Can a domestic violence victim end a lease early in Indiana?
In Indiana, a tenant who is a victim or alleged victim of domestic or family violence, a sex offense or stalking and holds a civil protection order or criminal no contact order may end the lease with at least 30 days’ written notice that includes a copy of the order. A victim of domestic violence or sexual assault must also include a safety plan from an accredited domestic violence or sexual assault program, dated not more than 30 days before the notice, that recommends relocation. The tenant owes rent and other expenses prorated to the termination date, payable when rent would have been due, and owes no other rent or fees that arise only from the early termination. A tenant who terminates at least 14 days before first having the right to occupy owes no damages or penalties. The tenant is entitled to deposits and refunds as if the tenancy had expired, and the rights and obligations of other adult tenants continue. On written request and a copy of the order, the landlord must change the locks within 48 hours, or within 24 hours if the restrained person lives in the same unit, and the tenant reimburses the actual cost. A restrained perpetrator who is a tenant and is excluded under a court order remains liable for rent and damages. A landlord may not terminate, refuse to renew or refuse a lease, or retaliate, solely because the tenant is a protected individual or ended a lease under this chapter. The chapter applies to rental agreements entered into or renewed after June 30, 2007, and cannot be waived. This is Ind. Code §§ 32-31-9-1, 32-31-9-3, 32-31-9-7, 32-31-9-8, 32-31-9-9, 32-31-9-10, 32-31-9-11, 32-31-9-12, 32-31-9-13, 32-31-9-14.
| What | Indiana |
|---|---|
| Ending the lease early | 30 days’ notice with a protection order |
What the statute says
“A protected individual must give written notice of termination under this section to the landlord at least thirty (30) days before the termination date stated in the notice.”
Quoted word for word from the section’s text.
Source
Ind. Code §§ 32-31-9-1, 32-31-9-3, 32-31-9-7, 32-31-9-8, 32-31-9-9, 32-31-9-10, 32-31-9-11, 32-31-9-12, 32-31-9-13, 32-31-9-14
Read the statute in the Indiana Code (Indiana General Assembly): iga.in.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
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana