New Zealand Tenancy Notice Period Checker
Pick who is ending the tenancy and the situation to see the required written notice for a periodic tenancy under the Residential Tenancies Act, including the no-cause 90-day rule reinstated in 2025. Free and instant.
Required written notice
90 days
90 days written notice
A landlord ending a periodic tenancy in this situation must give at least 90 days written notice. The notice must be in writing and correctly served.
No-cause 90-day terminations for periodic tenancies were reinstated from 30 January 2025.
See ending a tenancy and notice periods for the full table, and Tenancy Services for how to serve notice correctly.
This checker uses the published Residential Tenancies Act notice periods for a periodic tenancy, including the 2025 no-cause reinstatement. It is general information, not legal advice, and does not cover every situation. Contact Tenancy Services or the Tenancy Tribunal for a specific dispute.
The Notice Periods
For a periodic tenancy, the notice a landlord must give depends on the reason. A no-cause termination requires 90 days, an owner or their family moving in (or an unconditional sale) requires 42 days, and where a tenant has physically assaulted the landlord, owner or their family and the Police have filed a charge, 14 days. A tenant ending a periodic tenancy generally gives 21 days, or 2 days when leaving because of family violence, with the required evidence.
The no-cause 90-day termination for periodic tenancies was reinstated from 30 January 2025. The full table, with how notice must be served, is on our ending a tenancy page.
Fixed-Term Tenancies
A fixed-term tenancy is different: it runs to its agreed end date and does not end on a notice period. To stop a fixed term rolling over into a periodic tenancy, a landlord must give notice between the 90th and the 21st day before the end date. A tenant generally cannot leave a fixed term early without the landlord's agreement or a Tenancy Tribunal order.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice does a landlord give to end a tenancy in NZ?
For a periodic tenancy, a no-cause termination requires 90 days, 42 days applies where the owner or their family is moving in or the property has sold unconditionally, and 14 days where the tenant has assaulted the landlord or their family and Police have filed a charge.
How much notice does a tenant have to give?
A tenant ending a periodic tenancy generally gives at least 21 days written notice, or 2 days when leaving because of family violence, with the evidence the Residential Tenancies Act requires.
Can a landlord end a fixed-term tenancy early?
No, a fixed term runs to its end date. To prevent it rolling over into a periodic tenancy, the landlord gives notice between 90 and 21 days before the end date.
Is this legal advice?
No. This is general information about New Zealand tenancy law. For a specific dispute, contact Tenancy Services or the Tenancy Tribunal.
This checker uses the published Residential Tenancies Act notice periods for a periodic tenancy. It is general information, not legal advice, and does not cover every situation. Contact Tenancy Services for a specific case.
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