Notice to Vacate Template (Tenant to Landlord)
A tenant’s written notice that ends a month-to-month tenancy — or confirms you will leave when the lease term ends — with the move-out date, a forwarding address for the security deposit and a request for a move-out inspection. Enter the tenancy details once and the letter fills them in everywhere.
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A general template, not legal advice — review it before you use it. Draftmill is not a law firm.
Maria Lopez and James Carter
Unit B, 4127 Pecan Hollow Drive, Austin, Texas 78745
(512) 555-0193 · maria.lopez@example.com
October 11, 2026
By certified mail, return receipt requested, and by email
Live Oak Residential LLC
8100 Mesa Ridge Drive, Suite 300, Austin, Texas 78759
Re: Notice of intent to vacate — Unit B, 4127 Pecan Hollow Drive, Austin, Texas 78745
This letter is written notice from Maria Lopez and James Carter (“Tenant”) to Live Oak Residential LLC (“Landlord”) that Tenant will vacate Unit B, 4127 Pecan Hollow Drive, Austin, Texas 78745 (the “Premises”), which Tenant rents under the residential lease dated June 17, 2025 (the “Lease”).
Tenant now rents the Premises from month to month, the original term of the Lease having ended. Tenant will move out and return possession of the Premises no later than November 30, 2026 (the “Move-Out Date”), and the tenancy will end on that date. This notice is given at least 30 days before the Move-Out Date, as the Lease and the law of the State of Texas require. If the Lease has a fixed term, this notice also confirms that Tenant will not renew or extend it and that the tenancy will not continue from month to month after the term ends.
Tenant will pay the rent due under the Lease through the end of the tenancy and does not ask Landlord to apply the security deposit to that rent. By the Move-Out Date, Tenant will remove all of Tenant’s belongings, leave the Premises clean and in the same condition as at the start of the tenancy except for normal wear and tear, return all keys and access devices to Landlord, and end the utility services in Tenant’s name as of that date.
Move-out inspection. Tenant requests a joint inspection of the Premises before the Move-Out Date, so that anything Landlord believes needs attention can be identified while Tenant can still take care of it. Where state law gives Tenant the right to a pre-move-out inspection, this letter is Tenant’s request for it. Tenant is available on weekdays after 4 p.m. and on weekends during the last week of the tenancy; please contact Tenant at (512) 555-0193 or maria.lopez@example.com to schedule it.
Security deposit and forwarding address. Tenant paid a security deposit of $1,850.00. Please return it and any other refundable deposit, less only lawful deductions, together with a written itemized list of any deductions, within the time required by the law of the State of Texas, to Tenant’s forwarding address:
918 Brushy Creek Road, Apartment 204, Cedar Park, Texas 78613
This letter is Tenant’s written notice of that forwarding address. Please confirm in writing that you have received this notice.
Sincerely,
______________________________
Tenant (signature and printed name)
______________________________
Tenant (signature and printed name)
Acknowledgment of receipt
Received by Landlord on ____________________
______________________________
For Live Oak Residential LLC (signature and printed name)
What it's for
A notice to vacate — also called a notice of intent to vacate or a lease termination letter — tells the landlord in writing the date the tenant will move out. For a month-to-month tenancy, it is what ends the tenancy; for a fixed-term lease, it confirms that the tenant will leave when the term ends rather than renew or stay on month to month. Given in writing and on time, it protects the tenant from owing another month’s rent and starts the landlord’s deadline for returning the security deposit.
The notice period comes from state law and the lease. To end a month-to-month tenancy, most states require 30 days or one rental period — 30 days in California (Cal. Civ. Code § 1946) and at least one month in Texas (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001) — but Washington requires at least 20 days before the end of a rental period (RCW 59.18.200) and Florida at least 30 days before the end of a monthly period (Fla. Stat. § 83.57). A lease may require longer notice, and some cities add their own rules. The letter also gives the landlord a written forwarding address, which some states make a condition of the deposit refund — in Texas, the landlord need not return the deposit until the tenant provides one (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.107).
The sample is filled in for two tenants of a duplex unit in Austin, Texas, whose lease has continued month to month after its original term. Change the values and the letter updates everywhere.
What it should include
- the names of every tenant and the address of the rental unit
- the landlord or property manager it is addressed to
- the date of the lease, and whether the tenancy is month-to-month or for a fixed term
- the date of the notice and the move-out date, allowing the full notice period
- a forwarding address for the security deposit refund
- a request for a move-out inspection and how to reach the tenant
- the return of keys and the end of utilities in the tenant’s name
- the signature of every tenant on the lease
How it works
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Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a tenant have to give before moving out?
For a month-to-month tenancy, usually 30 days or one full rental period, but it depends on the state and your lease. California requires at least 30 days (Civ. Code § 1946); Texas at least one month unless the lease sets a different period (Prop. Code § 91.001); Florida at least 30 days before the end of a monthly rental period (Fla. Stat. § 83.57); and Washington at least 20 days before the end of a rental period (RCW 59.18.200). Where the notice must end with a rental period, a notice given on the 15th generally ends the tenancy at the end of the following month, not 30 days later. If your lease requires longer notice, give the longer one.
Do I need to give notice if my lease is ending anyway?
Often yes. Many leases renew automatically or continue month to month unless one side gives written notice by a deadline — 30 or 60 days before the end of the term is common — and staying even one day past the end can make you liable for more rent. Where the lease simply ends on a fixed date and says nothing about notice, some states do not require one, but sending it anyway costs nothing: it fixes the move-out date in writing, gives the landlord your forwarding address and lets you request a move-out inspection.
How do I make sure I get my security deposit back?
Give your forwarding address in writing — in Texas the landlord need not return the deposit until you do (Prop. Code § 92.107) — and do not withhold the last month’s rent on the ground that the deposit covers it: in Texas, a tenant who does so in bad faith can owe three times the rent withheld plus attorney’s fees (§ 92.108). Clean the unit, return every key, and take dated photos or video at move-out. Ask for a walk-through: in California, the tenant has the right to request an inspection before moving out, so problems can be fixed and not deducted (Civ. Code § 1950.5(f)). The landlord must then return the deposit, with an itemized list of any deductions, within the state’s deadline — for example 14 days in New York, 21 in California and 30 in Texas and Washington.
Can I break my lease early by giving notice?
A notice to vacate ends a month-to-month tenancy, but it does not by itself end a fixed-term lease before its term is up — unless the lease has an early termination clause, you will usually owe rent until the end of the term or until the unit is re-rented. Many states, including Texas (Prop. Code § 91.006), require the landlord to try to re-rent the unit to reduce what you owe. Federal law lets servicemembers end a residential lease after entering military service or receiving orders for a permanent change of station or a deployment of 90 days or more (50 U.S.C. § 3955), and many states let victims of family violence, sexual assault or stalking end a lease early with proper documentation.
This template is a general starting point. Draftmill is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice; using a template creates no attorney–client relationship, and we do not guarantee that it is correct or suitable for your situation. Laws differ from state to state — adapt it to your situation, and have important contracts reviewed by an attorney licensed in your state. Terms of Service
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