Month-to-month tenancy — what it means and how it varies by state

A month-to-month tenancy is a periodic rental that automatically renews each month until either party gives notice. State law sets the minimum advance notice required to terminate — usually 30 days, sometimes longer for landlord-initiated termination.

§ I — What "month-to-month tenancy" means

A month-to-month tenancy (sometimes called an at-will tenancy in older statutes) is a lease that runs in one-month increments and renews automatically. Either party can end it by giving the state's required notice — most states require 30 days, but some require 60 or 90 days when the landlord is the one terminating, and some impose just-cause requirements before a landlord can end a long-running periodic tenancy.

§ II — How month-to-month tenancy varies by state

• Massachusetts

  Massachusetts requires "rental period" notice (typically 30 days for month-to-month); written notice that ends on a rent-due date. M.G.L. c. 186, §§ 12, 13.

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• Florida

  Florida requires at least 15 days' written notice to terminate a monthly tenancy. F.S. § 83.57.

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• California

  California requires 30-day notice if the tenant has lived there <1 year, 60-day notice if ≥1 year. AB 1482 imposes just-cause requirements for tenancies over 12 months. CC §§ 1946–1946.2.

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• New York

  New York requires 30, 60, or 90 days based on tenancy length (RPL § 226-c). HSTPA 2019 extended the longer windows to all market-rate units.

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• Texas

  See the Texas lease agreement page for Texas-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• North Carolina

  See the North Carolina lease agreement page for North Carolina-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• Georgia

  See the Georgia lease agreement page for Georgia-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• Pennsylvania

  Pennsylvania requires 15 days' notice to terminate a month-to-month tenancy of less than one year, 30 days for one year or more. 68 P.S. § 250.501.

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• Illinois

  See the Illinois lease agreement page for Illinois-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• Ohio

  See the Ohio lease agreement page for Ohio-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• Michigan

  See the Michigan lease agreement page for Michigan-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• Washington

  Washington requires 20 days' notice from the tenant; landlord must show statutory cause to terminate (RCW 59.18.650, RCW 59.18.200).

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• Arizona

  See the Arizona lease agreement page for Arizona-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• Virginia

  See the Virginia lease agreement page for Virginia-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• New Jersey

  See the New Jersey lease agreement page for New Jersey-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• Colorado

  See the Colorado lease agreement page for Colorado-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• Tennessee

  See the Tennessee lease agreement page for Tennessee-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• Minnesota

  See the Minnesota lease agreement page for Minnesota-specific month-to-month termination rules.

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• Maryland

  Maryland uses asymmetric notice: 30 days from the tenant, 60 days from the landlord for a month-to-month tenancy, and 90 days for a year-to-year tenancy. Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402.

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