Definition
The automatic renewal of a fixed-term lease when it ends, on the same terms and for the same length, unless a notice is given in time (art. 1941 C.C.Q.).
The rule
When a fixed-term lease ends, it renews automatically (reconduction de plein droit): same terms, same length. A lease longer than 12 months renews for 12 months only (art. 1941, Civil Code of Québec). The tenant has a right to stay in the dwelling: the landlord can't simply decline to renew.
Either side can still act before the lease ends:
- a landlord who wants to change a condition, most often the rent, sends a notice of lease modification;
- a tenant who wants to leave sends a notice of non-renewal (art. 1946 C.C.Q.);
- a landlord who wants the dwelling back goes through a repossession or an eviction, each with its own deadlines.
Deadlines for a 12-month lease
These notices are given between 6 and 3 months before the lease ends: from January 1 to March 31 for a lease ending June 30. For a lease shorter than 12 months, it's between 2 months and 1 month before the end. The notice deadline calculator gives the exact dates for any lease.
One special case: if the tenant has sublet the dwelling for more than 12 months, the landlord may send a notice of non-renewal. The tenant's silence then counts as a refusal, and the landlord must apply to the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) (art. 1944.1 C.C.Q.).
Learn more
Glossary terms
Official sources
General information, not legal advice
This page summarizes the rules in force in Québec on the update date shown, for information only. It does not replace advice from a lawyer, notary or accountant, nor the official texts: when in doubt, rely on the sources above and on the Tribunal administratif du logement.