Can a domestic violence victim end a lease early in Delaware?
In Delaware, a tenant who is a victim of domestic abuse, sexual offenses or stalking, or who has obtained or is seeking relief from domestic violence or abuse from a court, police agency or domestic violence program or service, may end the tenancy on 30 days’ written notice, with the 30 days beginning on the first day of the month after the day of actual notice. When a party rightfully elects to terminate, the duties of each party under the rental agreement cease and all parties discharge any remaining obligations as soon as is practicable. This is 25 Del. C. § 5314.
| What | Delaware |
|---|---|
| Ending the lease early | 30 days’ written notice, counted from the next month |
What the statute says
“By a tenant who is the victim of domestic abuse, sexual offenses, stalking, or a tenant who has obtained or is seeking relief from domestic violence or abuse from any court, police agency, or domestic violence program or service …”
Quoted word for word from the section’s text.
Source
Read the statute in the Delaware Code (Delaware General Assembly): delcode.delaware.gov.
Checked against the statute on November 15, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora keeps every lease’s term, rent and signers in one record and dates every change to it. This page states the state’s rule so a lease’s own early-termination and sublet clauses can be checked against it before the lease is signed.
Guides on this rule
- Breaking a Lease for Domestic Violence: Laws by State — How a domestic violence victim can end a lease early, with the notice, documents and rent rule in each of the 39 jurisdictions with a statute.
Compare this rule in every state
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The same question in other states
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana