Tenancy Notice Periods & Eviction Notices in Ireland 2026
Last updated 9 October 2026. General information only, not legal advice.
General legal information for Ireland. This guide is general information, not legal advice — this site is not a solicitor’s practice and gives no legal advice. For advice on your own tenancy, find a regulated solicitor through the Law Society of Ireland’s Find a Solicitor directory or join the no-fee solicitor waiting list.
Whether you are a tenant wondering how much notice you must give before moving out, or a landlord who needs to end a tenancy lawfully, Irish law sets strict rules on notice periods and notices of termination. Get the paperwork wrong and the notice is invalid — which for landlords can mean starting the whole process again months later. This guide sets out the 2026 rules, including the major changes that took effect on 1 March 2026.
Key points
- A tenant must give between 28 and 112 days’ written notice, depending on how long the tenancy has lasted.
- A landlord must give between 90 and 224 days’ notice, depending on tenancy length, unless a shorter period applies for rent arrears, other breaches or serious anti-social behaviour.
- Since 14 September 2026, the landlord must make sure the RTB receives a copy of the notice within 7 days of serving it on the tenant, and the RTB advises against serving notices by post.
- Tenancies created on or after 1 March 2026 become tenancies of minimum duration after 6 months, which limits the grounds a landlord can use.
- A tenant who thinks a notice is invalid can refer the matter to the RTB, generally within 90 days of receiving it.
Tenant notice period Ireland: how much notice must a tenant give?
A tenant can end a periodic tenancy at any time without giving a reason, but must serve a valid written notice of termination and give the correct notice period, based on how long the tenancy has lasted:
| Length of tenancy | Notice a tenant must give |
|---|---|
| Less than 6 months | 28 days |
| 6 months – 1 year | 35 days |
| 1 – 2 years | 42 days |
| 2 – 4 years | 56 days |
| 4 – 8 years | 84 days |
| 8 years or more | 112 days |
Shorter periods apply in limited cases: 28 days where the landlord is in breach of their obligations and has not fixed the problem, and just 7 days where the landlord’s behaviour causes imminent danger of death or serious injury. Tenants in student-specific accommodation only ever need to give 28 days’ notice.
Take care with fixed-term leases. Leaving early can cost you your deposit — and potentially rent for the remainder of the term — even if you give the correct notice, unless a break clause applies or the landlord agrees. If you are in a dispute with your landlord about ending a lease, a written letter to your landlord setting out your position may help clarify the issue; a regulated solicitor can advise on your own situation.
Eviction notice Ireland: how much notice must a landlord give?
Landlord notice periods are much longer and also scale with the length of the tenancy:
| Length of tenancy | Notice the landlord must give |
|---|---|
| Less than 6 months | 90 days |
| 6 months – 1 year | 152 days |
| 1 – 7 years | 180 days |
| 7 – 8 years | 196 days |
| More than 8 years | 224 days |
Note on tenancies of less than 6 months: the 90 days in the table is the minimum notice. The RTB and Citizens Information state the maximum notice for a tenancy of less than six months is 120 days, so the landlord must give at least 90 days and no more than 120. Check the RTB’s current guide before serving or relying on a notice.
Two important exceptions: where a tenant is in rent arrears, the landlord must first serve a 28-day written warning notice (copied to the RTB) and can then serve a 28-day notice of termination. For serious anti-social behaviour, or behaviour threatening the fabric of the property, only 7 days’ notice is required.
What makes a notice of termination valid?
The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended) sets out strict formalities. A landlord’s notice of termination must:
- Be in writing and signed by the landlord or their authorised agent
- State the date of service and the termination date (the tenant has the full of that day to leave)
- Give the reason for termination (required once the tenancy has lasted 6 months, or for a fixed-term tenancy)
- Tell the tenant they have 90 days to refer a dispute about the notice’s validity to the RTB (28 days where the tenant is in breach)
- Be copied to the RTB within 7 days of the date of service (before 14 September 2026 the copy had to go on the same day) — a notice not copied as required may be invalid
Where the ground is sale, landlord or family use, substantial refurbishment or change of use, the notice must also be accompanied by a statutory declaration (and in some cases a supporting statement or professional certificate). A notice of termination where the landlord intends to sell, for example, requires a statutory declaration sworn before a solicitor or Commissioner for Oaths — and if the sale does not proceed to a signed contract within 9 months, the property generally must be offered back to the former tenant.
The new rules from 1 March 2026: tenancies of minimum duration
Tenancies created on or after 1 March 2026 are subject to a significantly reformed regime. Once such a tenancy lasts 6 months without a valid notice being served, it becomes a tenancy of minimum duration, giving the tenant security of tenure in rolling 6-year cycles. What a landlord can do then depends on their size:
Larger landlords (4+ tenancies, or any company landlord)
Can only terminate for breach of tenant obligations (such as unpaid rent) or because the property no longer suits the tenant’s needs. No-fault termination — including to sell — is not permitted, although the property can be sold at any time with the tenant in place.
Smaller landlords (1–3 tenancies)
During the 6-year cycle, can also terminate in cases of genuine hardship (for example separation, bankruptcy or homelessness) or where they or an immediate family member need the property to live in. At the end of each 6-year cycle, they can additionally terminate to sell, substantially refurbish, change the property’s use, or for wider family use.
Even in the first 6 months — when a tenancy can still be ended without a reason — there is now a requirement to submit the notice of termination to the RTB, and a no-fault termination means the landlord cannot reset the next tenancy’s rent to market rate.
Tenancies created before 1 March 2026 continue under the previous rules, including termination for sale within 9 months, landlord or family use, substantial refurbishment and change of use (subject to the “Tyrrelstown” restriction on terminating 10 or more tenancies in a development within 6 months).
Recent changes to how notices are served (from 14 September 2026)
The Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026 amends the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, and most of its tenancy provisions took effect on 14 September 2026. For notices of termination, the main points are:
- The landlord now has 7 days from serving the notice on the tenant to send the RTB a copy. Previously the copy generally had to go on the same day.
- The RTB advises landlords not to serve notices by post. Email, hand delivery or leaving the notice at the tenant’s address are preferred, because the notice can be invalid if it is not delivered on the service date stated in it.
- The “slip rule” lets the RTB overlook minor errors that do not prejudice the tenant, and it now also covers accompanying statutory declarations and statements.
If you receive a notice of termination as a tenant
Check the notice period, the reason given and whether the correct documents are attached. If you think the notice is invalid, or the landlord’s reason is not allowed, you can refer the issue to the RTB, generally within 90 days of getting the notice. Threshold and Focus Ireland can also help you check a notice. For related topics, see our guides on the new rental laws in Ireland, landlord rent arrears and tenant deposit rights.
Invalid notices and unlawful evictions
The RTB can declare a notice invalid for defects in its content, the notice period or service. It is illegal for a landlord to force a tenant out by changing locks, cutting off utilities or making threats — following an RTB dispute, damages of up to €20,000 can be awarded for unlawful termination, and the RTB can direct that the tenant be allowed back into the property. If you have received a notice you believe is defective, or you are a landlord facing a challenge, get advice before the strict RTB deadlines pass — this site is not a solicitor’s practice, so you can find a regulated solicitor through the Law Society of Ireland’s Find a Solicitor directory, or join our no-fee solicitor waiting list. You can also browse our self-complete landlord and tenancy templates.
FAQ
How much notice to give a landlord in Ireland?
Between 28 and 112 days depending on how long you have rented: 28 days under 6 months, 35 days for 6–12 months, 42 days for 1–2 years, 56 days for 2–4 years, 84 days for 4–8 years and 112 days after 8 years. Notice must be in writing and signed.
What is the tenant notice period in Ireland for student accommodation?
Tenants in student-specific accommodation only need to give 28 days’ notice, regardless of how long the tenancy has lasted.
Is an eviction notice in Ireland valid if it was not sent to the RTB?
No. A landlord must make sure the RTB receives a copy of the notice within 7 days of the service date (before 14 September 2026 it had to be the same day). A notice not copied as required may be invalid.
What is a Part 4 tenancy?
“Part 4 tenancy” refers to the security of tenure a tenant historically acquired after 6 months under Part 4 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, running in 6-year cycles. Tenancies created from 11 June 2022 are of unlimited duration, and by June 2028 all remaining Part 4 tenancies will have converted. Tenancies created from 1 March 2026 are instead “tenancies of minimum duration”.
What is needed for a notice of termination where the landlord intends to sell?
A valid written notice plus a statutory declaration of the intention to sell. For tenancies created from 1 March 2026, only smaller landlords can terminate to sell — during a 6-year cycle only to avoid undue hardship, or otherwise at the end of the cycle.
What happens after an RTB ruling of unlawful tenancy termination?
The RTB can order the landlord to pay damages of up to €20,000, permit the tenant to return to the property, or both, and its determination orders are enforceable through the courts.
Can a landlord serve a notice of termination by post?
The RTB does not recommend it. The notice can be invalid if the post is not delivered on the service date stated in the notice, so email, hand delivery or leaving it at the tenant’s address are safer.
How long does a tenant have to challenge a notice of termination?
Generally 90 days from receiving the notice. The period is 28 days where the notice is based on the tenant not keeping their obligations.
Can the RTB overlook a mistake in a notice of termination?
Yes, under the “slip rule” the RTB can overlook minor errors that do not prejudice the tenant, and from 14 September 2026 this also covers accompanying statutory declarations and statements.
This article is general information about Irish law, not legal advice for your situation — this site is not a solicitor’s practice and gives no legal advice. Before acting on it, find a regulated solicitor through the Law Society of Ireland’s Find a Solicitor directory or join the no-fee solicitor waiting list.
