If no termination date is noted in a contract, when does it typically terminate?

In Virginia real estate practice, when a contract does not specify a termination date, it is generally understood that the contract will automatically terminate 90 days after the date of signing. This 90-day period provides a reasonable time frame for the parties involved to fulfill contractual obligations or for the situation addressed in the contract to reach completion.

The choice of 90 days as a standard is aligned with common practices in real estate transactions and helps ensure clarity and enforceability in the contract terms. This duration balances allowing sufficient time for negotiations, actions, or contingencies, while also ensuring that agreements do not linger indefinitely.

The other options—30 days, 60 days, and 120 days—are not recognized as standard terms for automatic termination in Virginia contract law for real estate. Each of those choices would potentially act against the intent of providing a clear, fair, and reasonable timeframe that 90 days represents in the absence of a specific termination date.