What is a rent increase letter?

A rent increase letter is a written notice from a landlord telling a tenant that the rent will go up. It states the current rent, the new rent and the date the new rent takes effect.

How much notice do I have to give for a rent increase?

It depends on the state and sometimes the city. Thirty days is common for month-to-month rentals, some states require 60 or 90 days, especially for larger increases or longer tenancies, and a few allow less. See the state list on this page, then check your own state's statute and your city's rules before you pick a start date.

Can I raise the rent in the middle of a lease?

Usually not. A fixed-term lease sets the rent for the whole term, so an increase normally starts when the lease ends or renews, unless the lease itself says the rent can change.

Is there a limit on how much I can raise the rent?

In many places there is no cap, but some states and many cities limit yearly increases, and rent-controlled or subsidized units have their own rules. Check your state law and your city's housing office before choosing the new amount.

How should I deliver a rent increase letter?

Follow your lease and your state's rules for serving notices. Handing it to the tenant and mailing it are the most common methods; email usually does not count unless your lease or state law says it does. Keep a signed copy and note the date and how you delivered it. In some states mailing adds days to the notice period.

Does the tenant have to sign the letter?

For a month-to-month tenancy, usually not: a notice that meets your state's requirements does not need the tenant's signature. A new rent after a fixed-term lease ends is normally agreed in a renewal or a new lease. Asking the tenant to acknowledge that they received the notice is still useful for your records.

Is this rent increase letter template free?

Yes. You can download the letter as a PDF or Word file or copy the text without paying or creating an account. What you type stays in your browser.

Rent Increase Letter Template

Enter the current rent, the new rent and the date it starts. Download the notice as a PDF or Word file to print, sign and deliver.

[Landlord name]

[Landlord mailing address]

[Date]

[Tenant name]

[Rental property address]

Notice of Rent Increase

Dear [Tenant name],

This letter serves as written notice that the rent for [Rental property address] will change from [Current rent] per month to [New rent] per month.

The new rent takes effect on [Effective date]. Rent due on or after that date will be [New rent] per month.

All other terms of your rental agreement stay the same.

If you have any questions about this notice, please contact me.

Sincerely,

[Landlord name]

How to write a rent increase letter

Keep it short, specific and polite.

1. Check the notice you owe

Look up how many days of written notice your state and city require, how the notice has to be delivered, and whether there is a limit on the amount, before you pick a start date.

2. Fill in the numbers

Enter the current rent, the new rent and the date the new rent starts. The letter states all three so nothing is left to interpretation.

3. Sign and deliver it

Print and sign the letter, deliver it the way your lease and local law call for, and keep a copy with the date and how you delivered it.

What a rent increase letter should include

A rent increase notice only needs a few facts. Leaving one out is what causes disputes later.

The date of the letter

Notice periods are counted in days, so the date you wrote and delivered the letter matters.

Tenant name and rental address

The names on the lease and the full address of the unit, including the apartment number.

The current rent and the new rent

State both amounts, not just the difference, so the tenant can see exactly what changes.

The date the new rent starts

A specific calendar date. For a fixed-term lease this is normally the day the current term ends.

What stays the same

One sentence confirming the other terms of the rental agreement are unchanged avoids confusion.

Your name, signature and contact

So the tenant knows who the notice is from and how to reach you with questions.

How much notice a rent increase needs, by state

It depends on where the rental is. Some states have a law written for rent increases; many do not.

This is general information, not legal advice. It covers residential month-to-month rentals in the states listed and is not a complete statement of any law. Cities and counties often add their own rules, subsidized and rent-regulated housing is treated differently, and a written lease can change some of these periods. Laws change: we read each statute cited here on October 7, 2026. Read the current statute or ask your local housing agency before you send a notice.

States with a notice period written for rent increases

California

For month-to-month and shorter periodic tenancies: at least 30 days' notice if the increase, together with any other increases in the previous 12 months, is 10% or less; at least 90 days if it is more than 10%. Serving the notice by mail adds time.

Source: Cal. Civ. Code § 827

Colorado

Where there is no written rental agreement: at least 60 days' written notice. Rent may not be increased more than once in any 12-month period.

Source: C.R.S. §§ 38-12-701, 38-12-702

Maryland

At least 60 days' notice for a tenancy of more than one week and up to one month, which includes month-to-month; at least 90 days for a term longer than one month. The statute also sets how the notice must be delivered, and local laws can be stricter.

Source: Md. Code, Real Property § 8-209

Nevada

At least 60 days' written notice, or 30 days for a periodic tenancy of less than one month.

Source: NRS 118A.300

New York

When the rent will go up by 5% or more: at least 30 days' notice if the tenant has lived there less than one year and the lease term is less than one year; 60 days if either the time lived there or the lease term is at least one year but less than two; 90 days if either is two years or more.

Source: N.Y. Real Property Law § 226-c

Oregon

No increase during the first year of a tenancy, and no more than one increase in 12 months. For any tenancy other than week-to-week: at least 90 days' written notice stating the amount of the increase, the new rent and the date it takes effect. A landlord who relies on an exemption from the state cap must state the facts supporting it in the notice.

Source: ORS 90.323

Washington

At least 90 days' written notice, or 30 days for subsidized tenancies where rent is based on income. An increase cannot take effect before the end of the lease term, and rent cannot be raised in the first 12 months of a tenancy. Check chapter 59.18 RCW for what a Washington notice must contain before you use a general template.

Source: RCW 59.18.140, RCW 59.18.700

States with no separate notice period for rent increases

In these states we did not find a statute that sets a notice period specifically for raising the rent. The period shown is the notice the statute requires to end a month-to-month tenancy, which is the usual reference point for changing its terms. It is not a rule written for rent increases, and a written lease may set a different period.

Arizona

30 days before the periodic rental date.

Source: A.R.S. § 33-1375

Florida

30 days before the end of a monthly period.

Source: Fla. Stat. § 83.57

Illinois

30 days' written notice. Chicago and some other cities have their own ordinances.

Source: 735 ILCS 5/9-207

Massachusetts

The interval between rent payments or 30 days, whichever is longer.

Source: M.G.L. c. 186, § 12

Michigan

One month.

Source: MCL 554.134

Minnesota

At least one full rental period, which is one month when rent is paid monthly.

Source: Minn. Stat. § 504B.135

Missouri

One month's written notice.

Source: RSMo § 441.060

North Carolina

7 days.

Source: N.C.G.S. § 42-14

Ohio

30 days before the periodic rental date.

Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.17

Texas

One month. A signed written agreement can set a different period.

Source: Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001

Virginia

30 days before the next rent due date.

Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1253

Wisconsin

28 days.

Source: Wis. Stat. § 704.19

If your state is not listed

We only list states where we have read the statute ourselves. For any other state, look up its landlord-tenant statute or ask your state or local housing agency.

Fixed-term leases

A lease normally fixes the rent until the term ends, so an increase usually starts with a renewal or a new lease, unless the lease itself allows a change during the term.

Limits on the amount

California (Civ. Code § 1947.12), Oregon (ORS 90.323) and Washington (RCW 59.18.700) cap yearly increases for many rentals, with exemptions. Many cities have their own rent control rules.

Counting the days

Notice periods usually run from the day the tenant receives the notice, not the date written on the letter, and mailing can add days. Give more notice than the minimum.

Rent increase letter questions

Short answers for landlords.

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