Intent to Vacate Letter Template: 30, 60 & 90-Day Samples
Moving out should be simple: you tell your landlord you are leaving, you hand back the keys, and your deposit comes back. In practice, the part that goes wrong is almost always the notice — sent too late, by text instead of in writing, or missing the date the lease ends. A short written letter fixes all three.
Three free templates follow — 30, 60, and 90 days — plus the notice period your state requires and the steps that get your deposit back. Copy the one that fits, fill in the brackets, and send it the right way.
What Is an Intent to Vacate Letter?
An intent to vacate letter is a written notice from a tenant telling the landlord they will move out on a specific date. Most leases require notice in writing, a set number of days before you leave.
The letter does three jobs: it starts the clock on your notice period, so the landlord cannot claim they never knew; it fixes the move-out date in writing; and it creates a paper trail if the deposit comes back short.
A text or a phone call is not a substitute. Send the letter anyway. Email works if your lease allows it, but certified mail or hand delivery with a signed receipt is stronger — you get proof of the date received, and that date is usually what the notice period runs from.
How Much Notice Do You Have to Give?
Thirty days is the most common minimum in the US, but not the rule everywhere. Some states ask for more, a few for less, and many tie the date to the end of a rental period. Your lease can also ask for more than the state minimum.
What a month-to-month tenant must give in four common states (checked Nov 4, 2026; sources: Nolo, LoomLease, Florida Statutes § 83.57):
| State | Notice | Note |
|---|---|---|
| California | 30 days | Landlord: 60 days after a year |
| Texas | One month | One calendar month, not 30 days |
| New York | 30 days | Landlord: 60 or 90 days |
| Florida | 30 days | Statute now says 30 (older sources: 15) |
For a fixed-term lease, the rules are different: you usually cannot end it early with a notice letter at all. If your lease runs to June 30 and you want to leave May 31, you need the landlord's agreement or a lease break clause. The 60- and 90-day templates below are for tenants whose lease is ending and will not renew.
Count the days from the day the landlord receives the letter. A 30-day notice delivered on May 2 ends the tenancy on June 1, and rent is owed through that date.
Template 1: 30-Day Notice (Month-to-Month)
Use this for the most common case: a month-to-month tenancy, or a fixed-term lease that is ending and will not renew.
[Your Full Name] | [Your Address] | [Date] [Landlord Name] | [Landlord Address]
Re: Notice of Intent to Vacate — [Your Address], Unit [number]
Dear [Landlord Name],
This letter is my formal notice that I will vacate [your full address], Unit [number], on [move-out date] — 30 days' notice, as required by my lease and by [state] law.
I will return all keys, remotes, and access devices on the move-out date, and leave the unit clean and in good condition. Please send move-out inspection instructions and return my security deposit of $[amount] to [your forwarding address / email].
Please confirm receipt of this notice.
Sincerely, [Your Full Name]
Template 2: 60-Day Notice (Lease Ending, No Renewal)
Use this when your fixed-term lease is ending and requires 60 days' notice, or when you want to give extra notice.
[Your Full Name] | [Your Address] | [Date] [Landlord Name] | [Landlord Address]
Re: Notice of Intent to Vacate — [Your Address], Unit [number]
Dear [Landlord Name],
This letter is my formal notice that I will vacate [your full address], Unit [number], on [move-out date], the last day of my current lease term — 60 days' notice, as required by Section [number] of my lease.
I will return all keys, remotes, and access devices on the move-out date, and leave the unit clean and in good condition. Please send move-out inspection instructions, and confirm how my security deposit of $[amount] will be returned to [your forwarding address / email].
Please confirm receipt of this notice.
Sincerely, [Your Full Name]
Template 3: 90-Day Notice (Long Tenancy or Landlord Request)
Use this when your lease asks for 90 days, you have lived there for years, or the landlord asked for extra notice.
[Your Full Name] | [Your Address] | [Date] [Landlord Name] | [Landlord Address]
Re: Notice of Intent to Vacate — [Your Address], Unit [number]
Dear [Landlord Name],
This letter is my formal notice that I will vacate [your full address], Unit [number], on [move-out date] — 90 days' notice, as required by Section [number] of my lease.
I have lived here for [number] years and appreciated your management of the property. I will return all keys, remotes, and access devices on the move-out date, and leave the unit clean and in good condition. Please send move-out inspection instructions, and confirm how my security deposit of $[amount] will be returned to [your forwarding address / email].
Please confirm receipt of this notice.
Sincerely, [Your Full Name]
Getting Your Deposit Back
The notice letter is only half the job. The other half is the deposit — where tenants lose money, usually because the move-out was never documented.
Know your state's deadline. The landlord has a fixed number of days after you move out to return the deposit or send an itemized list of deductions (checked Nov 4, 2026; sources: ApartmentList, RentRight, RenterCalc).
| State | Return deadline | Deposit cap |
|---|---|---|
| California | 21 days | 1 month's rent |
| New York | 14 days | 1 month's rent |
| Texas | 30 days | No state cap |
| Florida | 15 / 30 days | No state cap |
Thirty days is the most common deadline in the country, used by 19 states. New York's 14 days is one of the shortest. If the deadline passes with no deposit and no itemized list, many states let the tenant claim a penalty — in California up to twice the deposit.
A worked example. Say your deposit is $1,500. The landlord notes $200 of cleaning beyond normal wear and a $150 carpet repair, so the statement should show $1,500 − $200 − $150 = $1,150 returned. If it says only "cleaning: $350", ask for the itemized breakdown — in California the landlord must provide receipts unless deductions total $125 or less.
The move-out checklist that protects the deposit:
- Photograph everything on your last day — every room, the appliances, the walls, the floors. Date-stamped photos beat memory in any dispute.
- Clean to the condition you moved into. Normal wear — faded paint, light scuffs, worn carpet — is not a deduction.
- Do the walkthrough with the landlord if you can, and get the inspection notes in writing.
- Give a forwarding address in the letter itself — in Texas, the 30-day clock does not start until the landlord has it.
- Keep a copy of the notice letter and the delivery receipt — if the deposit is late, that receipt proves the move-out date.
When you apply for your next place, a good reference from this landlord helps more than almost anything else. Our guide to the landlord reference letter template has a copyable version you can send them.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Notice by text or phone only. Without a written letter and delivery receipt, you cannot prove when notice was given.
- Moving out before the notice period ends. Rent is owed through the last day.
- Forgetting the forwarding address. No forwarding address means no deposit check.
- Leaving the unit dirty. Cleaning is the most common deduction and the easiest to avoid.
- Skipping the photos. Without dated photos, a damage claim becomes your word against the landlord's.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I email my intent to vacate letter?
Yes, if your lease allows it. But email is weaker proof than certified mail or hand delivery with a signed receipt.
What if my landlord ignores my notice letter?
Send it again by certified mail and keep the receipt. The notice is valid once delivered, whether or not the landlord replies.
Can I break a fixed-term lease with a notice to vacate?
Usually not. A notice letter ends a month-to-month tenancy or confirms you will not renew. Breaking a fixed term early needs the landlord's agreement, a lease break clause, or a legal reason.
What happens if I give less notice than my lease requires?
You owe rent through the end of the required notice period, even if you have moved out. If your lease requires 60 days and you give 30, the landlord can charge rent for the missing 30 days.
Does the landlord have to return my full deposit?
Only if there is no unpaid rent and no damage beyond normal wear and tear. The landlord must return the rest, with an itemized list, by your state's deadline. If deductions look wrong, ask for receipts.
