Legal Advice: Putting the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to Work Published April 4, 2013 GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- You just received PCS orders but your lease is not up for another nine months. What do you do? The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides military members protection and relief from being charged cancellation fees upon early termination of leases due to notification and receipt of PCS and/or deployment orders. When military members receive PCS orders or deployment orders for 90 days or more, members are able to terminate their residential lease with no penalties. Members with vehicle leases are able to terminate the lease if they receive PCS orders from a CONUS location to an OCONUS location or vice versa or deployment orders for 180 days or more. PCS orders include military members who are separating or retiring from military service. In order to exercise SCRA rights, there are a few key things military members must do. First, they must provide written notice to the landlord and must provide a copy of the military orders. After notification, the termination of a residential lease is effective 30 days after the next rental payment is due and paid. For example, the member provides written notice and orders to the landlord on 14 April and the rental payment is due on 1 May. The termination effective date will be 1 June. For members with a vehicle lease, they must provide the written notice with a copy of the orders and must turn the vehicle in to the lessor or the lessor's agent no later than 15 days after they provided written notice. Military members who receive orders to relocate for 90 days or more to a location that does not support their current telephone service are also eligible to terminate their contract with the service provider. Members must provide written or electronic notice of the termination to the provider along with a copy of the military orders. If you have any questions about SCRA, you can contact the 319 ABW Legal Office at 701-747-3606.