Lease Renewal Letter: Free Fillable Template, Sample and State Notice Rules
A lease renewal letter is a written offer from the landlord to renew the tenant’s lease for another term, listing the new end date, the rent and any changed terms, with a date to reply by. Send it 60 to 90 days before the lease ends, or earlier if your state sets a longer notice period for rent increases or non renewals. Below is a free fillable lease renewal letter, a sample you can copy, a short non renewal sample and the notice rules for California, New York, Texas, Florida and Washington.
Free fillable lease renewal letter (PDF). One page with the new dates, term, rent and deposit, a tenant reply section to accept or decline, signatures and a delivery record.
What should a lease renewal letter include?
- Date, tenant names and the rental address, including the unit number.
- When the current lease ends and the start and end dates of the new term (for example 12 months, 6 months or month to month).
- The rent: current rent and new rent, even if it stays the same, so there is no confusion.
- The security deposit: no change, or the new amount if you raise it (check your state’s deposit limit first).
- Any other changes, such as who pays a utility or a new pet rule. Everything else stays as in the current lease.
- A reply deadline and how to reach you.
- A place for the tenant to accept or decline and sign, so you have their answer in writing.
When should you send a lease renewal letter?
Send it 60 to 90 days before the lease ends. That gives the tenant time to decide and gives you time to advertise the unit if they leave. Two things can make the deadline earlier:
- A rent increase. Many states set a minimum notice for raising rent. In New York, a renewal with a rent increase of 5% or more needs 30, 60 or 90 days of written notice depending on how long the tenant has lived there. See our rent increase letter for the rules by state.
- Your lease itself. If your lease says the tenant must give notice before leaving at the end of the term, Florida requires that it also make you give notice of non renewal, between 30 and 60 days (Fla. Stat. 83.575).
Sample lease renewal letter
Copy this text, or download the fillable PDF or the Word file and type straight into it. Replace everything in brackets.
[Date]
Dear [Tenant names],
Your lease for [address and unit] ends on [current end date]. Thank you for being a great tenant. I would like to offer you a renewal on these terms:
- New lease term: [start date] to [end date] ([12] months)
- Monthly rent: $[new rent] (currently $[current rent]), due on the [1st] of each month
- Security deposit: no change
- Other changes: [none, or list them]
All other terms of your current lease stay the same. Please let me know your decision by [reply date] by signing below or contacting me at [phone or email]. If you plan to move out instead, please tell me in writing by the same date.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[ ] We accept the renewal on these terms. Tenant signature: ________ Date: ________
Example: Robert Hayes owns a duplex in Austin, Texas. Angela and Mark Rivera’s lease on Unit A ends 11/30/2026. On 09/15/2026 he sends a renewal for 12/01/2026 to 11/30/2027 at $1,700 a month (up from $1,650), adds that the tenants will now pay the water bill, and asks for a reply by 10/15/2026. Angela signs and returns it on 09/20/2026, and Robert logs the new rent in his rent ledger.
Here is the same example written out as a finished letter, so you can see how the template looks once it is filled in:
September 15, 2026
Dear Angela and Mark Rivera,
Your lease for 412 Oak Street, Unit A, Austin, TX ends on November 30, 2026. Thank you for being great tenants. I would like to offer you a renewal on these terms:
- New lease term: December 1, 2026 to November 30, 2027 (12 months)
- Monthly rent: $1,700 (currently $1,650), due on the 1st of each month
- Security deposit: no change
- Other changes: starting December 1, 2026, you will pay the water bill directly to the City of Austin
All other terms of your current lease stay the same. Please let me know your decision by October 15, 2026 by signing below or contacting me at (512) 555-0147. If you plan to move out instead, please tell me in writing by the same date.
Sincerely,
Robert Hayes
[X] We accept the renewal on these terms.
Tenant signature: Angela Rivera Date: 09/20/2026
Tenant signature: Mark Rivera Date: 09/20/2026
Names, address and phone number are made up for this example. The 555 phone number is not a real number.
What if you do not want to renew the lease?
Send a written notice of non renewal instead, with the date the lease ends and when you need the keys back. Check your state first: some states need a reason, and some need a minimum notice period (see the table below). A simple non renewal letter can say:
Dear [Tenant names], this letter is notice that I will not renew your lease for [address and unit], which ends on [end date]. Please move out and return all keys by [end date]. I will do a move out inspection on [date and time] and return your security deposit as the law requires. Please send me your forwarding address in writing. Sincerely, [Your name]
When the tenant leaves, use our move out checklist and security deposit return letter.
Lease renewal and non renewal rules by state
| State | Ending or changing the lease | Law |
|---|---|---|
| California | After a tenant has lived there 12 months, you need a “just cause” to end the tenancy, including at the end of a lease. A tenant who refuses to sign a renewal on similar terms after a written request is one cause. Some homes are exempt, such as a single family home owned by an individual (not a corporation) when the lease includes the required exemption notice. To end a month to month tenancy, give 60 days notice, or 30 days if the tenant has lived there under a year. Rent increases on a month to month tenancy need 30 days notice, or 90 days if over 10%. | Civ. Code 1946.2, 1946.1, 827 |
| New York | Written notice is required if you will not renew, or will renew with a rent increase of 5% or more: 30 days if the tenant has lived there under a year, 60 days for 1 to 2 years, 90 days for 2 years or more (or the lease length, if longer). If you are late, the current terms continue until the notice period runs out. | Real Prop. Law 226-c |
| Texas | A fixed term lease ends on its end date under its own terms. A month to month tenancy ends one month after written notice, unless you and the tenant signed an agreement for a different notice period. | Prop. Code 91.001 |
| Florida | If the lease requires the tenant to give notice before leaving at the end of the term, it must also require the landlord to give notice of non renewal, between 30 and 60 days. Month to month tenancies need at least 30 days notice to end. | Fla. Stat. 83.575, 83.57 |
| Washington | You generally need a listed cause to refuse to continue a tenancy. Exceptions include some first leases of 6 to 12 months and leases of 12 months or more, which can end with 60 days written notice. A tenant who does not sign a reasonable new lease offered at least 30 days before the lease ends is one cause. Other fixed term leases become month to month at the end date. | RCW 59.18.650 |
What happens if the lease ends and the tenant stays?
If nobody signs a renewal and you keep accepting rent, the tenant usually stays on, often month to month. That is fine if you want it, but get it in writing so everyone knows the rent and the notice rules.
- California: if you accept rent after the lease ends, the lease is presumed renewed on the same terms, one month at a time when rent is paid monthly (Civ. Code 1945).
- New York: accepting rent after a lease of more than a month ends creates a month to month tenancy, unless you agreed otherwise (Real Prop. Law 232-c).
- Texas: check the holdover clause in your lease; it usually sets what happens and the rent.
- Florida: a tenant who stays without your permission can owe double rent (Fla. Stat. 83.58).
Note: Notice rules change and many cities have their own, so check your local rules before you send a renewal or non renewal.
Changing one term during the lease instead of renewing it? Use our free lease addendum template.
Not renewing a month to month tenancy? Use our free 30 day notice to vacate, with the notice period for every state.
Not renewing this time? Use our free lease non renewal letter instead.
Decided not to renew? Use our lease termination letter instead, with notice periods for Texas, Florida, California and New York.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a letter to a tenant for lease renewal?
Include the date, tenant names, address, current lease end date, the new start and end dates, the new rent, any changes, a reply deadline and a place for the tenant to sign. Send it 60 to 90 days before the lease ends and keep a copy.
Is a lease renewal letter legally binding?
Once you and the tenant both sign it, it works as a written agreement to extend the lease on the listed terms. For big changes, many landlords sign a new lease instead.
Can I raise the rent when I renew a lease?
Usually yes, at renewal time, but follow your state’s notice rules and any rent cap. California limits most increases under its Tenant Protection Act, and New York requires 30 to 90 days notice for increases of 5% or more.
What if the tenant does not answer the renewal letter?
Follow up in writing before your reply date. If there is still no answer, decide whether to send a formal non renewal notice in time, or let the lease roll to month to month under your state’s rules.
