California Lease Termination Letter (2026)

A notice to end a month-to-month or expiring lease, from either the landlord or the tenant, with the notice period, just-cause ground and delivery rules your state requires.

Updated September 2026≈ 4 minReviewed against Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.1 · Cal. Civ. Code § 1946 · Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.2

State:EN ES RU 中文 UZ

Free to fill & preview · $19 PDF + WordBlank PDF (free, no account)

View larger

What you'll get

Sample first page of the Lease Termination Letter. Your answers fill in the blanks; the clauses required in California are added automatically.

PDF
Word
Print

This preview updates as you type. Blank fields show as ____ .

What this document covers

Notice from tenant or from landlord
Month-to-month, week-to-week or expiring fixed term
State notice period and earliest lawful end date
Just-cause ground where the state requires one
Termination date at the end of a rental period
Forwarding address for the deposit return
Move-out inspection request
Delivery method and proof of delivery
Good Cause Eviction Law statement (New York)

California rules that this document follows

Month-to-month notice	Landlord: 60 days; Tenant: 30 daysSource: Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.1(b)–(c) (60 days; 30 days if every tenant has resided less than 1 year); tenant 30 days (§ 1946.1(c))
Week-to-week notice	7 daysSource: Cal. Civ. Code § 1946 (notice equal to the rental period, not exceeding 30 days)
Just cause required for landlord	Yes — At-fault causes (nonpayment, breach, nuisance) are served with the Eviction Notice generator, not this letter.Source: Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.2 (Tenant Protection Act: after 12 months' occupancy, termination only for at-fault or no-fault just cause; relocation assistance of 1 month's rent for no-fault)
Permitted delivery methods	Hand delivery; Leaving with a person of suitable age at the premises + first-class mail; Posting on the entry door + first-class mail; Certified or registered mail
Early-termination rights	Servicemembers Civil Relief Act / Cal. Military & Veterans Code; Victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, elder abuse or crime causing bodily injury (14 days' notice); Death of tenant (estate not liable beyond notice period on periodic tenancy)Source: 50 U.S.C. § 3955; Cal. Mil. & Vet. Code § 409.3; Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.7; Cal. Civ. Code § 1934
Statute	Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1946, 1946.1, 1946.2, 1946.7

Rules current as of 2026-10-27. Statutes change; verify before relying on them.

How to use this Lease Termination Letter in California

Deliver the notice by a method California allows and keep proof of the date — the notice period runs from delivery, not from the date you wrote it. The wizard computes the earliest lawful termination date.

Tenants: give a forwarding address in the letter so the deposit deadline starts running. Landlords: select the statutory ground and state the supporting facts; do not accept rent beyond the termination date unless you intend to continue the tenancy.

Frequently asked questions

How much notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in California?

Tenant: 30 days; landlord: 60 days (Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.1). The landlord also needs a statutory ground. A written lease may require more.

Can a tenant break a lease early?

Only under the lease's early-termination clause or a statutory right: Servicemembers Civil Relief Act / Cal. Military & Veterans Code; Victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, elder abuse or crime causing bodily injury (14 days' notice); Death of tenant (estate not liable beyond notice period on periodic tenancy). Otherwise the tenant remains liable for rent, subject to the landlord's duty to mitigate.

Other names

notice to vacate
30 day notice
move out notice
notice of intent to vacate
lease non-renewal letter
end of tenancy letter
notice to terminate tenancy
move-out letter to landlord

Other states

FormsByState provides self-help document templates and general information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm. For advice about your situation consult a licensed attorney in your state.