50-state guide · Updated October 2, 2026
Farm lease termination notice by state: deadlines, notice periods and rules
Most farm leases renew automatically if nobody gives notice on time. Each state sets its own notice period, deadline and delivery rules. Pick your state to see the rule that applies when the lease doesn’t say otherwise.
Next fixed-date deadlines
- Illinois for the customary March 1 lease yearOct 31
- Indiana Purdue guidance, lease year ending Feb 28/29Dec 1
- Kansas 30 days before March 1Jan 30
- Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota for a March 1 lease yearSept 1
Iowa
- Notice period
- Deadline or trigger date
- Renews if no notice?
- Written notice required?
- Law
Free 17-page PDF covering all 50 states. Enter your email once and it opens right away.
Educational information, not legal advice. Summarized from state statutes, land-grant extension publications and agricultural law programs as read in September 2026. Many rules apply only when a written lease is silent or there is no written lease. Confirm current law with an attorney in the state where the land is located.
Quick answers
Farm lease notice deadlines in the Corn Belt and Plains
Default rules in 10 major farm-lease states. They apply when there’s no written lease, or the lease doesn’t set its own notice terms.
Iowa Full rule
Written notice on or before September 1. The lease then ends the following March 1. Without proper notice it continues another crop year on the same terms.
Illinois Full rule
At least 4 months’ written notice before the lease year ends: October 31 for the customary March 1 lease year (August 31 for a calendar-year lease).
Indiana Full rule
At least 3 months before the lease year ends. Purdue advises delivering notice before December 1 when the lease year ends February 28/29.
Nebraska Full rule
6 months before the lease year ends: September 1 for a March 1 lease year. Written notice isn’t required, but it’s the only way to prove it.
Ohio Full rule
Landlord written notice on or before September 1. Without it the lease continues for another crop year.
South Dakota Full rule
Written notice by September 1, ending the lease the following March 1.
Kansas Full rule
Written notice at least 30 days before March 1. Fall-seeded acres end after harvest or August 1, whichever comes first.
Missouri Full rule
Written notice at least 60 days before the end of the lease year.
Wisconsin Full rule
At least 90 days before the end of the annual rental year for agricultural year-to-year tenancies.
Minnesota Full rule
Written notice of the rent interval or 3 months, whichever is less, unless the lease says otherwise.
Most of these rules assume a lease year that starts March 1. If your lease runs on a different year, count back from its end date. Educational information, not legal advice.
All 50 states
Farm lease termination rules: 50-state table
Notice period, deadline, automatic renewal, written-notice requirement and the governing law for every state. “n.a.” means the sources don’t set a rule.
| State | Notice period | Deadline or trigger date | Renews if no notice? | Written notice? | Farm-specific statute? | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 10 days (tenancy by month or any term less than one year, holding over) | No fixed date for notice; separate farm rule keyed to March 20 planting | n.a. | Yes — § 35-9-5 notice is written | No — general landlord-tenant law controls | Ala. Code § 35-9-5 (general); farm provision at § 35-9-38 |
| Alaska | 30 days after written notice to quit for farm/agricultural premises (plus 3 days if mailed) | No fixed date — 30 days from notice | n.a. | Yes — written notice to quit, delivered, left at premises, or registered/certified mail | Yes (partial) — farm premises excluded from the residential act and given their own notice-to-quit rule | AS 09.45.090(b) (2)(D); ag exclusion at AS 34.03.330(b)(7); general periodic rule AS 34.03.290 |
| Arizona | Year-to-year: none stated — tenancy ends at the end of each year; month-to-month 10 days | No fixed date | No — year-to-year tenancy terminates at year end unless written permission allows a longer stay | Written permission required to extend beyond the year; notice writing otherwise n.a. | No — general landlord-tenant law controls (separate rules exist only for state trust land) | A.R.S. § 33-341 (general); state ag/grazing leases at A.R.S. §§ 37-281.01 to 37-291 Arizona lease template |
| Arkansas | Written notice on or before June 30; common-law year-to-year otherwise 6 months | June 30 to stop renewal for the following calendar year | Yes — year-to-year agricultural tenancies renew annually absent notice | Yes — written, by certified mail to the renter/lessee | Yes — oral farmland leases | Ark. Code § 18-16-105 |
| California | Ag: landlord must make demand/give notice to quit within 60 days of term expiration — see CCP § 1161(2); general unspecified-term/month-to-month 30 days | No fixed date — 60 days after expiration of the term | Yes — ag tenant holding over more than 60 days without demand or notice "shall be entitled to hold under the terms of the lease for another full year" | Written notice, served per CCP § 1162 or certified/registered mail | Yes (partial) — agricultural holdover and one-year presumption | Cal. Civ. Code § 1943; Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161(2); general Civ. Code § 1946 California lease template |
| Colorado | 91 days for a tenancy of one year or longer; 28 days (6–12 months); 21 days (1–6 months); 3 days (at will) | No fixed date — notice expires at the end of the period | n.a. | Yes — written, describing the property and termination date, signed | No — general FED statute controls (state ag/grazing leases have their own rule) | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-107 (general, expressly covers nonresidential); state land at C.R.S. § 36-1-118 Colorado lease template |
| Connecticut | At least 3 days' notice to quit; no year-to-year period specified | No fixed date | n.a. by statute; lease may provide automatic renewal | Yes — written notice in substantially the statutory form, delivered to or left at the premises | No — general summary-process statute controls | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-23, 47a-25 (general) |
| Delaware | At least 4 months written notice before expiration (14 days for covered poultry-farm tenant houses) | December 31 next occurring — the second December 31 if the lease was entered after September 1 | Yes — without notice the lease becomes year-to-year on the same terms | Yes — written; the parties may agree in writing that no notice is required | Yes — agricultural leases have their own subchapter | 25 Del. C. §§ 6702, 6703 |
| Florida | 3 months for year-to-year; 45 days quarter-to-quarter; 15 days month-to-month | No fixed date — before the end of the applicable period | Not stated; holdover after a written term becomes a tenancy at sufferance | § 83.03 does not state that periodic notice must be written; nonpayment/brea ch notices must be | No — Part I (nonresidential) tenancy rules control | Fla. Stat. § 83.03 (general, nonresidential); residential analog § 83.57 Florida lease template |
| Georgia | 60 days from the landlord, 30 days from the tenant | No fixed date | n.a. | Not specified in the statute; state consumer handbook says "best to put the notice in writing" | No — tenancy-at-will statute controls | Ga. Code § 44-7-7 (general); crops provision § 44-7-8 Georgia lease template |
| Hawaii | 25 or more days before the end of any month or rental period | No fixed date | Yes — continued possession without notice creates an additional month/rental period | Yes — written notice to vacate | No for private farmland — general statute controls (state ag leases have their own rules) | HRS § 666-2 (general); state ag leases HRS ch. 163D, HRS § 166-11 |
| Idaho | Ag: landlord must demand possession / give notice to quit within 60 days of expiration; estate at will one month written | No fixed date — 60 days after expiration of the term | Yes — holdover past 60 days is treated as consent to hold another year | Estate at will: written, at least one month; ag holdover: not specified | Yes (partial) — agricultural holdover rule | Idaho Code § 6-303(2); general estate at will § 55-208 Idaho lease template |
| Illinois | At least 4 months written notice before the end of the year of letting | No fixed statutory date; with the customary March 1–end of February year, the deadline is October 31 (August 31 for a Jan 1– Dec 31 year) | Yes — without proper notice the tenancy continues another year | Yes — written; service personal, by certified/registered mail, or by posting if no one is in possession ( 5/9-211) | Yes — farmland tenancies | 735 ILCS 5/9-206 (service per 5/9-211) Illinois lease template |
| Indiana | At least 3 months before the expiration of the year | No fixed date; Purdue notes that with a February 28/29 lease-year end notice should be delivered before December 1 | Effectively yes — a tenant who stays generally holds on the same terms and is then entitled to 3 months' notice | Purdue reads the law to require written notice when notice is required; statute does not say | No — general year-to-year statute controls | Ind. Code § 32-31-1-3 (general); ag discussion in Purdue Extension EC-713 Indiana lease template |
| Iowa | Written notice on or before September 1 | September 1 for a tenancy ending the following March 1 | Yes — continues for the following crop year on the same terms unless proper notice is served | Yes — delivered with signed acceptance, personally served, served by publication, or certified mail before September 1; regular mail is insufficient | Yes — farm tenancies | Iowa Code § 562.6 (service per § 562.7; March 1 rule at § 562.5) Iowa lease template |
| Kansas | At least 30 days before March 1 | 30 days before March 1; fall-seeded crop acres end after harvest or August 1, whichever is first | Not automatic renewal language, but a tenant remaining after a written lease becomes a year-to-year tenant | Yes — written notice to the tenant; service by residence delivery, delivery to a resident 12+, posting, or registered/certified mail (58-2510) | Yes — farm and pastureland tenancies | K.S.A. 58-2506 (service per 58-2510; farm tenancies excluded from 58-2505) Kansas lease template |
| Kentucky | One month for tenancy at will or by sufferance; 30 days month-to-month under KRS 383.695 | No fixed date | n.a. | Yes — notice in writing | No — general statute controls | KRS 383.195 (general, non-URLTA jurisdictions); URLTA analog KRS 383.695 Kentucky lease template |
| Louisiana | 30 calendar days before the end of a period longer than a month (art. 2728) | No fixed date; reconduction attaches if an ag tenant stays 30 days past the term without opposition | Yes, by reconduction — a reconducted agricultural lease runs from year to year unless local custom sets a different term | Written notice to vacate required for eviction (C.C.P. art. 4701); art. 2728 notice form not specified | Yes — Civil Code has agricultural lease rules | La. Civ. Code arts. 2680(1), 2721(1), 2722, 2728 |
| Maine | Minimum 30 days | No fixed date; notice must expire on or after the date rent is paid through | n.a. | Yes — written; after 3 good-faith service attempts, first-class mail plus leaving it at the last and usual abode | No — tenancy-at-will statute controls | 14 M.R.S. § 6002 (general) |
| Maryland | 180 days before the end of the tenancy year (90 days for a tobacco farm tenancy); tenant also 180 days | No fixed date — measured from the end of the current tenancy year | Yes — periodic farm tenancies automatically renew unless properly terminated | Landlord notice must be written; a tenant may give parol notice (not in Baltimore City) | Yes — farm tenancies from year to year | Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402(c) (2) Maryland lease template |
| Massachusetts | 3 months, or (if rent is payable more often than quarterly) the rent interval or 30 days, whichever is longer | No fixed date | n.a. | Yes — three months' notice in writing | No — estate-at-will statute controls | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 12 (general) |
| Michigan | 1 year for a year-to-year tenancy; 1 month (or the rent interval if under 3 months) for at will/sufferance | No fixed date — tenancy ends 1 year after service | Annual holdover may be presumed to renew for another year if the landlord acquiesces or accepts rent | Written notice specified only for nonpayment (7 days) and controlled-substance (24 hours) | No — general notice statute controls | MCL 554.134 (general) Michigan lease template |
| Minnesota | The rent interval or 3 months, whichever is less | No fixed date generally; § 500.25 keys farm tenancies after a life tenant's death to March 1 / March 2– October 31 / November 1 windows | Not by statute; a written farm lease's own renewal clause controls (see Minn. Ct. App. decision applying a 4-month/Septe mber 1 lease clause) | Yes — notice in writing | No general farm rule — narrow farm statute only for life-estate deaths | Minn. Stat. § 504B.135 (general tenancy at will); farm provision § 500.25 Minnesota lease template |
| Mississippi | 2 months for year-to-year; 1 month for half/quarter-year; 1 week for monthly/weekly | No fixed date | n.a. | Yes — written for year-to-year, monthly and weekly | No — general notice-to-quit statute controls | Miss. Code § 89-7-23 (general) |
| Missouri | At least 60 days before the end of the year | No fixed date — 60 days before the lease anniversary | Yes — without proper notice the year-to-year tenancy continues | Yes — written; MU Extension: personal delivery, registered/certified mail with return receipt, or email with delivery confirmation | Yes (partial) — agricultural tenancies carved out of the monthly rule | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.050 (year-to-year); ag carve-out in § 441.060(3); alteration only by written evidence § 441.120 Missouri lease template |
| Montana | Ag: landlord must demand possession or give notice to quit within 60 days of expiration; general notice equal to the hiring term, capped at 1 month | No fixed date — 60 days after the term expires | Yes — "the holding over must be taken and construed as a consent on the part of a tenant to hold for another year"; general hiring is presumed renewed absent notice | Not specified for the ag holdover rule | Yes (partial) — agricultural holdover rule | Mont. Code § 70-27-108; general unspecified-term hiring § 70-26-205 |
| Nebraska | 6 months before the end of the current lease year | September 1 for a March 1 lease year | Yes — late notice renews a verbal lease for another year | Not required — verbal notice may suffice but is hard to prove; UNL recommends Registered Mail | No — farm leases are governed by court-made rules, not statute | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1408(7) excludes agricultural leases from the residential act; rule stated in Neb. Ct. App. decision Nebraska lease template |
| Nevada | Ag: landlord must demand possession or give notice to surrender within 60 days of expiration; general 30 days (7 days week-to-week, 5 days at will) | No fixed date — 60 days after expiration | Yes for agricultural land held over more than 60 days without demand or notice | Periodic notices served under NRS 40.280; ag rule does not state a form | Yes (partial) — agricultural holdover rule | NRS 40.250; general periodic NRS 40.251 |
| New Hampshire | 3 months' notice is sufficient in all cases; a notice equal to the rent period suffices if rent is payable more often than once in 3 months | No fixed date | n.a. | Yes — RSA 540:2 requires a notice in writing to quit | No — nonresidential eviction statute controls | RSA 540:2, 540:3 (general, "nonrestricted property" = all real property rented for nonresidential purposes) |
| New Jersey | 3 months for a tenancy at will or from year to year; 1 month for month-to-month | No fixed date | Not expressly provided | § 2A:18-56 does not expressly require writing; holdover provisions do | No — general notice-to-quit statute controls | N.J.S.A. 2A:18-56 (general) |
| New Mexico | n.a. for farmland (exempt); 30 days month-to-month under the act; the § 47-8-37 annotations note a former-law 6-month year-to-year rule | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. for farmland | No — agricultural occupancy is exempt from the state's tenancy act and no replacement farm rule was found | Agricultural exemption at NMSA 1978 § 47-8-9(F); residential analog § 47-8-37 |
| New York | At least one month before expiration of the term; 30 days for a tenancy at will or by sufferance | No fixed date | n.a. | Yes for § 228 — written notice served on the tenant, a suitable-age resident, or affixed conspicuously | No — general periodic-tenancy statutes control | N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 232-b (month-to-month outside NYC); § 228 (at will/sufferance) New York lease template |
| North Carolina | One month before the end of the tenancy year (same as the general year-to-year rule) | December 1 termination date in covered counties; limited crop harvesting may continue to December 31 for good cause | No express automatic-renewal provision | Not specified | Yes (partial) — agricultural year-to-year leases in listed counties | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-23; general § 42-14 North Carolina lease template |
| North Dakota | For a lease whose term the parties did not specify: notice as long before expiration as the term of the hiring, but not more than one calendar month; month-to-month one calendar month written | No fixed date found | Yes, by presumption — a lease for an unspecified term is "deemed to be renewed as stated in section 47-16-06" absent notice; holdover with rent acceptance presumes renewal up to one year | Written for month-to-month; service not stated | No — general lease statutes control | N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-15 (general); renewal presumption § 47-16-06; ag term cap § 47-16-02 North Dakota lease template |
| Ohio | Landlord written notice on or before September 1 of the effective lease year | September 1 | Yes — without timely notice the lease continues for another lease term or crop year | Yes — written; may be delivered by hand, mail, fax, or email | Yes — agricultural crop leases | Ohio Rev. Code § 5301.71 Ohio lease template |
| Oklahoma | At least 3 months written notice before expiration for a year-to-year tenancy; 30 days for at-will/periodic of 3 months or less | No fixed date | Yes, by presumption — holding over with rent acceptance presumes renewal on the same terms for up to one year | Yes — written notice under §§ 4– 5; posted-and-mailed notice cannot terminate within 10 days | No — general statutes control (agricultural premises are excluded from the residential act) | Okla. Stat. tit. 41, §§ 4, 5; service § 9 |
| Oregon | 60 days before the expiration of the rent period for a year-to-year tenancy; 30 days month-to-month | No fixed date | Not expressly addressed | Yes — written and served personally, posted if the tenant is absent, or left at the abode | Yes (partial) — farm crop-harvest right; termination notice is general | ORS 91.060 (year-to-year); ORS 91.070 (month-to-month); farm provision ORS 91.230 |
| Pennsylvania | 15 days for a term of one year or less or indeterminate; 30 days where the lease is for more than one year | No fixed date — measured from service of notice | n.a. | Yes — written notice to quit | No — Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 controls | 68 P.S. § 250.501 (general) Pennsylvania lease template |
| Rhode Island | At least 3 months before the expiration of the occupation year for a year-to-year tenancy; 30 days month-to-month | No fixed date | Yes — periodic-term agreements "renew automatically" until a party gives notice of intent to terminate | Yes — written, in a form substantially similar to § 34-18-56(c), delivered to the other party | No — periodic-tenancy statute controls | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-37 (general; part of the residential act) |
| South Carolina | No notice period stated for farm-tenancy year-end termination; month-to-month 30 days, tenancy at will 20 days | Last day of December each year | No automatic renewal stated; the tenancy may be continued by express agreement or by operation of law | Not stated for farm tenancies; written notice is required for month-to-month (30 days) and at-will (20 days) | Yes — farm tenancies end at year-end by statute | S.C. Code § 27-35-100; agricultural land excluded from the month-to-month default by § 27-35-30 |
| South Dakota | Written notice by September 1 | September 1, with termination the following March 1 | Yes — continues on the same terms and conditions for the following crop year unless written notice is given (no continuation where the tenant is in default) | Yes — written notice by either party | Yes — oral leases of 40+ acres of agricultural land | S.D. Codified Laws § 43-32-22.1 South Dakota lease template |
| Tennessee | At least 6 months before expiration for a tenant holding over year to year | No statutory date; with a December 31 expiration the notice deadline is June 30 (TN Farm Bureau describes a practice of noticing before July 1) | Yes — oral ag leases are presumed to renew automatically for one year absent timely notice | Not expressly required; registered/certified mail preferred | No — no statute; the rule comes from case law | No farm statute located; residential analog Tenn. Code § 66-28-512; year-to-year rule from Smith v. Holt (1945) Tennessee lease template |
| Texas | Monthly tenancy: the later of the date stated in the notice or one month after notice; shorter rent periods use the rent-paying period | No fixed date | Yes for periodic tenancies as a lease-drafting matter — Texas A&M AgriLife: "the lease will automatically renew at the end of the initial term unless a specific notice of the intent not to renew is given" | Notice required but form not specified; eviction notice must be written (§ 24.005) | No — general notice statute controls | Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001 (general); eviction notice § 24.005 Texas lease template |
| Utah | 15 calendar days before the end of the period for a periodic tenancy; at least 5 days for a tenancy at will | No fixed date | n.a. | Not stated for periodic/at-will termination; written notice required for nonpayment or breach | No — general statute controls | Utah Code § 78B-6-802 (general) |
| Vermont | n.a. for farmland; UVM: an oral lease conveys no more than a tenancy at will terminable "with minimal notice" | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. for farmland | No — no farmland statute located | Residential periodic rules at 9 V.S.A. § 4456; farm-employee housing at § 4469a |
| Virginia | 3 months written notice before the end of any year of the tenancy (year-to-year); 30 days month-to-month | No fixed date | No — mere failure to vacate does not create another term unless willful, negligent or otherwise avoidable | Yes — written notice for year-to-year and month-to-month | No farm-specific statute, but the controlling chapter expressly covers agricultural tenancies | Va. Code § 55.1-1410(A); scope at § 55.1-1400 |
| Washington | Ag: landlord must make demand or give notice within 60 days of expiration; general periodic 30+ days written notice before the end of the month/period | No fixed date — 60 days after expiration | Yes — holding over more than 60 days is deemed consent to another full year for agricultural land | Yes for periodic tenancies — written notice under RCW 59.04.020; chapter 59.12 notices may be delivered personally, mailed, or posted | Yes (partial) — agricultural holdover rule | RCW 59.12.035; general periodic RCW 59.04.020 Washington lease template |
| West Virginia | At least 3 months written notice before the end of the year (year-to-year); one full period for shorter periodic tenancies | No fixed date — before the end of any year | n.a. | Yes — written for year-to-year | No — general statute controls | W. Va. Code § 37-6-5 (general) |
| Wisconsin | At least 90 days before the end of the rental (annual) year for agricultural year-to-year tenancies; 28 days generally | No fixed date — 90 days before the end of the annual rental period | Effectively yes — a periodic tenancy ends only at the end of a rental period, and holdover with rent acceptance creates a year-to-year tenancy | Generally yes — notice must substantially state the intent to terminate and the termination date, unless an alternative method was expressly agreed | Yes — agricultural year-to-year tenancies | Wis. Stat. § 704.19(3); ag tenancy classification § 704.03; service § 704.21 Wisconsin lease template |
| Wyoming | At least 3 days before commencing an FED action; UW Extension describes tenancies at will as terminable on three days' notice | No fixed date | No — no renewal after expiration without an express written contract signed by the parties | Yes for the notice to quit — written copy left with the defendant or at the usual place of abode/business | No — no private farm-lease statute located | W.S. § 1-21-1003 (notice to quit before an FED action); no-renewal rule § 34-2-129; state ag leases §§ 36-5-102 to 36-5-105 |
No state matches that search.
Source: Oaken, “Farm Lease Termination — 50-State Statutory Comparison” (September 2026), compiled from state codes, land-grant extension publications and agricultural law programs. Educational information, not legal advice.
How to end a farm lease
How to give farm lease termination notice, step by step
Read the lease first
A written lease’s own termination clause usually controls. State default rules fill in when the lease is silent, oral or has expired into a year-to-year tenancy.
Work out the lease year
Notice periods count back from the end of the lease year, not the calendar year. Many Midwest leases run March 1 to the end of February; check yours.
Put it in writing
Most states require written notice, and even where they don’t, a letter is the only reliable proof. Name the parties, the farm (legal description or parcel), and the date the lease ends.
Deliver it the way the law allows
Personal delivery with a signed acknowledgment, or certified mail with a return receipt, are the most common accepted methods. Some states list specific methods; see the table.
Send it early and keep proof
Aim to deliver well before the deadline, then keep a copy of the notice and the delivery receipt with the lease.
Common mistakes that renew the lease
- Assuming a handshake lease ends when the season does. Oral farm leases usually become year-to-year and renew unless notice is given.
- Counting from January 1 when the lease year starts March 1.
- Mailing on the deadline day. Check whether your state counts the date notice is sent or the date it is received.
- Sending notice from only one co-owner or to only one tenant when there are several.
- Changing the rent without notice. In states with automatic renewal, the old terms carry over too.
Start the next lease in writing
Free state lease templates set the term, rent and notice rules up front, so the next deadline is clear to both sides.
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FAQ
Farm lease termination: frequently asked questions
When is the deadline to terminate a farm lease?
It depends on the state and the lease year. Iowa, Ohio and South Dakota use September 1, and Nebraska uses September 1 for a March 1 lease year. Illinois requires 4 months’ written notice, which is October 31 for a March 1 lease year. Indiana requires 3 months, and Purdue advises notice before December 1 for a lease year ending in February. Kansas requires written notice at least 30 days before March 1.
Does a farm lease renew automatically if no one gives notice?
In most states, yes. An oral lease or an expired written lease usually becomes a year-to-year tenancy that continues on the same terms for another crop year unless proper notice is given. A written lease with a fixed end date and its own termination clause can work differently.
Does termination notice for a farm lease have to be in writing?
Most states require written notice, including Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio and South Dakota. Nebraska does not strictly require it, but written notice delivered with proof is the only reliable way to show it was given on time.
How should I deliver a farm lease termination notice?
Use a method your state accepts and that leaves proof, such as personal delivery with a signed acknowledgment or certified mail with a return receipt. Some states list specific service methods. Keep a copy of the notice and the delivery receipt.
Do these notice rules apply if I have a written lease?
A written lease’s own termination terms usually control. The state default rules mainly apply to oral leases, leases that are silent on termination, and leases that have expired and continued year to year.
Can a landlord raise the rent without terminating the lease?
Generally not mid-lease. Where a lease renews automatically, the existing terms, including rent, carry over. To change the rent for the next year, the usual approach is to give proper termination notice by the deadline and then sign a new lease.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page summarizes state statutes, extension publications and agricultural law programs as read in September 2026. Laws change and lease terms matter, so confirm the rule with an attorney in the state where the land is located.