Quick answer
In a B.C. month-to-month tenancy, a tenant must give the landlord written notice at least one full rental month ahead, and the move-out date must be the day before rent is due. If rent is due on the 1st and you want to leave by May 31, your landlord must receive your notice on or before April 30. There is no official RTB form for a tenant's notice. You write your own signed and dated letter with your name, the rental address and your move-out date. A fixed-term lease can't be ended before its end date this way. Once you've moved out and given your forwarding address in writing, the landlord has 15 days to return your deposit or apply to the RTB, or they may owe you double.
These rules come from section 45 of B.C.'s Residential Tenancy Act and apply everywhere in the province, including Surrey. We checked them against gov.bc.ca and the Act (current to September 22, 2026) on September 25, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, call the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) at 604-660-1020.
How much notice does a tenant have to give in B.C.?
For a month-to-month (periodic) tenancy, the Act says your notice must:
- take effect no earlier than one month after the landlord receives it, and
- take effect on the day before rent is due.
The RTB stresses that this "is not simply 30 days' notice but truly a complete rental month". Examples, with rent due on the 1st:
| You want to move out by | Landlord must receive notice by |
|---|---|
| May 31 | April 30 |
| October 31 | September 30 |
| November 30 | October 31 |
If your notice arrives late or names the wrong day, the Act doesn't cancel it. The effective date is automatically moved to the earliest date that complies, which usually means one more month of rent.
Tip: The deadline is when the landlord receives the notice, not when you send it. Under the Act, a mailed notice is deemed received on the 5th day after mailing. A notice left in the landlord's mailbox or taped to their door is deemed received on the 3rd day. Hand-delivering it, or emailing it to an address the landlord gave for service, avoids that gap.
Is there an official tenant notice to end tenancy form?
No. The RTB publishes forms for landlords' eviction notices (RTB-30, RTB-33, RTB-29 and others), but not for a tenant's regular notice. The RTB says tenants can write their own notice letter. Form RTB-45, which sometimes turns up in searches, is actually a rent increase notice for manufactured home sites. It isn't a tenant move-out form.
Two official forms can help when you move out:
- RTB-8, Mutual Agreement to End a Tenancy: use this when you and your landlord both agree on an end date, for example to leave a lease early.
- RTB-47, Tenant Notice of Forwarding Address: a written way to give the landlord the address for returning your deposit.
What your notice letter must include
Under section 52 of the Act, a tenant's notice must be in writing to be effective, and must:
- be signed and dated by the tenant giving it,
- give the address of the rental unit, and
- state the effective date, meaning your last day of the tenancy.
The RTB's list also includes the tenant's name. You don't have to give a reason. If more than one tenant is on the agreement, having every tenant sign avoids confusion. Keep a copy.
A simple notice can read:
[Date]
To: [Landlord's name]
Re: [Full rental unit address, including unit number]
I am giving notice to end my tenancy at the address above. My tenancy will end on [day before rent is due, e.g. November 30, 2026], and I will move out by 1pm that day.
My forwarding address for the return of my deposit is: [new address].
[Tenant name(s) and signature(s)]
Fixed-term leases
A fixed-term tenancy runs for a set period. At the end of the term, most fixed-term tenancies continue as month-to-month on the same terms unless both sides sign a new agreement. If you want to move out when the term ends, give the same written notice: received at least one month before, and effective the day before rent is due, no earlier than the end date in your agreement.
Some agreements have a vacate clause, which requires you to leave at the end of the term. It is only allowed if the landlord or a close family member will live in the unit, or if the agreement is a sublease.
Leaving before the end of the term is breaking the lease, and you may owe the landlord for lost rent. The RTB's example: a tenant who leaves a one-year lease after two months could face a claim for 10 months' rent. The RTB suggests these lawful alternatives first:
- Mutual agreement with the landlord in writing (RTB-8).
- Sublet or assign the tenancy, with the landlord's written consent.
- Family violence or long-term care: you can end a fixed term early with one month's notice. You need a confirmation statement (RTB-49) completed by an eligible third-party verifier.
- Landlord's breach of a material term: if you gave written notice of the problem and it wasn't fixed within a reasonable time, you can end the tenancy by notice.
Important: If you don't give proper notice or you leave early, the landlord can apply for dispute resolution and you may have to pay compensation. When in doubt, get any agreement to end early in writing, signed by both of you.
How to deliver (serve) your notice
The RTB lists these ways a tenant can serve a notice on a landlord:
- hand it to the landlord, or leave it with the landlord's agent (such as a property manager)
- send it by regular or registered mail to the landlord's home address, or to the address where they do business as a landlord
- attach it to the door at the address where the landlord does business as a landlord
- fax or email it to the number or email address the landlord gave in the tenancy agreement or on form RTB-51
Text messages and notes slid under a door don't count. Keep proof, such as a witness, a registered mail receipt, a photo of the notice in the mailbox, or the email thread.
If your landlord gave you notice first
If you received a landlord use notice (landlord or buyer moving in, or demolition), you can leave earlier than its date by giving at least 10 days' written notice, and pay rent only up to your new date. You keep your right to one month's rent in compensation. See our guide to B.C. eviction notices.
Move-out day and the condition inspection
- Be out by 1pm on the last day of the tenancy, unless you and the landlord agree otherwise.
- Leave the unit reasonably clean and undamaged, except for reasonable wear and tear, and return all keys and fobs.
- Do the move-out inspection together. The landlord must offer at least two opportunities (the RTB's Condition Inspection Report is form RTB-27). If you skip both, you can lose your right to get your deposit back. If the landlord doesn't offer the inspections or complete the report, they can lose the right to claim against the deposit for damage.
- Post-dated cheques must be returned to you before the last day of the tenancy.
Tip: Take dated photos or a video of every room after you clean, and keep your move-in inspection report. The RTB says the inspection is the time to document the unit's condition since move-in.
Getting your security deposit back
A security deposit, and a pet damage deposit, can each be no more than half a month's rent. Under section 38 of the Act, within 15 days after the later of (a) the day the tenancy ends and (b) the day the landlord receives your forwarding address in writing, the landlord must either:
- return the deposit(s) with any interest owed, or
- apply to the RTB for dispute resolution to claim against them.
A landlord can keep an amount only if you agree in writing at the end of the tenancy, or if the RTB orders it. If the landlord does neither within 15 days, they must pay you double the deposit. Tenants can ask for this through the RTB's direct request process (form RTB-12T-DR), which the RTB says you can file 20 days after the tenancy ends and you've given your forwarding address. If you never give a forwarding address in writing within one year, the landlord may keep the deposit.
Interest is owed at a rate set each year. The RTB has an online deposit interest calculator.
Changed your mind?
The RTB says it's okay for a landlord and tenant to change their minds about ending a tenancy, as long as they both agree in writing. The tenancy then continues on the same terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice does a tenant need to give in BC?
One full rental month. The landlord must receive it before the day rent is due, and it takes effect the day before the next rent day. For example, give notice by April 30 to leave May 31.
Is 30 days' notice enough in BC?
Not always. The notice must cover a complete rental month and end the day before rent is due. Thirty days from a mid-month date doesn't work.
Where can I get a tenant notice to end tenancy form in BC (PDF)?
The RTB doesn't have one for a tenant's standard notice. Write a signed, dated letter with your name, the unit address and your move-out date. If you and your landlord agree on a date, use the Mutual Agreement to End a Tenancy (RTB-8).
Can I give notice to end my tenancy by email or text?
By email, if the landlord provided an email address for service in the tenancy agreement or on form RTB-51. Not by text message.
Can I end a fixed-term lease early in BC?
Only with a mutual agreement, an approved sublet or assignment, the family violence or long-term care process, an uncorrected landlord breach of a material term, or an arbitrator's order. Otherwise you may owe the landlord for lost rent.
How long does a landlord have to return a damage deposit in BC?
15 days after the later of the tenancy ending and the landlord receiving your forwarding address in writing. If the landlord doesn't return it or apply to the RTB, they can be ordered to pay double.
What time do I have to be out on moving day?
1pm on the last day of the tenancy, unless you and the landlord agree on something else.
Official sources
- Residential Tenancy Act (sections 35 to 38, 45, 52, 53, 88 to 90) — BC Laws
- Options for tenant to end tenancy — Government of B.C.
- Breaking a lease as a tenant — Government of B.C.
- Moving out of rental units / Deposits — Government of B.C.
- Communication and serving notices — Government of B.C.
- Residential tenancy forms — Government of B.C.
- Mutual Agreement to End a Tenancy, RTB-8 (PDF) — Government of B.C.
- Tenant Notice of Forwarding Address, RTB-47 (PDF) — Government of B.C.
- Condition Inspection Report, RTB-27 (PDF) — Government of B.C.
- Contact the Residential Tenancy Branch — Government of B.C.
General information only, not professional advice. Rules and prices change, so check the official sources above before you act. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.