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Breaking a lease in Rhode Island

Source: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-15, 34-18-28, 34-18-33, 34-18-37, 34-18-40, 34-18-56(c), 34-18-63 · Checked against the statute

Tenant notice, month-to-month
30 days, ending with a rental period
Landlord must try to re-rent
Yes
State early-termination rights
Domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking; Age, illness or disability; Unit unlivable or landlord fails to repair; Landlord harassment or illegal entry

When can I move out in Rhode Island?

Choose your state, your situation and the date your landlord will receive notice.

Ending a month-to-month tenancy

If you are the tenant

  • Either party may end a month-to-month tenancy with written notice delivered at least 30 days before the termination date (§ 34-18-37(b)). The statutory notice form sets the move-out date as the first day after the end of the current rental period (§ 34-18-56(c)), and the state handbook says the termination date must be the day after the last day of a rental period; a notice with a shorter period or another date is not effective.

If the landlord ends it

  • A landlord may end a month-to-month tenancy without stating a reason by written notice, substantially in the § 34-18-56(c) form, delivered at least 30 days before a termination date that falls on the day after the end of a rental period (§§ 34-18-37(b), 34-18-56(c); state handbook).

Written notice required: Yes. Notice must be written and substantially follow the form in § 34-18-56(c) (§ 34-18-37).

Week-to-week and other periodic tenancies

  • week-to-week, both: 10 days, ending with a rental period. Either party may end a week-to-week tenancy with written notice at least 10 days before the termination date (§ 34-18-37(a)); the handbook says at least 10 days before the next rental due date.
  • year-to-year, both: 3 months, ending with a rental period. Either party may end a year-to-year tenancy with written notice at least 3 months before the end of the occupation year (§ 34-18-37(c)).

Leaving a fixed-term lease early

Ending a fixed-term lease early is a breach. A tenant who leaves early may owe rent until the landlord re-rents; the lease may set early-termination terms (state handbook). On abandonment the landlord must send a 7-day certified letter and then make reasonable efforts to re-rent; the old lease ends when a new tenancy starts (§ 34-18-40).

Landlord's duty to re-rent: Yes. After abandonment and a 7-day certified-mail notice, the landlord must make reasonable efforts to re-rent at a fair rent; if it fails to, or accepts the abandonment as a surrender, the lease is deemed ended on the date the landlord had notice of the abandonment (§ 34-18-40).

Lease-break fees: No statutory cap on lease-break fees for ordinary terminations, but all fees beyond rent must be disclosed with the rent in the lease (§ 34-18-15(a)(1)). No early-termination fee may be charged for a § 34-18-63 victim termination or a § 34-18-15(f) military termination.

When Rhode Island law lets you leave early

  • Domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-63 (2026 S 2291A / H 7199A, eff. July 1, 2026))

    Since July 1, 2026, a tenant who (or whose household member) is a victim of abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking can end the lease and must move out within 30 days of notice unless the landlord agrees to another date.

    Notice:
    30 days, in writing
    Proof:
    Written verification: a protective order; proof of starting legal action for one; a police report; or a statement from a law enforcement official, attorney, health care provider, social worker, mental health counselor, therapist or victim's advocate. The abuse (or a new fear-causing event) must be within the most recent 150 days.
    What you still owe:
    No penalty, early-termination fee or future rent; rent is owed only through the termination date or the move-out date, whichever is later. Deposit and prepaid rent are refunded.

  • Age, illness or disability (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15(e))

    Tenants 65 and older may end a lease to move into assisted living, a nursing home or elderly housing.

    Notice:
    45 days, in writing
    Proof:
    Written notice to the person who receives rent, with proof of admission or pending admission to an assisted living facility, nursing facility, or federally designated elderly housing. Tenant must be 65 or older (or turn 65 during the lease).
    What you still owe:
    Termination is effective no earlier than 45 days after the first rent due date following the notice.

  • Unit unlivable or landlord fails to repair (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-28)

    For landlord noncompliance affecting health and safety, the tenant may end the lease with 30 days' written notice if not fixed in 20 days.

    Notice:
    30 days, in writing
    Proof:
    Written notice specifying the landlord's breach of the lease or of § 34-18-22 materially affecting health and safety.
    What you still owe:
    The lease ends on the date in the notice (at least 30 days after receipt) unless the landlord fixes the breach within 20 days; a repeat within 6 months allows 14 days' notice. Deposit and prepaid rent are returned.

  • Unit unlivable or landlord fails to repair (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-33)

    If fire or casualty substantially impairs enjoyment of the unit, the tenant may move out immediately and give written notice within 14 days.

    Notice:
    14 days, in writing
    Proof:
    Written notice within 14 days after vacating.
    What you still owe:
    The lease ends on the date the tenant vacates; deposit and prepaid rent are returned.

  • Landlord harassment or illegal entry (R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-34, 34-18-45(b)-(c))

    If the landlord unlawfully removes or excludes the tenant, willfully interrupts essential services, or makes unlawful, unreasonable or harassing entries, the tenant may end the lease.

    Proof:
    None specified.
    What you still owe:
    For unlawful removal or exclusion or willful interruption of heat, water, electric, gas or other essential service: up to three months' rent or three times actual damages, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees; the landlord returns the deposit and all prepaid rent. For unlawful or harassing entry: the prevailing party recovers actual damages, costs and attorney's fees.

Military orders, every state: the federal SCRA lets servicemembers with orders (permanent change of station or deployment of 90+ days) end a lease with written notice and a copy of the orders. How the SCRA date is counted.

Also good to know

  • R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15(f) gives servicemembers and dependents a lease-termination right for entering service, PCS orders, or deployment of 90+ days, effective 30 days after the next rent due date (monthly rent); it tracks the federal SCRA.
  • A willful bad-faith holdover can cost up to three months' rent or three times actual damages, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees (§ 34-18-38(c)).
  • Landlord notices are usually delivered by mail; the statutory form includes a certificate of mailing (§ 34-18-56(c)).
  • If the last tenant on the lease dies, a live-in caregiver or other resident 18+ may continue the lease for a post-death grace period (the shorter of 3 months or the rest of the term) and may end that grace period at any time; staying more than 7 days after the death counts as choosing to continue (§ 34-18-38(d)).

Next steps

Sources

Laws change. This page was checked against the sources above on October 13, 2026. It is legal information, not legal advice; see our methodology.