- Home
- State laws
- Tennessee
- Breaking a lease
Breaking a lease in Tennessee
Checked against the Tennessee statutes on October 1, 2026 General information, not legal advice
Key numbers
- Ending a month-to-month tenancy
- 30 days
- where the Act applies, before the periodic rental date stated in the written notice
- Tennessee Legislature Code access: T.C.A. 66-28-512(b)
Ending a fixed-term lease early
Not readTennessee's early-termination right for victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking is in T.C.A. 66-28-205 and 66-7-112. The Code provisions governing this topic were not read, so this page states no notice or document rule. Servicemembers also have federal rights under 50 U.S.C. 3955, which was not read for this page.
Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-205 (not read) Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-7-112 (not read)
The Rentari Tennessee lease says nothing in it limits the victims' early-termination right, keeps a departing victim's identity confidential without written consent unless law or a court requires otherwise, and includes a servicemember termination clause.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy
Partly readWhere the Act applies, either the landlord or tenant may end a month-to-month tenancy by written notice at least 30 days before the periodic rental date specified in the notice. For a week-to-week tenancy, the written notice must be at least 10 days before the stated termination date. These are periodic termination rules, not a separate rule authorizing a rent increase.
Tennessee Legislature Code access: T.C.A. 66-28-512(a), (b)
- A 2023 act (Pub. Ch. 400) requires 60 days' notice to end the tenancy of a rent-current tenant in certain housing for older persons when the reason is new property development. Its text was not read. 2023 Tenn. Pub. Acts ch. 400 (as-enacted summary)
- If a tenant remains after expiration or termination without the landlord's consent, 66-28-512(c) allows an action for possession and specified amounts. Willful holdover without good faith may also lead to actual damages and reasonable attorney fees. Continued occupancy with consent is governed by 66-28-201(c). This does not authorize removing the tenant without the applicable court process. Tennessee Legislature Code access: T.C.A. 66-28-512(c), 66-28-201(c)
The Rentari Tennessee lease lets either party end a month-to-month tenancy with at least 30 days' written notice before the periodic rental due date.
Questions
How do I end a month-to-month tenancy in Tennessee?
Where the Act applies, give written notice at least 30 days before the periodic rental date specified in the notice. The Rentari Tennessee lease states that same minimum. The separate older-persons housing act discussed above has not been read in full and may require a different period for qualifying redevelopment terminations.
Can a domestic abuse victim end a Tennessee lease early?
Tennessee gives that right in T.C.A. 66-28-205 and 66-7-112, which were not read, so the notice and document rules are not stated here. The Rentari Tennessee lease says nothing in it limits that right.
Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-205 (not read) Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-7-112 (not read)