60 Day Rental Notice: How To Write One In 2026 (Free Template)

You've decided it's time to move. Maybe you found a better apartment, a new job pulled you across town, or the lease just isn't working anymore. Now your landlord wants a 60 day rental notice, and a professional pay stub generator can back you up when you apply for your next place.

Good news: it's a one-page letter, not a legal battle. This guide walks you through what the notice is, when you need one, and how to write it. You'll also learn exactly how to send it so your deposit comes back and your rental history stays clean.

Key Takeaways

• A 60 day rental notice is a written letter telling your landlord you're ending the lease 60 days from when they receive it
• Your lease and your state both have rules. Read the lease first, then verify your state's requirement
• Send it by both email and certified mail on the same day, and save every receipt
• Missing the deadline can cost you your security deposit or auto-renew your lease
• Always include your move-out date and forwarding address so your deposit has somewhere to land

What Is a 60 Day Rental Notice?

A 60 day rental notice is a written letter telling your landlord you're ending the lease 60 days from the date they receive it. Tenants use it when their state or lease requires two months' notice. It's most common for long-term tenancies and doubles as a legal record of the move-out date.

It goes by a few other names. You might see it called "notice to vacate," "lease termination letter," or simply "60-day notice to vacate." They're all the same piece of paper. Both tenants and landlords can send one. This guide is written for you, the tenant, giving notice to your landlord. The two-month version is more common for long leases or tenants who've been in the unit for over a year. Shorter tenancies often fall under 30-day rules instead.

Why Proper Notice Matters

Giving proper notice isn't just a polite habit. It's part of your lease contract, and skipping it can cost you real money.

First, it fulfills your legal obligation so you don't lose your security deposit. Second, it gives the landlord time to schedule a walk-through and start advertising the unit. Third, it protects your rental reference for the next place you apply to, where a clean proof of income and a good rental history go hand in hand.

Here's the part nobody tells you clearly: the timing of your notice is directly tied to your deposit. Send your 60 day rental notice on time, leave a forwarding address, and finish a clean move-out. Most states then require your deposit back within 14 to 45 days. Miss the notice window, and the landlord may deduct the missed-notice period right out of that refund.

Legal Requirements: When 60 Days Is Required

Your lease is the first rule. Read the notice clause before anything else. If it says "60 days' written notice," that's what you owe, regardless of the state default.

After the lease, check your state. Notice requirements for tenants vary a lot, and several states have strengthened long-term tenant protections in 2025 and 2026. While you're reviewing the lease, it's also a good time to calculate your monthly income so the next landlord can see you meet the usual 3x-rent rule.

State-by-State Quick Reference

• California: The 60-day rule is actually a landlord-to-tenant obligation once you've lived there 12+ months. Tenant-to-landlord notice defaults to 30 days, though many leases require 60, so check yours before you send anything.
• New York: 2+ years of tenancy generally requires 90 days from the landlord. A 1 to 2 year tenancy is 60 days, and under 1 year is 30 days. Tenant-to-landlord notice often mirrors the lease.
• Florida: Month-to-month rentals usually require 30 days, but your lease may still demand 60. The lease wins if it's stricter.

Tenant notice rules have been shifting, so verify your state's current statute or a local tenant-rights resource before you send anything.

How to Write a 60 Day Rental Notice (Step-by-Step)

Writing this letter is simple when you hit the essentials. Here's the step-by-step approach:

1. Pull up your lease. Find the notice clause and confirm the required number of days, the delivery method (mail, email, certified), and who it goes to.
2. Put your info at the top. Your full name, your current apartment address (including unit number), and today's date.
3. Address the landlord or property manager by name. If you don't know their full name, use the name on your lease.
4. State your intent clearly. For example: "Please accept this letter as my 60 day rental notice ending the lease at [address]. My final day of tenancy will be [move-out date]."
5. Include your forwarding address. This is where your security deposit will be mailed, so get it right.
6. Mention the final walk-through. Ask the landlord to schedule an inspection before your move-out date.
7. Sign and date the letter. Keep a copy for your records.

Keep it polite, keep it short, and don't explain why you're leaving. You're not required to give a reason.

60 Day Rental Notice Template

Copy this template, swap in your details, and you're done:

Save a copy before you send it, and keep another in your email drafts for reference.

How to Send Your Notice

Send it two ways on the same day: email and certified mail with return receipt. That combo gives you two independent proofs of delivery, so if one fails, the other still protects you. Keep the same paper-trail habit you'd use to show proof of income at your next rental application.

For the email, request a read receipt and take a screenshot of the sent folder showing the timestamp. For certified mail, keep the tracking number and the signed return receipt. As of 2026, most states accept email as valid written notice, but some leases still require physical mail. When in doubt, send both.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The letter itself is simple. In practice, tenants trip on the same handful of mistakes every year. Avoid these:

• Counting from the wrong date. The 60 days start when your landlord receives the letter, not when you send it. Add a buffer for mail time.
• Going verbal only. A text or a conversation is not written notice in most courts. Always put it in writing.
• Skipping the forwarding address. Without it, your deposit can't be mailed, which stalls the refund and creates headaches.
• Forgetting delivery confirmation. If you can't prove the landlord received it, the notice doesn't exist in the eyes of a judge.
• Sending mid-billing-period without doing the math. If your rent runs the 1st to the 30th, a notice mid-month means you likely owe prorated rent for partial days. Calculate it in advance.

One more practical gotcha: most landlords ask for a specific number of pay stubs for apartment applications, so have them ready the moment you start touring your next place.

Tips for an Airtight Notice

A few habits separate tenants who get their deposit back in two weeks from tenants who chase it for months:

• Build a paper trail from day one. Send by email AND certified mail on the same day. Save screenshots, tracking numbers, and return receipts. One folder, one place.
• Calendar the 60 days properly. Count from when the landlord receives the letter. Add two or three days for mail delivery. Set a phone reminder the day before move-out for a final walk-through request.
• Keep the tone neutral. No venting, no explanations, no complaints. Just the facts.
• Photograph the unit before you return the keys. Every room, every appliance, every wall. Date-stamped on your phone.
• Ask for written acknowledgment. A one-line reply email from the landlord confirming receipt is gold if there's ever a dispute.

Before you start apartment-hunting, it's worth getting your income paperwork in order. Landlords typically ask for recent pay stubs for rental applications, and having them ready shortens the approval window.

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Conclusion

A 60 day rental notice boils down to four things. Put it in writing, send it on time, prove you sent it, and include your forwarding address. Do those four and your deposit has the clearest possible path back to your pocket.

Applying for a new place after the move? Most landlords want to see recent pay stubs as proof of income. You can create pay stubs online in under two minutes and walk into your next lease application already one step ahead.