Renting
How to Get Out of a Lease Early
By FixMyContractLast updated Sep 25, 20262 min read
Start with the lease itself: look for an early-termination clause, a buyout fee, sublet or assignment rules, and the notice you have to give. Those clauses decide most of what leaving early costs.
Clauses to find
- Early termination or buyout
- Subletting and assignment
- Notice period
- What happens to the deposit
- Who pays rent until a new tenant moves in
Talking to the landlord
A written request that offers something — finding a replacement tenant, a fee, extra notice — often goes further than a request alone.
Local rules
Federal law and some states and cities give tenants extra rights in specific situations, such as military deployment or domestic violence. This page does not cover those laws; your state's official tenant page does.
Your options, side by side
- Buyout clause: you pay a set fee and leave on a set date. The most predictable option, if your lease has one.
- Subletting: someone else lives there and pays you. In most US states, you stay responsible to the landlord if they don't pay.
- Assignment (lease transfer): a new tenant takes over the lease. Unless the landlord releases you in writing, you may still be liable if the new tenant doesn't pay — so the release is worth asking for.
- Mutual agreement: you and the landlord agree on an end date. A signed document with the date and what is owed avoids a later disagreement.
A sample request
“I need to move out on [date] because [reason]. I can give [number] days' notice and help find a replacement tenant. Would you agree to end the lease on that date, with the deposit handled as the lease provides? Please confirm in writing.”
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This is information, not legal advice.