Need to get out of a lease?
I need to break my lease
Every province publishes at least one way out. Most people never find their own.
There is almost always a lawful way to leave, the question is which one applies to you and what it costs. This is a calm, plain-English guide to the routes: giving proper notice, assigning or subletting, a special-circumstance exit, or a tribunal order. It is general information about the process, not legal advice.
Periodic tenancy or fixed term?
The first thing that decides your options is what kind of tenancy you have.
- A periodic tenancy (month-to-month, week-to-week, or year-to-year) can be ended by giving proper notice. How much notice, and when it takes effect, is set by your province.
- A fixed term runs to its end date. You normally cannot end it early just by giving notice. To leave early you generally need to assign or sublet, use a published special-circumstance route, or get a tribunal order.
The four families of exit
1. Proper notice
On a periodic tenancy, you end it by giving the notice your province requires, timed to a rent day or a period end.
2. Assignment or sublet
You hand the tenancy to someone else with the landlord's consent. Several provinces limit how a landlord can refuse, cap the fee, or treat silence as consent. In Quebec, assignment is the main way out of a lease.
3. A special-circumstance route
Most provinces publish a violence exit, and several publish a health or long-term-care exit. These usually need a specific document and a set notice period, and some have an expiry window you have to act inside.
4. A tribunal order
Where a landlord is in breach, the route is usually an application to your provincial tribunal, which can end the tenancy, rather than a self-serve notice.
Your province
The notice, the documents, and any fee cap differ by province. Pick yours.
The territories are not covered here, check your territorial tenancy office directly.
This page tells you what the published rules and documents are. It does not predict what a landlord will agree to or how a tribunal will decide. Following the correct route helps avoid owing rent you did not have to, but nothing here guarantees a particular result. For advice on your situation, contact your provincial tribunal or a paralegal or lawyer.
Common Questions
Can I actually break my lease early in Canada?
Usually yes, through one of a few published routes: proper notice on a periodic tenancy, assigning or subletting where allowed, a special-circumstance exit (most provinces publish a violence exit, and several publish a health or care exit), or a tribunal order. The route and the notice depend on your province and whether you are on a periodic tenancy or a fixed term. Pick your province below for the exact rule.
What does it cost me to leave a fixed-term lease early?
It depends on the province and your route. Some provinces publish what a tenant owes after leaving a fixed term early, and most tie it to the landlord's duty to try to re-rent the unit. Using a published exit, such as assignment or a violence or care route, can help avoid rent you did not have to pay, but no figure here is a guarantee. Your province page states what is published.
Where to go from here
Guidepost is not a law firm, and this is general information, not legal advice. The correct notice, documents, and route depend on your province and your facts; for advice, contact your provincial tribunal or a paralegal or lawyer. Full disclaimer. Last updated: July 2026.