How long is the tenant notice period in France?

3 months for an unfurnished lease, reduced to 1 month in a zone tendue or in the situations listed by article 15 of the loi du 6 juillet 1989 (first job, transfer, job loss, health grounds, domestic violence, RSA/AAH, social housing). Always 1 month for a furnished lease.

How do I know if my commune is a zone tendue?

For the reduced notice only the first list of the décret n° 2013-392 annex counts — 1,434 communes in urbanisation zones over 50,000 inhabitants. The broader ~3,700-commune tax list does not all qualify. AdminLanding's free simulator checks your exact commune via its INSEE code against the correct list.

Do I need to justify the reduced 1-month notice?

The reason must be stated in the notice letter itself. Personal grounds require the supporting document attached to the letter; for the zone tendue ground no attachment is legally required (Cass. 3e civ., 11 Jan. 2024). Otherwise the 3-month notice applies.

Rental notice period: 1 or 3 months? Get your exact date

Last updated 17 July 2026AdminLanding Editorial

Check your commune against the official zone tendue list, apply the art. 15 rules, and get the exact day your lease ends — free, then generate the compliant letter.

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Notice period simulator — free

Your legal notice duration and exact end date, under loi n° 89-462.

Who is giving notice?

Lease type

Dwelling address (zone tendue check)

I already know the dwelling is in a zone tendue

Special situation (art. 15)

Date the landlord RECEIVES the notice

The clock starts when the letter is received (LRAR signed for), not when it is sent.

Your legal notice period:

3 months

Standard 3-month notice (unfurnished, outside zone tendue, no special situation).

Valid delivery: registered letter with acknowledgment (LRAR), hand delivery against signed receipt, or service by a commissaire de justice. A plain email is not valid notice.

Now turn it into a compliant notice letter

• Correct legal mentions and article citations for your exact case
• Justificatif checklist so the 1-month notice can't be contested
• E-signature and LRAR delivery guidance

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Quick answer

A French tenant's notice period (préavis) is set by article 15 of the loi du 6 juillet 1989: 3 months for an unfurnished lease, reduced to 1 month when the dwelling is in a zone tendue (the 1,434 communes of the first list of the décret n° 2013-392 annex) or when a listed personal ground applies — and always 1 month for a furnished lease. The period runs from the day the landlord receives the letter (LRAR, hand delivery against receipt, or commissaire de justice), and rent remains due until the end date. To get the reduced notice, the reason must be stated in the letter itself — with the justificatif attached for personal grounds.

Leaving because of unpaid deposit issues? See deposit return rules.

How the notice period really works

The clock starts at reception, not sending

Posting your LRAR on the 28th does not start the notice — the period begins the day the landlord signs for it. Hand delivery against a signed receipt or service by a commissaire de justice work too. If the landlord never collects the registered letter, courts consider the notice never took effect: when in doubt, the commissaire de justice route is the only guaranteed start date.

The end date is day-for-day

A 1-month notice received on 12 March ends on 12 April; a 3-month notice received on 5 March ends on 5 June. When the target month has no matching day (received 31 March + 1 month), the notice ends on the month's last day (30 April). Rent and charges are due through the entire period — unless the landlord agrees otherwise or re-lets sooner.

The reduced notice must be claimed in the letter

The 1-month notice is not automatic: the letter itself must state the ground. For personal grounds (job transfer, health, RSA/AAH…) the justificatif must accompany the letter — courts refuse documents produced after the fact, and the 3-month notice then applies (Cass. 3e civ., 11 Apr. 2019). For the zone tendue ground, stating the provision with the dwelling's address suffices — no attachment is legally required (Cass. 3e civ., 11 Jan. 2024). Getting this wrong is the single most common préavis mistake — exactly what a generated, legally structured letter prevents.

Landlord side: a different regime entirely

A landlord cannot end the lease mid-term: notice is only for the lease's end, with a legal motive (sale, moving in, serious legitimate ground) and 6 months' warning for unfurnished (3 for furnished). Full rules in our landlord notice guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Notice duration, zone tendue, start date, rent during préavis.

How long is the notice period for a tenant in France?

For an unfurnished lease it is 3 months by default, reduced to 1 month if the dwelling is in a zone tendue or in a situation listed by article 15 of the loi du 6 juillet 1989: first job, professional transfer, job loss, new job after a job loss, health grounds, domestic violence (protection order or prosecuted/convicted partner), RSA/AAH, or social-housing allocation. For a furnished lease the tenant's notice is always 1 month.

When does the notice period start?

On the day the landlord RECEIVES the notice: the date the registered letter (LRAR) is signed for, the date of hand delivery against a signed receipt, or the date a commissaire de justice serves it. The sending date is irrelevant — and if the landlord never collects the LRAR, the notice does not take effect, which is why service by commissaire de justice is the safe fallback.

What is a zone tendue and how do I know if my city is one?

For the reduced notice, only the FIRST list of the décret n° 2013-392 annex counts: the 1,434 communes in continuous urbanisation zones of over 50,000 inhabitants (most large cities and their suburbs). Beware — the broader ~3,700-commune 'zone tendue' tax list added tourist communes in 2023 where the vacancy tax applies but NOT the 1-month notice; many websites conflate the two. Our free simulator checks your exact commune (via its INSEE code) against the correct reduced-notice list — the same reference data as the official service-public simulator.

Do I need to give a reason for leaving?

No — a tenant can always leave at any time without any reason, with the standard notice. A reason is only needed to claim the REDUCED 1-month notice on an unfurnished lease. It must then be stated in the letter itself: personal grounds require the supporting document attached (produced later, it doesn't count), while for the zone tendue ground the mention with the dwelling's address suffices — no attachment is legally required (Cass. 3e civ., 11 Jan. 2024). Otherwise the 3-month notice applies.

Do I pay rent during the notice period?

Yes — rent and charges are due for the entire notice period, even if you move out earlier. The only exception is if the landlord agrees otherwise or the dwelling is re-let to a new tenant before the period ends.

How do I send a valid notice letter?

Three ways only: registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt (LRAR), hand delivery against a signed receipt (récépissé or émargement), or service by a commissaire de justice. Email, SMS or ordinary mail are not valid. The letter should state the dwelling, the leaving date and — for a reduced notice — the legal ground with its justificatif. AdminLanding generates it in the compliant French format with e-signature.

Important: AdminLanding is a technology platform, not a law firm. We do not practice law, provide legal advice, or act as lawyers (avocats), notaries (notaires), bailiffs (commissaires de justice), or any regulated legal professional as defined by French Law No. 71-1130 of December 31, 1971. This simulator applies the published legal rules to the information you enter, for information purposes only — it does not constitute personalized legal advice. Verify your situation with the official sources (service-public.fr) or a qualified professional before acting.

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EU-hosted • Art. 15 loi 89-462 • Official zone list (décret 2013-392, consolidated)