Give notice on a German tenancy as a tenant
To give notice on a German tenancy, enter the day the landlord will receive your letter: the tool shows the end date and the deadline, and the letter (Kündigung) states that date.
Independent site, not a law firm: a standard template, like a book of legal forms, not legal advice.
Example: notice arrives today, Berlin — change any figure to see your own result
The tenancy ends on
28 February 2027
deadline 4 November 2026 missed: one month later
| Deadline this month | 4 November 2026 |
| Next deadline | 3 December 2026 |
| … end if received by then | 28 February 2027 |
| For comparison: landlord’s period after 8 years | 9 months |
A standard template, like a book of legal forms: no review of your individual case and no legal advice. What you type stays in your browser.
As a tenant in Germany you can end a lease without a reason on three months’ notice. The notice must reach the landlord by the third working day of a month, and the tenancy then ends at the close of the month after next (section 573c(1) BGB). Saturday counts as a working day, as the Federal Court of Justice held in VIII ZR 206/04; Sundays and public holidays do not. If your letter arrives on 3 February 2027 it is in time and the flat is given up on 30 April 2027. One day later and the end moves to 31 May 2027: a day’s delay costs a month’s rent. In May 2027 the deadline is 5 May 2027 because 1 May is a holiday. The notice must be in written form (section 568 BGB): paper signed by hand by every tenant named in the lease. Email, fax or a photo is not enough. The letter prints in German.
____________________________ ____________________________ __________________
____________________________ ____________________________ __________________
__________________, den 14. November 2026
Kündigung des Mietvertrags über die Wohnung ______________________________
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
hiermit kündige ich das Mietverhältnis über die oben genannte Wohnung fristgerecht zum 28. Februar 2027, hilfsweise zum nächstmöglichen Termin.
Bitte bestätigen Sie mir den Eingang dieser Kündigung und das Ende des Mietverhältnisses schriftlich.
Für die Wohnungsübergabe schlage ich einen Termin in der letzten Woche des Mietverhältnisses vor. Die Kaution nebst Zinsen überweisen Sie bitte nach Abrechnung auf das Konto IBAN ___________________________.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
____________________
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Giving notice on a German tenancy: the deadline in the calendar
The third working day moves with weekends and public holidays. The tool knows the statewide holidays of all 16 German states so that the deadline is right; local holidays that apply only in some municipalities, such as Corpus Christi in parts of Saxony, are not included. When the third working day is a Saturday, as in April 2027, the tool cautiously keeps that Saturday: whether section 193 BGB then moves the deadline to Monday was expressly left open by the Federal Court of Justice in VIII ZR 206/04.
| Notice arrives | Deadline that month | Tenancy ends |
|---|---|---|
| 3 February 2027 | 3 February 2027 | 30 April 2027 |
| 4 February 2027 | 3 February 2027 | 31 May 2027 |
| 1 April 2027 | 3 April 2027 | 30 June 2027 |
| 1 May 2027 | 5 May 2027 | 31 July 2027 |
| 3 November 2027 | 3 November 2027 | 31 January 2028 |
The landlord’s periods for comparison
A landlord needs a reason, such as needing the flat for himself, and his period grows with the length of the tenancy: three months, after five years 6 months, after eight years 9 months. A furnished room in the landlord’s own home has the short rule of notice by the 15th to the end of the month (section 549(2) BGB); the tool switches to it when you choose that type of home.
After giving notice
Ask for written confirmation and arrange a handover with a written report. The deposit is due back with interest after settlement (section 551 BGB); the landlord may keep it for a reasonable time to check claims. If you cannot sign yourself, a power of attorney must be enclosed in the original.