Counting Notice Dates in Alberta: Worked Examples for Monthly, Weekly and Yearly Tenancies

Alberta notice period calculation starts with the tenancy period, not the calendar: a tenancy month or week begins on the day rent is due. A monthly tenant serves on or before the first day of a tenancy month, a landlord on or before the first day of three tenancy months, and a 14-day notice needs 14 clear days.

The rules are in sections 7 to 10 of the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), and the counting rules for "at least" a number of days are in the Interpretation Act. The worked dates below use 2026 and 2027 calendars. For which notice to use in the first place, start with ending a tenancy in Alberta.

Step 1: When does your tenancy month or week begin?

In Alberta, a tenancy month begins on the day rent is payable unless the agreement names another date, and a tenancy week works the same way (RTA s.1(1)(q), (r)). A tenancy year begins on the day the tenant first became entitled to possession, or its anniversary (s.1(1)(s)). If rent is due on the 15th, your tenancy month runs from the 15th to the 14th, and every date below shifts with it.

Step 2: How do you count a monthly notice?

A tenant's notice must be served on or before the first day of a tenancy month and ends the tenancy on the last day of that month; a landlord's must be served on or before the first day of a "notice period" of 3 consecutive tenancy months and ends it on the last day of the third (RTA s.8). A landlord also needs a reason the regulation allows.

A tenancy that ends on a date ends at 12 noon on that last day unless the landlord and tenant agree on another time (RTA s.20). Tenants can see the steps in how a tenant gives notice in Alberta.

Step 3: What if the notice is served late?

A late notice to end a weekly, monthly or yearly tenancy is not void in Alberta; it takes effect at the end of the next full period instead (RTA s.10(2)). For a monthly tenancy with rent due on the 1st:

• Tenant serves Wednesday, December 2, 2026. The first complete tenancy month after service is January, so the tenancy ends January 31, 2027 (s.10(2)(b)(i)). The province gives the same example: notice on June 2 for June 30 ends the tenancy July 31 instead (alberta.ca, Ending a tenancy).
• Landlord serves Wednesday, December 2, 2026. The first complete 3-month notice period after service runs January 1 to March 31, so the tenancy ends March 31, 2027 (s.10(2)(b)(ii)).

This rescue does not apply to an employee tenancy notice under section 11 or a condominium conversion notice under section 12 (s.10(3)).

Step 4: How do you count weekly and yearly notices?

A weekly notice, from either side, must be served on or before the first day of a tenancy week to take effect on the last day of that week (RTA s.7). With rent due every Monday, notice served on or before Monday, November 9, 2026 ends the tenancy Sunday, November 15. Served on Tuesday, November 10, it ends at the end of the next complete week, Sunday, November 22 (s.10(2)(a)).

A yearly notice is counted back from the last day of the tenancy year: a tenant serves on or before the 60th day before it, a landlord on or before the 90th day (RTA s.9). For a tenancy year ending Tuesday, August 31, 2027:

Because the counting of "the 60th day before" can be argued a day either way, serve a week earlier than the table shows. A tenant who serves on July 10, 2027 would end the tenancy 60 days later, on September 8, 2027.

Step 5: How do you count a 14-day notice?

A 14-day notice in Alberta needs 14 clear days: neither the day the notice is served nor the termination day counts. The Act says "at least 14 days" (RTA s.29(1)), and the Interpretation Act excludes the days on which both events happen when an enactment says "at least" (s.22(3)). The province says the same in plain words (alberta.ca).

Example: served in person on Friday, November 6, 2026. The 14 clear days are November 7 to 20, so the earliest termination date is Saturday, November 21, 2026. For unpaid-rent notices, see Alberta's 14-day notice for unpaid rent.

Step 6: Which day counts as the day of service?

Count from the day the other party actually received the notice. The Act requires personal service or registered mail as a rule (RTA s.57(1)), and for its own applications the RTDRS treats registered-mail service as complete on the date the respondent signs for it (RTDRS, how to apply). The conservative reading for a notice is the same: the signing date, not the mailing date, so mail well ahead of the deadline.

If a deadline in an enactment falls on a holiday, the Interpretation Act lets the thing be done on the next day that is not a holiday (s.22(1)), and every Sunday is a holiday (s.28(1)). Do not plan around it; serve before the weekend.

Frequently asked questions

Does a notice served on the 1st count for that month?

Yes. The tenant's monthly notice must be served "on or before" the first day of the tenancy month (RTA s.8(1)(a)), so service on the 1st itself is in time when rent is due on the 1st.

Is a late notice wasted?

No. For weekly, monthly and yearly tenancies, a notice served too late still ends the tenancy at the end of the next full period (RTA s.10(2)), except for section 11 and 12 notices.

Do weekends count in the 14 days?

Yes. The 14 are clear calendar days; only the day of service and the termination day are left out.

Do fixed-term leases need notice?

No. A fixed-term tenancy ends on its end date without notice (RTA s.15), at noon unless agreed otherwise (s.20).

Does the termination date on the notice have to be exact?

The notice must state the date the tenancy is to terminate (RTA s.10(1)(e)). Choose the correct last day of the period; for a late notice, section 10(2) moves it to the next valid date.