Eviction notice (notice to pay rent or quit)
The notice period is different in almost every state — get yours right the first time, or the court dismisses your case and you start over. Citation printed on the notice.
- State notice periods built in
- Proof of service included
- 3 days (TX) to 30 days (DC) — handled
Why the notice period is where evictions die
Judges dismiss eviction cases over defective notices more than any other reason: wrong number of days, missing statutory language (Ohio requires exact warning text), or serving before a required grace period (Maine, Tennessee, Connecticut). Each of those rules is encoded here with its citation — DC requires 30 days; Texas allows 3. Getting it wrong costs you a month of rent and a refiling fee.
See your state's exact rule on its page: Texas, California, Florida, New York — or pick any state in the tool above.
Nonpayment notice period by state
How many days you must give a tenant before filing, in every jurisdiction — click your state for the statute citation and any special service rules.
- Alabama7 days
- Alaska7 days
- Arizona5 days
- Arkansas3 days
- California3 days
- Colorado10 days
- Connecticut3 days
- Delaware5 days
- District of Columbia30 days
- Florida3 days
- Georgiano fixed statutory period (see note)
- Hawaii5 days
- Idaho3 days
- Illinois5 days
- Indiana10 days
- Iowa3 days
- Kansas3 days
- Kentucky7 days
- Louisiana5 days
- Maine7 days
- Maryland10 days
- Massachusetts14 days
- Michigan7 days
- Minnesota14 days
- Mississippi3 days
- Missourino fixed statutory period (see note)
- Montana3 days
- Nebraska7 days
- Nevada7 days
- New Hampshire7 days
- New Jerseyno fixed statutory period (see note)
- New Mexico3 days
- New York14 days
- North Carolina10 days
- North Dakota3 days
- Ohio3 days
- Oklahoma5 days
- Oregon3 days
- Pennsylvania10 days
- Rhode Island5 days
- South Carolina5 days
- South Dakota3 days
- Tennessee14 days
- Texas3 days
- Utah3 days
- Vermont14 days
- Virginia5 days
- Washington14 days
- West Virginiano fixed statutory period (see note)
- Wisconsin5 days
- Wyoming3 days
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to accept payment if the tenant pays within the notice period?
For a pay-or-quit notice, yes — payment within the period cures the default in nearly every state (Vermont voids the termination by statute, 9 V.S.A. § 4467(a)). The notice is a demand, not a punishment.
How do I serve the notice?
State rules vary: personal delivery is universally accepted; most states allow substituted service (leave with an adult + mail) or post-and-mail as fallbacks. The generated notice includes a proof-of-service block — fill it in when you serve, keep a copy and a photo.
My state shows 'no statutory period' — what do I do?
GA, MO and WV allow filing after a demand without a fixed waiting period; NJ has special rules. The generator still produces a correct demand for those states — read the note printed in the law box.