A rent increase letter tells a tenant the current rent, the new rent, the date it starts and how the notice was delivered. Copy the template below, fill in the brackets and check the notice period for your state before you send it. Washington lengthened its notice period in 2025, so an old letter may now be too short.
Free rent increase letter template
Use this for a residential tenancy. Replace everything in brackets.
[Date]
[Tenant name or names]
[Unit address]Notice of rent increase
Dear [tenant name],
This letter is written notice that the monthly rent for [unit address] will change from $[current rent] to $[new rent], starting on [effective date]. That is an increase of $[amount] a month, or [percent]%.
All other terms of your lease stay the same. [If the lease is renewing: Your new lease term runs from [start date] to [end date].]
Your first payment at the new rent is due on [date]. You can pay the same way you pay today.
[Optional: A short reason, such as higher property taxes or insurance, or recent work on the building.]
If you have questions, contact [name] at [phone] or [email]. If you plan to move out instead, please give notice under your lease by [date].
Sincerely,
[Name, title]
[Company]Delivered on [date] by [method, such as hand delivery, mail or electronic delivery if the lease allows it].
If the increase comes with a renewal, pair it with a lease renewal offer letter. Keep a copy and a record of how and when it was delivered. If the tenant is in Washington, use the state form described below instead of this template.
What every rent increase letter must include
- The tenant's name and the unit address.
- The current rent and the new rent, in dollars.
- The date the new rent starts.
- The date the letter is delivered, and the method.
- Your name and a way to reach you.
Add the percentage if a cap applies in your state, so the tenant can see you are within it. Keep the tone plain. A clear letter with a short reason gets fewer disputes than a bare number.
Notice periods by state
For a fixed term lease, rent usually changes at renewal, unless the lease itself allows a change. For a month to month tenancy, these are the rules to check.
| State | Notice for an increase | Other rules |
|---|---|---|
| California | 30 days for 10% or less in 12 months; 90 days for more than 10% (Civil Code 827) | AB 1482 caps covered units at 5% plus local CPI, never more than 10% a year. See our AB 1482 guide. |
| New York | Applies to increases of 5% or more. 30 days for tenants there under 1 year, 60 days for 1 to 2 years, 90 days for over 2 years (Real Property Law 226 c). | Rent stabilised units follow separate rules |
| Washington | 90 days in writing, on the state form (RCW 59.18.140) | Increase cannot start before the lease term ends. Yearly cap of 7% plus CPI, never more than 10%. Seattle and Tacoma require 180 days; Spokane 120 or 180 days. |
| Oregon | 90 days in writing (ORS 90.323) | No increase in the first year; one increase in any 12 months; a yearly cap applies to older buildings |
| Florida | No rent increase statute | A month to month tenancy can be ended with 30 days' notice (section 83.57), so give at least 30 days |
| Texas | Set by the lease | No statewide rent control |
Cities can add their own rules on top. Check local ordinances, and any rent stabilisation or rent control registration, before every notice.
Three states with extra rules
Washington: a fixed form and a cap
Since 7 May 2025, Washington requires 90 days' written notice for a rent increase. The notice must be in a form substantially the same as the one in RCW 59.18.720, and served under the state's service rules. Rent cannot rise during the first 12 months of a tenancy. A yearly cap of 7% plus CPI applies, never more than 10%. For 2026 the cap is 9.683%. Units whose first certificate of occupancy is 12 years old or less are exempt from the cap.
Several cities ask for more than the state. Seattle and Tacoma require 180 days' notice. Spokane requires 120 days for an increase of 3% or less and 180 days above that. Tacoma also has its own version of the notice form. Check the city before you count the days.
Florida: 30 days since 2023
Since 1 July 2023, a month to month tenancy in Florida needs 30 days' notice to end, up from 15. Older guides that say 15 days for a rent change are out of date. Use at least 30 days.
Oregon: a cap that moves each year
Oregon publishes its cap each year, and buildings whose first certificate of occupancy is less than 15 years old are exempt. Check the current figure before you send the letter. Our guide to Oregon rent control covers the details.
Worked example: two letters, two deadlines
This is a fictional example. A manager plans increases for two tenants in two states, and the deadlines land months apart.
Tenant one: Tacoma, Washington
Rent is $1,800 a month on a lease ending 31 May 2027. The new rent is $1,908 from 1 June 2027, an increase of 6%. That is under 7%, so it fits the state cap whatever the CPI figure. State law alone would need 90 days. Tacoma needs 180 days on the city's form, so the notice must be served by 3 December 2026. The manager serves it on 20 November to leave room for delivery.
Tenant two: Albany, New York
Rent is $1,500 a month on a month to month tenancy. The tenant has lived there for 18 months. The new rent is $1,590 from 1 March 2027, an increase of 6%. Because the increase is 5% or more and the tenancy is between 1 and 2 years, 60 days' notice is required. The letter must arrive by 31 December 2026.
The Albany letter can use the template above. The Tacoma tenant needs the city form, and its deadline comes first even though its increase starts three months later. One calendar entry per tenant, counted back from the effective date, keeps both on time.
Commercial leases are different
Commercial rent increases are usually set in the lease itself, as fixed steps or an index clause. A letter still helps. It confirms the new rent and the clause it comes from, so the tenant's accounts team updates their payments. Our glossary entry on rent escalation explains the common clause types.
Common mistakes
- Counting the notice period from the date the letter was written, not the date it was delivered.
- Raising rent in the middle of a fixed term lease that does not allow it.
- Using an old notice period, such as 15 days in Florida or 60 days in Washington, or the state period in a city that sets a longer one.
- Skipping the state form in Washington.
- Forgetting to update the rent charge, so the old rent keeps billing.
Sending rent increases from RIOO
RIOO's contracts and renewals workflow runs renewals on schedule, with rent changes and notices handled the same way each time. Agreements are built from your templates and clauses, and each renewal keeps its contract history.
Expiries show on dashboards ahead of time, so the notice deadline is visible early. When the new rent is agreed, the change sits on the lease record, and billing follows it from the effective date.
Questions about rent increase letters
How much notice is needed for a rent increase?
It depends on the state and the size of the increase. It is 30 or 90 days in California, 30 to 90 days in New York for increases of 5% or more, and 90 days in Washington and Oregon. Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane ask for 120 to 180 days.
Can a landlord raise rent during a fixed term lease?
Usually not, unless the lease allows it. In Washington the increase cannot start before the term ends.
Can a rent increase notice be sent by email?
Only where the lease and state law allow electronic delivery. Otherwise use hand delivery or mail, and keep proof.
Does a rent increase letter need a reason?
Generally no, though a short reason can help. Some rent controlled cities need a reason or registration, so check local rules.
