Lease dictionary
Early termination clause
The lease's exit door: what it costs to leave before the term ends.
An early termination (or 'buyout') clause lets you end a fixed-term lease early for a defined price - commonly one to two months' rent plus notice. Without one, leaving early means you're on the hook until the landlord re-rents (though most states require them to try).
Some tenants have statutory early-exit rights regardless of the lease: active-duty military orders (SCRA), and in many states domestic-violence survivors or uninhabitable conditions.
Watch out
A lease with no early termination clause isn't a trap - the duty to mitigate still protects you - but a clear buyout number is far more predictable. Ask for one.
See it in action
The Notice to vacate letter puts this term to work for you.