District of Columbia Lease Termination Letter

A 30/60-day notice to end a month-to-month or expiring lease, from either the landlord or the tenant, with the notice period your state requires.

Free to fill & preview · $9 for the clean PDF + Word

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

District of Columbia rules that this document follows

Month-to-month noticeLandlord: see statute / just cause; Tenant: 30 daysSource: D.C. Code § 42-3505.01 (landlord may terminate only for statutory cause); tenant 30 days (D.C. Code § 42-3202)
Week-to-week notice7 daysSource: D.C. Code § 42-3202 (tenant); landlord requires cause
Just cause required for landlordYesSource: D.C. Code § 42-3505.01 (enumerated grounds; 90-day notice for owner personal use; 120–180 days for renovation/demolition/discontinuance)
Early-termination rightsServicemembers Civil Relief Act; Victim of intrafamily offense, sexual assault or stalking (14 days' notice)Source: 50 U.S.C. § 3955; D.C. Code § 42-3505.07
StatuteD.C. Code § 42-3505.01; § 42-3202

Rules current as of 2026-09-07. Statutes change; verify before relying on them.

How to use this Lease Termination Letter in District of Columbia

Deliver the notice so that you can prove the date — certified mail or hand delivery with a signed receipt. Count the notice period from delivery, not from the date you wrote it, and make the end date land on the last day of a rental period if District of Columbia requires it.

Tenants: give a forwarding address in the letter so the deposit deadline starts running. Landlords: 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 District of Columbia?

Tenant: 30 days; landlord: see statute / just cause days (D.C. Code § 42-3505.01 (landlord may terminate only for statutory cause); tenant 30 days (D.C. Code § 42-3202)). 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; Victim of intrafamily offense, sexual assault or stalking (14 days' notice). Otherwise the tenant remains liable for rent, subject to the landlord's duty to mitigate.

Related documents

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.