Month-to-Month Lease Agreement

Month to Month Residential Lease Agreement Template_1 on iPropertyManagement.com

A month-to-month rental agreement (sometimes called a “tenancy at will” in certain states) is a contract (not necessarily in writing) which allows a tenant to rent property from a landlord, for one month at a time, in exchange for a fee (“rent”). The rental renews monthly, until either party gives proper notice to end it.

Month-to-month rentals typically are short-term arrangements. For general information about longer, fixed-term leases (i.e., a term of one year or more), click here.

Month-to-Month Rental Agreements by State

Basics of Month-to-Month Rental Agreements

A landlord and tenant create a month-to-month lease by agreeing to rent a property according to acceptable terms. Written rental agreements are clearer and legally stronger, but oral leases are legal in a month-to-month context.

Parties under a month-to-month lease enjoy full rights under landlord-tenant law. The tenant must use the property in a responsible way and pay rent on time. The landlord must keep essential features of the property in habitable condition, and protect the tenant’s quiet enjoyment of the lease.

The main difference between a month-to-month lease and a fixed-term lease is that month-to-month leases can be terminated (with proper notice) by either party for any reason without penalty. Landlords also can usually modify terms from one month to the next, again with proper notice.

Pros and Cons of Month-to-Month Rental Agreements

Month-to-month rental agreements are more convenient and easy to manage than fixed-term leases, but also are less certain and reliable arrangements. They are suited to shorter-term and simpler rental situations, and may have difficulties in more extended or complex cases. These are the typical advantages and disadvantages of month-to-month leases:

Month-to-Month Leases: Landlord Advantages

Month-to-Month Leases: Tenant Advantages

Month-to-Month Leases: Landlord Disadvantages

Month-to-Month Leases: Tenant Disadvantages

Notice Requirements To Terminate Month-to-Month Leases

A landlord or tenant may terminate a month-to-month (or week-to-week) lease by giving the proper amount of notice, which varies by state. These are the notice requirements for termination, state by state:

State Notice To End Month-to-Month Lease Notice To End Week-to-Week Lease
Alabama 30 days 7 days
Alaska 30 days 14 days
Arizona 30 days 10 days
Arkansas 30 days 7 days
California 30 days (under 1 year of residence on the property);
or 60 days (over 1 year of residence on the property)
7 days
Colorado 91 days (1 year or more of residence on the property);
28 days (6 months to 1 year of residence on the property); or
21 days (over 1 month of residence on the property, but under 6 months)
3 days
Connecticut 3 days 3 days
Delaware 60 days No statute
Florida 15 days 7 days
Georgia 60 days from landlord; or
30 days from tenant
No statute
Hawaii 45 days from landlord; or
28 days from tenant
10 days
Idaho 1 month No statute
Illinois 30 days 7 days
Indiana 1 month No statute
Iowa 30 days 10 days
Kansas 30 days 7 days
Kentucky 30 days 7 days
Louisiana 10 days 5 days
Maine 30 days 30 days
Maryland 30 days 30 days
Massachusetts 30 days 30 days
Michigan 1 month 7 days
Minnesota 30 days 14 days
Mississippi 30 days 7 days
Missouri 30 days No statute
Montana 30 days 7 days
Nebraska 30 days 7 days
Nevada 30 days 7 days
New Hampshire 30 days 7 days
New Jersey 1 month No statute
New Mexico 30 days 7 days
New York 30 days (if property is located outside of New York City)
30 days (if property is inside New York City and tenant has under 1 year of residence on the property)
60 days (if property is inside New York City and tenant has over 1 year of residence on the property but fewer than 2 years total)
90 days (if property is inside New York City and tenant has 2 years or more of residence on the property)
30 days
North Carolina 7 days 2 days
North Dakota 30 days 7 days
Ohio 30 days 7 days
Oklahoma 30 days 7 days
Oregon 30 days No statute
Pennsylvania 30 days (1 year or more of residence on the property); or
15 days (under 1 year of residence on the property)
No statute
Rhode Island 30 days 10 days
South Carolina 30 days 7 days
South Dakota 30 days from the landlord; or
15 days from the tenant
7 days
Tennessee 30 days 10 days
Texas 1 month 7 days
Utah 15 calendar days No statute
Vermont 60 days (under 2 years of residence on the property); or
90 days (2 years or more of residence on the property)
21 days
Virginia 30 days 7 days
Washington 20 days No statute
Washington D.C. 30 days No statute
West Virginia 1 month 7 days
Wisconsin 28 days 5 days
Wyoming No statute No statute

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the Difference Between a Lease and a Rental Agreement? A rental agreement secures a tenancy for a short period of time, typically a month. Landlords can increase rent, change the terms, or terminate the agreement on short notice. A lease secures a tenancy for a longer period of time, typically a year. During that time, the landlord is not allowed to raise the rent, change the terms or terminate the lease on short notice. Read more » How Much Can a Landlord Collect for a Security Deposit? All states allow landlords to collect a security deposit when a tenant(s) move in. Some states limit the amount a landlord can charge, require the landlord to put security deposits into a separate account or require the landlord to pay their tenants the interest on deposits. Read more » What Can a Landlord Deduct From a Security Deposit? Landlords can use the security deposit to cover unpaid rent and make necessary repairs or cleaning that are not a result of normal wear-and-tear. Security deposits should not go towards treating normal wear and tear during an occupancy. Read more » Do I Need a Written Rental Agreement? Rental agreements should always be written, even if a state does not require them to be. While oral contracts may seem informal, they often lead to disputes. If a tenant and landlord later disagree about an important arrangement the end result is likely to be a court argument over who said what. Read more »