moving out Oct 31, 2026

Ending Your Lease in Denmark: Notice Period and Template

By Bolighub Published Oct 31, 2026 Updated Oct 31, 2026 Reading time: 14 min.

moving outleaselegal

Have you found a new home, or do you need to move for another reason? Then you first have to give notice on your current rental correctly. If you don’t, you could end up paying rent in two places for several months. This guide covers the notice period that applies, how to work out your last day, how to send your notice so you can prove it, and what to do if your lease is non-terminable or fixed-term.

The article covers private rentals under lejeloven (the Danish Rent Act, in Danish). Almene boliger (non-profit social housing) follow largely the same rules, which we cover further down. Your own lease can make a difference, so read it before you act.

The short answer: usually 3 months’ notice

As a tenant, you are free to terminate your lease unless something else has been agreed (lejeloven section 169(1)). You don’t have to give the landlord a reason.

The notice period is, as a rule, 3 months, ending on the first weekday (hverdag) of a month that is not the day before a public holiday (lejeloven section 175(1)). The same notice period applies to the landlord when the landlord terminates on the ordinary grounds.

There are three important exceptions:

A room in the landlord’s own home: If you rent a single room that is part of the flat or the one- or two-family house where the landlord lives, the notice period is 1 month (section 175(1), cf. section 170, no. 1). This does not apply to a room in a property where the landlord does not live. There, the notice period is normally 3 months.
Non-terminable period (uopsigelighed): If your lease says it cannot be terminated by the tenant for a certain period, you cannot use ordinary termination during that period.
Fixed-term lease (tidsbegrænset lejemål): If your lease has a fixed end date, it normally cannot be terminated early unless this has been agreed (section 173(1)).

Your lease may also set a different notice period from the one in the law. So always check your contract. In the standard lease form (Typeformular A), special terms are listed in section 11.

How to work out your last day

The rule of thumb is simple: if your notice reaches the landlord at any point during a month, the notice period runs for the three full months after that. The tenancy then ends on the first weekday of the fourth month.

The key word is reaches. It is not enough to send your notice on the last day of the month. It has to have reached the landlord, and it is up to you to be able to document that. So it’s a good idea to send it a few days before the end of the month.

Landlord receives your notice	Tenancy normally ends	You pay rent for
During October 2026	Monday 1 February 2027	November, December and January
During November 2026	Monday 1 March 2027	December, January and February
During December 2026	Thursday 1 April 2027	January, February and March
Room in the landlord’s home, received in October 2026	Tuesday 1 December 2026	November

If the 1st falls on a Sunday or public holiday, or is the day before a public holiday, the end date moves to the next day that meets the rule. If you are unsure about a specific date, ask your landlord and get the answer in writing.

You must have moved out by 12 noon on the moving-out day at the latest (lejeloven section 187(1)). Many tenants overlook this and plan their move for the afternoon of the same day.

Example: Sofie is moving to Aarhus

Sofie lives in a two-room flat in Frederiksberg and gets a new job in Aarhus starting 1 March. She sends her notice by email on 20 November, and her landlord confirms it the same day. Her tenancy therefore ends on 1 March 2027, and she pays rent for December, January and February. If she had waited until 2 December instead, she would also have had to pay for March, meaning an extra month’s rent.

Formal requirements: how should you send your notice?

The Rent Act explicitly requires the landlord’s notice to be in writing and to contain certain information (section 176). There is no corresponding formal rule for the tenant’s notice in sections 169 and 175. But that doesn’t mean you should just mention it to your landlord on the stairs. Without anything in writing, you may find it hard to prove that you gave notice, and when.

So always give notice in writing and in a way you can document. Your options are:

Email or another digital message: Under lejeloven section 13, notices can as a rule be sent digitally. This does not apply, however, if the landlord has required, with 1 month’s notice, that notices must not be sent digitally, or if one of you is exempt from Digital Post (the Danish public digital mail system). Ask for a receipt, and keep both your email and the reply. Check whether your lease specifies a particular email address for notices.
A letter with proof: For example, a registered letter or a letter with proof of delivery. This is safe, but check the delivery time if it’s close to the end of the month.
Handing it over in person: Get the landlord or property administrator to sign and date a copy.

A text message can be hard to use as proof, especially if the landlord doesn’t reply. Use it as a supplement at most.

Who needs to sign?

Married, and the home is the family home: If the home is the family home, you may not terminate the lease without your spouse’s consent (section 169(2)). Have your spouse sign the notice.
Two tenants on the lease: If you are both named on the lease, you should both sign. If only one of you is moving out, that is not an ordinary termination but something you need to agree with the landlord.
Death of the tenant: If the tenant has died, the estate can terminate with the usual notice, even if the tenancy was agreed for a longer period or with a longer notice period (section 163(4)). A spouse or cohabiting partner may, however, have the right to continue the tenancy.

Template: notice of termination of tenancy

You can use this text as a starting point. Adjust it to fit your tenancy.

Notice of termination of tenancy

To: [Landlord’s name and address]

From: [Your name, and any co-tenant’s name]

Property: [Address, floor, door]

I hereby give notice to terminate my tenancy at the above address with the notice period that follows from the lease and the Rent Act (lejeloven). By my calculation, the tenancy ends on [date]. If this date is not correct, this notice applies to the first date on which the tenancy can lawfully end.

Please confirm in writing that this notice has been received, and confirm the date on which the tenancy ends.

Please pay my depositum (deposit) and any forudbetalt leje (prepaid rent) to reg. no. [ ] account no. [ ]. I will provide my new address no later than 8 days before moving out.

Date and signature: [ ]

Spouse’s consent, if applicable: [ ]

The sentence about “the first date on which the tenancy can lawfully end” is a safeguard in case you have miscalculated. That way, you don’t risk the whole notice being disputed.

If your landlord is Danish, they may prefer the notice in Danish, but the content is the same.

If your lease is non-terminable

Many leases include a non-terminable period, for example “the tenancy cannot be terminated by the tenant for 12 months from moving in”. During that period, you cannot give notice in the ordinary way.

What matters is the wording:

Can you give notice so that you can move out when the period ends? Then you can usually give notice while the non-terminable period still applies.
Can you only give notice once the period has ended? Then the 3 months’ notice comes on top, and you are bound for around 15 months.

Example: You moved in on 1 September 2026 with a 12-month non-terminable period. If the notice period has to fall within the 12 months, the earliest you can move out is 1 September 2027. If the notice period only starts running afterwards, the earliest you can move out is around 1 December 2027. That difference could cost you three months’ rent.

If the wording is unclear, get it assessed. Read more in our article on non-terminable lease agreements.

If your lease is fixed-term

A fixed-term tenancy ends by itself on the end date. You don’t need to give notice to move out on that date. During the term, however, it normally cannot be terminated unless this has been agreed or the landlord breaches the agreement (lejeloven section 173(1)).

So check section 11 of your lease. If it says, for example, “the tenant may terminate the tenancy during the lease period with 3 months’ notice”, that applies. If it says nothing, you are normally bound until the end date.

Also be aware that a fixed term that is not sufficiently justified by the landlord’s circumstances can be set aside (section 173(3)). The tenancy then becomes an ordinary tenancy, which you can terminate with the usual notice. This requires an assessment of the specific case.

Do you need to move out before the notice period ends?

You are allowed to move out earlier, but as a rule you are liable for the rent until the tenancy ends. The law does give you an important relief, though: if you move out before the notice period expires, the landlord must try to re-let the home. Whatever the landlord receives, or should have received, from re-letting must be deducted from the landlord’s claim against you (lejeloven section 175(3)).

In practice, you can make re-letting easier:

Tell the landlord early that you would like to leave before the end of the notice period, and ask whether they will advertise the home straight away.
Allow viewings. Once you have given notice, you must allow the home to be viewed for at least 2 hours every other weekday, at a time suitable for a viewing. You decide the time yourself (section 186(1)).
Suggest a new tenant if you know someone. As a rule, though, the landlord decides who to rent the home to, unless your lease gives you the right to nominate a new tenant.
Get the agreement in writing. If you agree that you can leave earlier, the date and any conditions should be set out in an email or document that you have both accepted.

If you only need to be away for a period, for example to study abroad or for work, subletting (fremleje) may be an alternative to terminating your lease.

Almene boliger and ungdomsboliger

If you live in an almen bolig (non-profit housing), the Act on the Rental of Non-Profit Housing (lov om leje af almene boliger, known as almenlejeloven) applies. Here, too, you are free to terminate (section 84), and the notice period is normally 3 months, ending on the first weekday of a month that is not the day before a public holiday (section 88). If you move out early, the housing organisation must also try to re-let the home.

For non-profit ungdomsboliger (youth housing), a shorter notice period may have been agreed. Notice is usually given through the housing organisation’s self-service portal or a form, so check what your housing organisation requires.

Checklist: how to give notice on your rental

Common mistakes when tenants give notice

Sending your notice on the last day of the month. If it only arrives the next day, it costs you an extra month’s rent.
Giving notice verbally or by text message without confirmation, and then being unable to prove it.
Signing a new lease without working out when the old one ends. Paying double rent for two or three months is one of the most expensive moving mistakes.
Overlooking a non-terminable period, or thinking that “12 months’ commitment” means you can move out after exactly 12 months.
Thinking you no longer have to pay rent once you’ve handed in the keys. As a rule, you are liable until the end date, unless the home is re-let or you agree otherwise.
Forgetting your spouse’s consent when it’s the family home.

Advice for tenants

Find your new home before you give notice, but count backwards. Many landlords are happy to have a tenant who can move in on the 1st of a month in 2–3 months’ time. Use a search agent so you see new rentals as soon as they are listed and can time the overlap.
Ask your new landlord for a later move-in date if you would otherwise end up paying double rent.
Check your finances for the overlap period. The depositum and forudbetalt leje for your new home often have to be paid before you get your old deposit back.
Get advice if in doubt. If you disagree with your landlord about the notice period, a non-terminable period or rent during the notice period, a lejerforening (tenants’ association) or a lawyer can assess your case. Certain disputes can also be brought before Huslejenævnet (the local rent tribunal).

Advice for landlords

Confirm receipt in writing, and state the date on which you believe the tenancy ends. This prevents disagreements.
Check the lease before rejecting a notice on the grounds of a non-terminable period or a fixed term. If the term is unclear, it may be interpreted against you.
Start re-letting straight away if the tenant wants to move out early. You have a duty to try to re-let, and a lack of effort can reduce your claim against the tenant (section 175(3)). Keep documentation of adverts and viewings.
Arrange viewings with respect for the tenant’s right to set the times themselves within the limits of the law.
Keep track of the move-out deadlines. If you rent out more than one residential flat, you must inspect the flat no later than 2 weeks after you have been told that the tenant has moved out. The tenant must be invited in writing with at least 1 week’s notice, unless you agree on a shorter notice, and you must prepare a move-out report (section 187(3)–(4)). If you don’t follow the rules, you may lose your claim for repairs (section 187(5)).
Advertise in good time. With 3 months’ notice, you usually have time to find a new tenant without the home standing empty. You can list your property as a landlord on Bolighub.

In short

As a tenant, you can normally terminate your lease without giving a reason, with 3 months’ notice ending on the first weekday of a month. For a room in the landlord’s own home, the notice period is 1 month. Make sure your notice has reached the landlord before the month ends, send it in writing, and ask for confirmation. Check your lease for a non-terminable period, a fixed term and special notice periods before you sign for a new home. If you need to leave early, talk to your landlord early and help with re-letting.

FAQ

How long is the notice period on a rented flat?

As a rule, 3 months, ending on the first weekday of a month that is not the day before a public holiday (lejeloven section 175(1)). Your lease may contain other terms, such as a non-terminable period.

When do I need to give notice to move out on 1 February?

Your notice must normally reach the landlord during October. Send it in good time so you are sure it has been received before the end of the month.

Can I give notice on my rental by email?

As a rule, yes, because under lejeloven section 13 notices can be sent digitally, unless the landlord has required otherwise or one of you is exempt from Digital Post. Ask for a receipt and keep the correspondence.

What is the notice period for a room?

If the room is part of the home where the landlord lives, the notice period is 1 month. If the room is in a property where the landlord does not live, the notice period is normally 3 months.

Do I have to pay rent if I move out before the notice period ends?

As a rule, yes, until the tenancy ends. However, the landlord must try to re-let the home, and whatever the landlord receives, or should have received, is deducted from the amount you owe (section 175(3)).

Can I terminate a fixed-term lease early?

Only if this has been agreed in the lease, or if the landlord breaches the agreement (section 173(1)). Otherwise, you can try to make a written agreement with your landlord about moving out earlier.

Sources and further reading

Retsinformation: Lejeloven, Act no. 341 of 22 March 2022 (in Danish), especially sections 13, 163, 169, 170, 173, 175, 176, 186 and 187
Lov om leje af almene boliger (almenlejeloven), especially sections 84 and 88. Find the current version on retsinformation.dk (in Danish)
Bolighub: Non-terminable lease agreement

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