Is a non-renewal letter the same as cancelling?

No. It stops the agreement renewing; service and billing continue to the end of the current term.

When should I send the non-renewal letter?

Inside the window your agreement sets, ideally near the middle of it. If the agreement sets an earliest date, notice before it may not count.

Free template · Updated October 28, 2026

Non-renewal notice letter

Send this letter inside your agreement's notice window, to the address the agreement names, by the method it names. Fill in the legal names, account number and the last day of the current term exactly as they appear on your paperwork.

Non-renewal notice letter

Select the text to copy it, or print this page. Replace everything in [BRACKETS].

[YOUR COMPANY LEGAL NAME]
[Street address]
[City, State ZIP]

[Date]

[HAULER LEGAL NAME, exactly as on your service agreement]
[Notice address or email named in the agreement]

Re: Notice of non-renewal
Account number: [ACCOUNT NUMBER]
Service address(es): [SERVICE ADDRESS]
Agreement dated: [AGREEMENT DATE]

This letter is notice that [YOUR COMPANY LEGAL NAME] will not renew the agreement referred to above. The agreement will end at the close of the current term on [LAST DAY OF TERM], and we do not consent to any further renewal or extension.

This notice is given within the period the agreement requires for notice of non-renewal. Please confirm in writing, by [DATE 10 DAYS FROM NOW], that you have received it and that service and billing will end on [LAST DAY OF TERM].

Please remove your containers from the service address(es) after the last collection, and send a final invoice covering service through [LAST DAY OF TERM] only.

This notice does not end service before the end of the current term, and we will pay for service through that date.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Title]
[Email] [Phone]

What to fill in

The hauler's legal name from the service details. It is often a local subsidiary: Republic's terms, for example, say the contracting company is an individual operating subsidiary, not the parent.^[1]
The notice address or email the agreement names. Republic's published terms require notices by email to a stated address.^[1]
The last day of the current term. Get it from the renewal window calculator, which also fills the dates into this letter for you.

How to send it

Check today is inside the window: on or after the earliest date (if your agreement has one) and comfortably before the deadline. WM's terms treat notice outside the window as ineffective.^[2]
Send it in your own company's name, signed by someone with authority. Some haulers won't accept notices from agents.^[1]
Use every method the agreement names. If it says email, email it; if it says certified mail, send it that way and email a copy too.
Keep the delivery receipt or the email, and diary the date you asked for confirmation.

What happens next

Expect a call with a retention offer. Compare it with competing bids on the same all-in basis (see how to bid out waste service). If you accept a new deal with the incumbent, read the new agreement: it will have its own term and window.

Questions buyers ask

Is a non-renewal letter the same as cancelling?: No. It stops the agreement renewing; service and billing continue to the end of the current term.
When should I send the non-renewal letter?: Inside the window your agreement sets, ideally near the middle of it. If the agreement sets an earliest date, notice before it may not count.

Sources

Customer Service Agreement: Terms and Conditions (Sacramento edition), Republic Services. Read 2026-10-28.
Terms and Conditions for Commercial and Roll Off (Canada), WM. Read 2026-10-28.