How much notice do you need to end a German rental contract?

At a glance

Tenant's notice

Three months, regardless of tenancy length

Counting

Must arrive by the third working day of the month

Form

Written and signed — email alone is not sufficient

Landlord's notice

Longer with tenancy length, and needs a legal reason

Fixed-term leases

Generally cannot be ended early by notice

How the three months are counted

The notice period starts at the beginning of a month, but only if your letter reaches the landlord by the third working day of that month. Send it on the tenth and the clock starts the following month, which in practice costs you four months of rent rather than three.

Because arrival matters rather than posting, send it by registered mail or hand it over against a signature. Keep proof.

Where the rules differ

• Fixed-term contracts (Zeitmietvertrag) run to their end date; ordinary notice does not apply.
• A landlord ending an open-ended tenancy needs a legally recognised reason, and their notice period grows with the length of the tenancy.
• Both sides can always agree in writing to end a tenancy earlier than the contract allows.
• Subletting, shared flats and furnished arrangements can have their own contractual rules — read the contract before relying on the standard period.

Common mistakes

• Sending notice by email only when the contract requires a signed letter.
• Missing the third working day and paying an extra month of rent.
• Assuming a replacement tenant releases you automatically — that needs the landlord's agreement.
• Leaving without a handover protocol, which weakens your position on the deposit.

What happens next

• Agree a handover date and a joint handover protocol with meter readings.
• Register your new address within two weeks of moving in, or deregister if you are leaving Germany.
• Update your address with your insurer, bank, employer and the broadcasting fee service.
• Expect the deposit to be settled after the final utility statement.

Related questions

Does my notice period get longer if I have lived here for years?

No. The extension with tenancy length applies to the landlord's notice, not to yours. A tenant's notice stays at three months.

Can I leave earlier if I find a new tenant?

Only if the landlord agrees. Proposing a suitable replacement often helps, but it does not shorten the notice period by itself.

Do I still need to deregister my address?

If you move to another German address, registering the new one is enough. If you leave Germany altogether, you deregister.

Related guides

• Anmeldung in Germany

  The nationwide rules for registering your address: deadline, landlord confirmation, documents and what changes by city.

• Anmeldung without permanent housing

  What legitimately counts as a home for registration purposes when you don't yet have permanent housing, and why a fake address is never the answer.

• Wohnungsgeberbestätigung

  What the landlord's move-in confirmation must contain, who is legally required to sign it, and what to do if it is late or refused.

Related answers

• Re-registering after a move

  Register the new address within two weeks; the new registration replaces the old one.

• Registering at a friend's address

  Allowed when you really live there and your host signs the confirmation. Not allowed as a paper address.

• Rental contract for Anmeldung

  The required document is the landlord confirmation. The rental contract is supporting evidence at most.

Related situations

• Moving to another German city

  One deadline, then the updates no authority does for you.

• Leaving Germany

  Notice first, deregistration at the move, bank account last. The order that avoids charges after you go.

Related compare

• Anmeldung vs residence permit

  One records your address, the other authorises your stay. Different offices, different documents.