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Common tenant notice periodsFixed term vs periodicWhat “14 days” means in QueenslandNotice by email, hand or postWorked example: periodic agreementWorked example: fixed-term agreementGrounds with different periodsWhen the calculator should not be relied on aloneCommon tenant notice periods
The ordinary Form 13 pathway commonly uses fourteen days, while breach, repair, non-livability, student-accommodation and other pathways can use different periods. The ground must be chosen before the date is calculated.
Fixed term vs periodic
A periodic agreement commonly uses the minimum notice period. For an ordinary fixed-term end, the later of the calculated minimum and the written agreement end date controls.
What “14 days” means in Queensland
Queensland uses clear-day counting for these day-based periods: do not count the day of service, allow all fourteen days to pass, and use the following date as the action date, subject to verified adjustments.
Notice by email, hand or post
Email depends on electronic-service agreement, personal or address delivery should be documented, and post requires delivery time before the notice period begins.
Worked example: periodic agreement
If an ordinary periodic Form 13 is served on 12 June, 13 June is day one. Fourteen clear days must pass before the calculated handover date, with any applicable non-business-day adjustment then checked.
Worked example: fixed-term agreement
If fourteen clear days produce a date earlier than the fixed-term end, the fixed-term end remains the earliest date for the ordinary end-of-agreement pathway.
Grounds with different periods
Unremedied breach, repair-order, non-liveability, acquisition, sale-related and special pathways have their own eligibility and periods. Domestic and family violence uses the separate RTA safety pathway.
When the calculator should not be relied on alone
Seek an official check where the ground is disputed, prerequisites or evidence are uncertain, a rooming-accommodation rule applies, or the relevant date falls outside the implemented rule version.
Current notice periods at a glance
This table is generated from the same versioned rule data as the calculator. Complex or redirect pathways are labelled for an official check.
| Ground | Agreement | Minimum period | Tool status |
|---|---|---|---|
| I’m leaving at the end of the agreement / without a specific breach | Fixed term / Periodic | 14 days | Calculated |
| The owner or agent has not fixed a breach after the remedy period | Fixed term / Periodic | 7 days | Calculated |
| The owner or agent did not comply with a QCAT order | Fixed term / Periodic | 7 days | Calculated |
| A repair order has not been complied with | Fixed term / Periodic | 14 days | Calculated |
| The property is not liveable | Fixed term / Periodic | Immediate | Calculated |
| The property is being compulsorily acquired | Fixed term / Periodic | 14 days | Calculated |
| The owner intends to sell and the RTA criteria appear to apply | Fixed term / Periodic | 14 days | Calculated |
| Condition of the premises / minimum housing issue within the permitted initial period | Fixed term / Periodic | 14 days | Calculated |
| My entitlement to student accommodation is ending | Fixed term / Periodic | 1 months | Calculated |
| Death of a sole or co-tenant | Fixed term / Periodic | 14 days | Official check |
| Domestic and family violence | Fixed term / Periodic | Immediate | Official check |
| Something else / I’m not sure | Fixed term / Periodic | Immediate | Official check |
Residential Tenancies Authority
Common questions
Do tenants always give 14 days notice in Queensland?
Fourteen days applies to several paths, but not every path. Select the actor, agreement and ground before relying on that period.
How much notice for a periodic tenancy?
The answer depends on the state, person giving notice, agreement type, ground and service method. Use the calculator, then check the linked official source.
How much notice for a fixed-term tenancy?
The answer depends on the state, person giving notice, agreement type, ground and service method. Use the calculator, then check the linked official source.
Can I leave before the fixed term ends?
Fixed-term results depend on who gives notice and the selected ground. Some pathways cannot end the agreement before its stated end date.
Does the day I send Form 13 count?
No. The day the notice is served is excluded from the notice-period count.
Can I email Form 13?
Email can be used only where the relevant electronic-service consent and address requirements are satisfied. Keep evidence of service.
Does post add delivery time?
Post changes the service calculation. Queensland requires enough time for delivery; supported NSW termination paths add seven working days before the notice period begins.
What if the end date is a public holiday?
For covered Queensland rules, a period ending on a weekend or applicable public holiday moves to the next business day.
Do I still owe break-lease costs if I give Form 13?
The answer depends on the state, person giving notice, agreement type, ground and service method. Use the calculator, then check the linked official source.