Can a domestic violence victim end a lease early in Tennessee?
In Tennessee, a tenant whose lease was entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2021 may end it without liability for future rent or early-termination fees if the tenant or a household member is a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking, by giving the landlord a written request for release, a mutually agreed release date within the next thirty days, and either a valid order of protection or documentation of a criminal charge based on a police report, dated no more than sixty days before the notice. The tenant must vacate within thirty days of giving notice or at another time the landlord and tenant agree. The tenant owes the rent for the full month in which the tenancy terminates and any obligations outstanding on the termination date. Unless the law or a court requires it, the landlord may not reveal any information that could reasonably be used to locate the former tenant or household member without the tenant’s written consent. The section does not release other parties to the lease, does not let the landlord evict a tenant solely because the tenant or a household member is a victim, and cannot be waived or modified by agreement except as to the move-out date. This is Tenn. Code § 66-7-112.
| What | Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Ending the lease early | Order of protection or charge; release within 30 days |
What the statute says
“In order for a tenant to terminate the tenant’s rights and obligations under the rental or lease agreement and vacate the dwelling without liability for future rent and early termination penalties or fees, the tenant must provide the landlord with:”
Quoted word for word from the section’s text.
Source
Tenn. Code § 66-7-112
Read the statute in the Tennessee Code (Tennessee General Assembly): capitol.tn.gov.
The linked sections open Justia’s free copy of the code, because the state’s own site has no stable address for each section.
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
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- Kentucky