviewed: · by MakeLease Editorial Team

    Lease Termination Letter generator

    Document type

    What kind of letter?

    Parties and property

    Lease and dates

    The date the lease was signed or began.

    The last day of the tenancy. Under the SCRA, see the effective-date rule below the generator.

    Money and move-out

    $
    Move-out requirements
    Blank PDF

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    Mutual Lease Termination Agreement

    Landlord:Morgan Patel
    Tenant(s):Jordan Lee
    Property:123 Maple Street, Unit 4, Springfield
    Lease dated:March 1, 2026
    Scheduled end date:February 28, 2027

    Landlord and Tenant are parties to a lease dated March 1, 2026 for the property listed above (the "Lease"), which is scheduled to end on February 28, 2027. Landlord and Tenant agree to end the Lease early on the terms below.

    Terms

    1. The Lease ends on November 30, 2026 (the "Termination Date"). Tenant will move out and return possession of the property to Landlord no later than the Termination Date. Until then, the Lease stays in full effect.
    2. Tenant pays rent through November 30, 2026. No rent is due for any period after that date.
    3. Tenant pays Landlord an early termination fee of $1,200 by November 15, 2026.
    4. The security deposit will be returned, less any permitted deductions, as provided in the lease and applicable law. Tenant's forwarding address for the deposit and any itemized statement is 48 Oak Avenue, Riverton.
    5. Tenant returns all keys, fobs, garage remotes and access cards to Landlord by the end date.
    6. Landlord and Tenant will do a move-out inspection on November 30, 2026. Tenant is invited to attend.
    7. Tenant leaves the unit clean and in the same condition as at move-in, except for normal wear and tear.
    8. Tenant transfers or closes any utilities in Tenant's name as of the end date.
    9. Release: Except for the obligations stated in this agreement, including rent and charges owed through the Termination Date and the handling of the security deposit, Landlord and Tenant release each other from all further obligations under the Lease for the period after the Termination Date.

    This agreement is the complete agreement about ending the Lease. Any change must be in writing and signed by both parties.

    Landlord signature (Morgan Patel)
    Date
    Tenant signature (Jordan Lee)
    Date
    Tenant signature
    Date

    Made free at make.lease/forms/lease-termination-letter

    What to include in a lease termination letter

    • The lease you are ending. The original lease date, the property address and the scheduled end date, so nobody confuses it with a renewal or a later lease.
    • The basis for ending it. Mutual agreement, the section number of the lease's early termination clause, or the statute relied on (for servicemembers, 50 U.S.C. § 3955).
    • One exact termination date. The last day of the tenancy and the date possession returns to the landlord.
    • Rent through the termination date. Whether rent is paid in full through that date, prorated, or already covered, in dollars if you can.
    • Any early termination fee. The amount and the due date. Leave it out entirely if none is owed rather than writing a vague reference.
    • Security deposit handling and a forwarding address. Say the deposit is returned per the lease and applicable law, and where to send it. See the security deposit law guide for deadlines.
    • Move-out logistics. Keys and access devices, the move-out inspection, condition, utilities.
    • Signatures. Both parties for a mutual agreement; the sender for a one-sided notice, ideally with a receipt line for the other side.

    How much notice is required?

    For a fixed-term lease there is usually no general notice period that lets either side end it early. The lease itself controls: if it has an early termination clause, that clause sets the notice period, the fee and any conditions, and the letter should follow it to the letter. Without a clause or a statute, early termination takes the other side's written agreement.

    The federal rule for servicemembers

    The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act lets a servicemember terminate a residential lease (50 U.S.C. § 3955) when one of these applies:

    • the lease was signed before the person entered military service, and they enter service during the lease term;
    • the servicemember signed the lease while in service and then receives military orders for a permanent change of station, or to deploy with a military unit or in support of a military operation for at least 90 days; or
    • the servicemember signed the lease after receiving such orders and then receives a stop movement order lasting at least 30 days or indefinitely that prevents occupancy.

    The tenant terminates by delivering written notice and a copy of the military orders to the landlord. The statute allows hand delivery, a private business carrier, mail with return receipt requested, or certain electronic means. For a lease with monthly rent, termination is effective 30 days after the first date on which the next rental payment is due after the notice is delivered. For other residential leases, it is effective on the last day of the month after the month in which notice is delivered. Unpaid rent for the period before the effective date is prorated, the landlord may not charge an early termination fee, and rent paid in advance for a period after the effective date must be refunded within 30 days of the effective date. Termination also ends a dependent's obligations under the lease. Check the statute text for the full conditions.

    State and local rights

    Some states give tenants a right to end a lease early in specific situations, such as survivors of domestic violence, and some set rules on early termination fees or a landlord's duty to re-rent. Those rules vary by state and sometimes by city. Check your state's landlord-tenant law before you send or answer an early termination letter.

    For a non-renewal letter, the timing question is different: check the lease for an automatic renewal or month-to-month conversion clause and its notice deadline, and your state's rules for ending a tenancy at the end of its term.

    Which version to use

    • Mutual termination agreement. Both sides want out, or a tenant asked and you said yes. Both sign. It sets the date, the money and a release. If money or claims are at stake (unpaid rent, damage, a fee that is being waived), have an attorney review the release before anyone signs.
    • Early termination request. The tenant asks; the landlord decides. The letter includes a response block with accept, accept with changes, or decline, so the answer comes back in writing.
    • Early termination notice. One side uses a right the lease already gives it, such as an early termination clause with a fee, or a servicemember terminates under the SCRA. Tick the SCRA box to add the statutory reference and an "orders attached" line; the fee field drops out because the statute bars the charge.
    • End-of-term non-renewal letter. The lease runs its full term and one side confirms it will not be renewed or roll into month-to-month.

    Termination letter vs notice to vacate vs eviction notice

    These three are often confused. A notice to vacate ends a periodic tenancy, such as month-to-month, by giving the notice period the law requires. A lease termination letter ends or modifies a fixed-term lease by agreement or under a lease clause. An eviction notice is the first step toward a court case when a tenant breaks the lease.

    Lease termination letterNotice to vacateEviction notice
    Used forFixed-term lease ending early, or confirming it won't renewEnding a month-to-month or other periodic tenancyTenant breach: unpaid rent, lease violations
    Based onAgreement, a lease clause, or a statute such as the SCRAThe notice period set by state or local lawState eviction statutes
    Who signsBoth sides (agreement) or the sender (notice)The senderThe landlord
    ToneCooperative, settles money termsNeutral, no reason usually neededAdversarial, starts a legal process
    If ignoredAgreement terms apply; a refused request leaves the lease in forceHoldover; may lead to evictionLandlord may file in court

    This page does not provide eviction notices. Eviction steps are set by state law; start from your state's landlord-tenant law page.

    Worked example: SCRA effective date

    A tenant pays rent on the 1st of each month. She receives permanent change of station orders and hand-delivers a termination notice with a copy of the orders on October 10.

    1. The next rental payment due after delivery is November 1.
    2. Termination is effective 30 days after that date: December 1.
    3. She owes prorated rent for the period before December 1, which here is November's rent. No early termination fee can be charged.
    4. If she had already paid December rent, the landlord refunds the part for the period after the effective date within 30 days of December 1.

    If she had delivered notice on October 31 instead, the next payment would still be due November 1 and the result would be the same. Delivered on November 2, the next due date becomes December 1 and termination moves to December 31. Deliver the notice before a rent due date, not just after one. Excess wear and other charges owed under the lease still apply (50 U.S.C. § 3955(e)).

    Getting the money terms right

    Most disputes after an early move-out are about money that the letter left vague. Write the numbers down:

    • Rent. If the termination date falls mid-month, say whether rent is prorated by day or paid in full for the month, and give the dollar amount.
    • The fee. If the lease clause sets a fee, quote the same amount. In a mutual agreement, the fee is whatever you both agree to; write "no fee" in the other terms box if that is the deal.
    • The deposit. Don't treat the deposit as the fee unless you both agree to it in writing. Otherwise return it with any itemized deductions under the usual rules for your state.
    • The release. The mutual agreement's release covers obligations after the termination date and keeps the obligations stated in the agreement. If you want it to cover anything else, such as known damage, write that in and get legal advice first.

    Re-renting the unit? The free lease agreement generator creates the next lease, and the move-in/move-out checklist documents condition at the inspection.

    Lease Termination Letter by state

    Each state page shows that state's cited rules for this document and opens the form preset for the state. States missing from the list don't have enough statewide rules in our dataset yet; use the form above and check your state's statute.

    Delivery tips

    • Follow the notice clause in your lease first. Many leases say how notices must be delivered (in person, by mail, to a specific address). Your state may also set the permitted methods; check your state's landlord-tenant law.
    • Use a method that creates proof. Certified mail with a return receipt (USPS calls it Return Receipt) gives you a dated record of mailing and delivery. Hand delivery works too if you get a signed, dated acknowledgment or bring a witness.
    • Leave a margin on the dates. Deliver early enough that the full notice period fits even if the tenant receives it a few days after you send it. States differ on when a mailed notice counts as given, so don't cut it to the day.
    • Keep a complete copy. Save the signed document, the mailing receipt, the tracking printout and any reply. Store them with the lease.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can a tenant end a lease early just by sending a letter?

    Only if the lease or a law gives them that right. A fixed-term lease normally runs to its end date. A tenant can end it early if the lease has an early termination clause and they follow it, if a statute such as the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act applies, or if the landlord agrees in writing. Otherwise a letter is a request, and the landlord can say no.

    Is a mutual lease termination agreement the same as a release?

    It usually includes one. The agreement sets the end date and the money terms, then says both sides are released from further lease obligations except the ones listed. If either side is giving up a claim for unpaid rent, damage or a fee, have a local attorney review the release before you sign it.

    Can I charge an early termination fee?

    You can collect a fee the lease clause already sets, or one the tenant agrees to in a mutual termination agreement. State law can affect whether a fee is enforceable, so check your state's rules before relying on one. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, a landlord may not charge an early termination fee when a qualifying servicemember terminates.

    What happens to the security deposit when a lease ends early?

    The deposit is handled the same way as at any other move-out: returned with any permitted deductions itemized, within the deadline your state sets. Ending the lease early does not by itself forfeit the deposit unless the lease clause or the agreement says the deposit is applied to a fee, so spell that out in writing and get a forwarding address.

    Do I need a non-renewal letter if the lease has an end date?

    Often yes. Many leases renew automatically or convert to month-to-month unless one side gives written notice by a deadline, and your state or city may set its own notice rules for ending a tenancy. A non-renewal letter sent before that deadline removes any doubt about the move-out date.

    Sources

    Sources last checked 2026-10-26.

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