Can a tenant withdraw their notice to vacate?
Last updated: October 15, 2026
Short answer
In the tenancy Acts and government guides we reviewed for the nine provinces covered here, we found no rule that lets a tenant take back a notice to end a tenancy, and none that forbids it. Treat the notice as final unless your landlord agrees to cancel it. If you have changed your mind, ask the landlord right away and get the agreement in writing (this is SQRFT advice, not a legal rule).
What the rules say, and what they leave out
The Acts and government guides we reviewed explain how much notice a tenant must give and when it ends the tenancy. They do not say what happens if the tenant later wants to cancel. Because we found no rule either way, a tenant should not assume a notice can be pulled back on request. The table shows what a month-to-month tenant has to give in each province.
| Province | Notice a month-to-month tenant gives |
|---|---|
| Alberta | One tenancy month, in writing and signed (weekly: one week) |
| British Columbia | Received at least one full rental month before the end date and before the day rent is due |
| Manitoba | One full rental payment period |
| Saskatchewan | Not earlier than one month after the landlord receives it (weekly: one week); the tenancy ends the day before rent is next due |
| Ontario | 60 days (N9), ending on the last day of a rental month; 28 days for weekly or daily rent; add 5 days if mailed |
| New Brunswick | One month before the end of a month, in writing and signed (weekly: one week) |
| Nova Scotia | Form C, at least one month before the end of any month (weekly: one week) |
| Prince Edward Island | Form 3, at least one month after the landlord receives it, ending the day before rent is due (weekly: 7 days) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Not less than one month (weekly: 7 days), given no later than the first day of a rental period |
If you have changed your mind: SQRFT advice
This is practical advice, not law. The sooner you speak up, the more likely the landlord is to agree.
- Tell the landlord straight away, in writing, that you would like to cancel your notice and stay.
- Ask the landlord to confirm in writing that the notice is cancelled and the tenancy carries on under the same terms.
- Keep paying rent on time while you wait for an answer, and keep a copy of everything you send.
- If the landlord says no, plan to leave on the date in your notice. Ask your province's tenancy office whether anything else applies to your situation.
- If you only need more time, ask for a later move-out date and get that in writing too.
Giving and taking back notice in each province
Alberta
A month-to-month tenant gives one tenancy month's written notice (one week for a weekly tenancy). The notice must be written, give the address, be signed and set the end date. To leave on September 30, for example, the tenant serves it on or before September 1. A late notice pushes the end date to the last day of the next complete tenancy month.
We found no rule in the Alberta material we reviewed about withdrawing a notice. Ask your landlord to agree in writing, and check the Government of Alberta's ending-a-tenancy guidance.
British Columbia
The landlord must receive a tenant's written notice at least one full rental month before the effective date, and before the day rent is due. It is a complete rental month, not simply 30 days.
We found no rule on withdrawing a notice in the BC pages we reviewed. If you want to stay, ask your landlord for written agreement, and contact the Residential Tenancy Branch if you are unsure where you stand.
Manitoba
A tenant in a periodic tenancy gives one full rental payment period's notice. It is given on or before the last day of a rental payment period and takes effect no earlier than the last day of the following period.
We found no rule on taking a notice back in the Manitoba material we reviewed. Talk to your landlord first, put any agreement in writing, and ask the Residential Tenancies Branch if there is a dispute.
Saskatchewan
A tenant's notice cannot take effect earlier than one month after the landlord receives it (one week for a weekly tenancy). The tenancy ends the day before rent is next due.
We found no rule on withdrawing a notice in the Saskatchewan material we reviewed. If you want to stay, ask the landlord to agree in writing, and contact the Office of Residential Tenancies for guidance.
Ontario
A tenant on monthly rent gives at least 60 days' notice (the N9), and the termination date must be the last day of a rental month. For daily or weekly rent it is at least 28 days, ending on the last day of a rental week. Add 5 days if the notice is mailed. For a fixed term, the notice is also 60 days and the termination date can be no earlier than the last day of the term.
We found no rule on withdrawing an N9 in the Ontario material we reviewed. If you want to stay, ask your landlord in writing, and check with the Landlord and Tenant Board before relying on any informal promise.
New Brunswick
The tenant gives written notice that shows the unit address, the end date and the tenant's signature. For month-to-month it is one month before the end of a month, and it takes effect on the last day. For week-to-week it is one week. For a year-to-year lease it is three months before the end of the lease year, and tenants of five years or more give one month.
We found no rule on withdrawing a notice in the New Brunswick material we reviewed. Ask the landlord to agree in writing and use the province's residential tenancies office if you need help.
New Brunswick ending a tenancy | New Brunswick tenant rights
Nova Scotia
The tenant gives a Form C (Tenant's Notice to Quit) in writing. For month-to-month it is at least one month before the end of any month, for week-to-week at least one week before the end of any week, and for year-to-year at least three months before the end of the year. It must be given before the rent due date and takes effect on the last day of the rental period.
We found no rule on withdrawing a Form C in the Nova Scotia material we reviewed. Ask your landlord for written agreement, and contact the Residential Tenancies Program for guidance.
Prince Edward Island
A month-to-month tenant gives notice that takes effect at least one month after the landlord receives it, ending the day before rent is due. For a weekly tenancy it is not earlier than seven days after receipt. The notice is in writing, signed and dated, and states the grounds; the Rental Office form is Form 3.
We found no rule on withdrawing a notice in the PEI material we reviewed. Ask the landlord to agree in writing, and contact the Rental Office if you need guidance.
Newfoundland and Labrador
A monthly tenant gives not less than one month's notice before the end of a rental period, a weekly tenant gives 7 days, and a tenant on a fixed term gives not less than 2 months before the end of the term. The notice must be given no later than the first day of a rental period and must end on the last day of one.
We found no rule on withdrawing a notice in the Newfoundland and Labrador material we reviewed. Ask the landlord to agree in writing, and contact the Residential Tenancies Office if you are unsure.
Newfoundland and Labrador ending a tenancy | Newfoundland and Labrador tenant rights
Related questions
Can a tenant rescind a notice?
We found no rule in the tenancy Acts and guides we reviewed that lets a tenant rescind a notice, and none that forbids it. In practice the safest course is to ask the landlord to agree to cancel it, and to get that agreement in writing. Until the landlord agrees, plan on leaving on the date in the notice.
Can I withdraw my tenancy notice?
You can ask, but we found no rule in any of the nine provinces' material that gives you a right to withdraw it. Contact your landlord right away and ask for a written confirmation that the notice is cancelled. If the landlord has already found a new tenant, the answer may well be no (SQRFT advice).
Can a tenant withdraw a notice to quit?
The tenancy Acts we reviewed describe how a notice to quit is given and when it ends the tenancy, but we found nothing on taking one back. Nova Scotia's Form C is the notice to quit there, and Ontario's is the N9. In every province covered here, treat the notice as final unless the landlord agrees in writing to cancel it (SQRFT advice, not a legal rule).
What to do when a tenant gives notice?
As a landlord, check that the notice gives enough time for your province and, where a form is used, that it is the right one (N9 in Ontario, Form C in Nova Scotia, Form 3 in PEI). Confirm the end date back to the tenant in writing, so you both work from the same date. Then plan the move-out, and see what happens when a tenancy expires for the steps that follow.
How much notice does a tenant have to give?
For a month-to-month tenancy it ranges from one month in most provinces to 60 days in Ontario. The table above shows each province, including the shorter notice for weekly tenancies where we found one. Our page on how many days' notice to give a landlord covers the detail.
What if I gave notice but need more time?
Ask your landlord for a later move-out date, and get the new date in writing. We found no rule that gives a tenant a right to extend a notice, so it depends on the landlord's agreement. If the landlord says no, your tenancy still ends on the date in the notice.
Does a tenant's notice have to be in writing?
The material we reviewed describes a written notice in Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI, and describes a signature in Alberta, New Brunswick and PEI. Ontario uses the N9 form, and Newfoundland and Labrador uses a standard Tenant's Notice to Terminate. Even where we did not confirm a writing rule, giving notice in writing and keeping a copy is the safer choice (SQRFT advice).
Can a tenant give notice in the middle of a fixed term?
A fixed term generally runs to its end date. In Alberta a fixed term ends automatically, in Ontario a tenant's notice cannot take effect before the last day of the term, and in Newfoundland and Labrador a tenant on a fixed term gives at least 2 months' notice before the end of the term. For leaving earlier, see our page on how to get out of a lease agreement.
Should a landlord agree to cancel a tenant's notice?
That is the landlord's choice, and we found no rule that requires it. If you agree, write down that the notice is cancelled and that the tenancy continues on the same terms, and have both sides keep a copy (SQRFT advice). If you have already advertised the unit or signed with someone new, say so before agreeing to anything.
Government sources
- Government of Alberta: Ending a tenancy
- Government of BC: Ending a tenancy, tenant notice
- Manitoba Residential Tenancies Branch: Giving notice, tenants
- Government of Saskatchewan: Giving notice to end a tenancy
- Tribunals Ontario: How a Tenant Can End Their Tenancy
- Government of New Brunswick: Leases
- Nova Scotia Legislature: Residential Tenancies Act
- PEI: Residential Tenancy Act
- Newfoundland and Labrador: Residential Tenancies Act, 2018
General information, not legal advice. Rules change; check your province's tenancy office before acting.
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