Terminate Your Lease Due to Deployment or PCS

Service members are protected by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act if they need to end their lease early due to deployment or permanent change of station.

Understanding the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

Your protection under the SCRA begins on the date you enter active duty and generally ends between 30 and 90 days after the date of discharge from active duty. This safeguard applies to:

• Active-duty members of the regular forces
• National Guard members serving active-duty status under federal orders
• Reservists called to active duty
• Coast Guard members serving on active duty in support of the armed forces

Terminating a lease

Under the SCRA, to end a housing lease early without penalty you must:

• Prove you signed the lease before you entered active duty and that you will remain on active duty for a minimum of 90 days.
• Provide your landlord with written notice of your intent to end the lease early and a copy of your military orders. Notice should be provided no fewer than 30 days in advance of planned early termination of the lease. Notice must be hand delivered or mailed through a private business carrier (such as FedEx or UPS) or using return receipt requested.

If you signed a lease or rental agreement after you began active-duty service, you may still be able to terminate the lease early without penalty if you:

• Received PCS or deployment orders that will last for more than 90 days
• Provide written notice to your landlord and a copy of your orders, preferably with at least a 30-day notice (Notice must be hand-delivered or mailed using return receipt requested or through a private business carrier.)

If you complied with the requirements of the SCRA, your lease should end 30 days after your next monthly rent payment is due. Read more about your tenant rights and other protections under the SCRA.

Terminating an automotive lease

Under the SCRA, National Guard and reserve service members can also end automotive leases early when they are called to active duty for a minimum of 180 days.

A National Guard or reserve member may be protected if they:

• Receive orders for a PCS to relocate the member to a different state
• Receive military orders for a PCS to move the member outside of the continental United States
• Are deploying for at least 180 days

To terminate an automotive lease early, members need to:

• Give the dealership written notice of the intent to end the lease early and a copy of your military orders (Notice must be hand-delivered or mailed using return receipt requested or through a private business carrier.)
• Return the vehicle no later than 15 days after delivery of the written notice

If you have complied with the requirements of the SCRA, your lease should end the day you return the vehicle.

Knowing if there is a “military clause” in your residential lease

Familiarize yourself with the language in your residential lease, and review your lease to ensure it does not contain anything you do not fully understand. If it contains confusing provisions, seek legal assistance from your nearest military legal office to discuss the lease and associated documents in detail.

Look for separate SCRA waiver documents in the paperwork you receive from your prospective landlord. If you legally waive SCRA rights and protections, you may not be able to end your lease early without significant penalties if you receive PCS or deployment orders. If you do not waive your rights, you are entitled to end your lease penalty free.

It is not recommended to sign any documents that take away your rights under the SCRA. If you did sign a SCRA waiver, consider having the lease updated or contact your installation legal assistance/judge advocate office for assistance.

Additionally, your lease may include a military clause, which gives you additional protection and allows you to end the lease early under certain circumstances. Such clauses are common in housing leases near military installations. If your lease doesn’t have a military clause, ask your landlord or management company if one can be added.