USC - Termination of residential or motor vehicle leases

View all text of Subchapter III [§ 3951 - § 3959]

§ 3955. Termination of residential or motor vehicle leases

(a) Termination

(1) Termination by lesseeThe lessee on a lease described in subsection (b) may, at the lessee’s option, terminate the lease at any time after—

(A) the lessee’s entry into military service;

(B) the date of the lessee’s military orders described in paragraph (1)(B) or (2)(B) of subsection (b), as the case may be; or

(C) the date of the lessee’s stop movement order described in paragraph (1)(C) or (2)(C) of subsection (b), as the case may be.

(2) Joint leases

(3) Death of lessee

(4) Catastrophic injury or illness of lessee

(A) TerminationIf the lessee on a lease described in subsection (b) incurs a catastrophic injury or illness during a period of military service or while performing covered service, during the one-year period beginning on the date on which the lessee incurs such injury or illness—

(i) the lessee may terminate the lease; or

(ii) in the case of a lessee who lacks the mental capacity to contract or to manage his or her own affairs (including disbursement of funds without limitation) due to such injury or illness, the spouse or dependent of the lessee may terminate the lease.

(B) DefinitionsIn this paragraph:

(i) The term “catastrophic injury or illness” has the meaning given that term in section 439(g) of title 37.

(ii) The term “covered service” means full-time National Guard duty, active Guard and Reserve duty, or inactive-duty training (as such terms are defined in section 101(d) of title 10).

(b) Covered leasesThis section applies to the following leases:

(1) Leases of premisesA lease of premises occupied, or intended to be occupied, by a servicemember or a servicemember’s dependents for a residential, professional, business, agricultural, or similar purpose if—

(A) the lease is executed by or on behalf of a person who thereafter and during the term of the lease enters military service;

(B) the servicemember, while in military service, executes the lease and thereafter receives military orders for a permanent change of station or to deploy with a military unit, or as an individual in support of a military operation, for a period of not less than 90 days; or

(i) executes a lease upon receipt of military orders for a permanent change of station or to deploy with a military unit, or as an individual in support of a military operation, for a period of not less than 90 days; and

(ii) thereafter receives a stop movement order issued by the Secretary concerned in response to a local, national, or global emergency, effective for an indefinite period or for a period of not less than 30 days, which prevents the servicemember or servicemember’s dependents from occupying the lease for a residential, professional, business, agricultural, or similar purpose.

(2) Leases of motor vehiclesA lease of a motor vehicle used, or intended to be used, by a servicemember or a servicemember’s dependents for personal or business transportation if—

(A) the lease is executed by or on behalf of a person who thereafter and during the term of the lease enters military service under a call or order specifying a period of not less than 180 days (or who enters military service under a call or order specifying a period of 180 days or less and who, without a break in service, receives orders extending the period of military service to a period of not less than 180 days);

(B) the servicemember, while in military service, executes the lease and thereafter receives military orders—

(i) for a change of permanent station—(I) from a location in the continental United States to a location outside the continental United States; or(II) from a location in a State outside the continental United States to any location outside that State; or

(ii) to deploy with a military unit, or as an individual in support of a military operation, for a period of not less than 180 days; or

(i) executes a lease upon receipt of military orders described in subparagraph (B); and

(ii) thereafter receives a stop movement order issued by the Secretary concerned in response to a local, national, or global emergency, effective for an indefinite period or for a period of not less than 30 days, which prevents the servicemember, or the servicemember’s dependents, from using the vehicle for personal or business transportation.

(1) In generalTermination of a lease under subsection (a) is made—

(A) by delivery by the lessee of written notice of such termination, and a copy of the servicemember’s military orders, to the lessor (or the lessor’s grantee), or to the lessor’s agent (or the agent’s grantee); and

(B) in the case of a lease of a motor vehicle, by return of the motor vehicle by the lessee to the lessor (or the lessor’s grantee), or to the lessor’s agent (or the agent’s grantee), not later than 15 days after the date of the delivery of written notice under subparagraph (A).

(2) Delivery of noticeDelivery of notice under paragraph (1)(A) may be accomplished—

(A) by hand delivery;

(B) by private business carrier;

(C) by placing the written notice in an envelope with sufficient postage and with return receipt requested, and addressed as designated by the lessor (or the lessor’s grantee) or to the lessor’s agent (or the agent’s grantee), and depositing the written notice in the United States mails; or

(D) by electronic means, including—

(i) the direct delivery of material to an electronic address designated by the lessor (or the lessor’s grantee) or the lessor’s agent (or the agent’s grantee);

(ii) the posting of material to a website or other internet or electronic-based information repository to which access has been granted to the lessee, the lessor (or the lessor’s grantee), or the lessor’s agent (or the agent’s grantee); and

(iii) other electronic means reasonably calculated to ensure actual receipt of the material by the lessor (or the lessor’s grantee) or the lessor’s agent (or the agent’s grantee).

(d) Effective date of lease termination

(1) Lease of premises

(A) Entrance to military service, permanent change of station, or deployment

(B) Stop movement orders

(2) Lease of motor vehicles

(e) Arrearages and other obligations and liabilities

(1) Leases of premises

(2) Leases of motor vehicles

(f) Rent paid in advance

(g) Relief to lessor

(h) Misdemeanor

(i) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Military orders

(2) ConUS

(3) Permanent change of station

(Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, title III, § 305, as added Pub. L. 108–189, § 1, Dec. 19, 2003, 117 Stat. 2848; amended Pub. L. 108–454, title VII, § 704, Dec. 10, 2004, 118 Stat. 3624; Pub. L. 111–275, title III, §§ 301, 303(b)(5), Oct. 13, 2010, 124 Stat. 2875, 2878; Pub. L. 115–407, title III, § 301, Dec. 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 5373; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title V, §§ 545, 546, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1377; Pub. L. 116–158, § 1(a)–(d), Aug. 14, 2020, 134 Stat. 706, 707; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, § 549, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3620; Pub. L. 116–315, title VII, §§ 7201(a), 7202(a), Jan. 5, 2021, 134 Stat. 5063.)