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Step-By-Step Guide for Notice to Pay or Quit (6 Steps)
Step 1 – Understand State Laws
Landlords must strictly follow state laws and maintain a proper paper trail during the eviction process or issuing notices. If a notice is improperly delivered or formatted, tenants can use it as a legal defense, which may delay or dismiss an eviction case.
Each state has different requirements and regulations to ensure the notice is legally enforceable, including:
- Notice to Pay or Quit – Typically one (1) to thirty (30) days, with seven (7) days being standard.
- Rent Grace Period – Some states mandate a grace period before the rent is considered late.
- Required Format of the Notice – Including specific details and language.
- Delivery – Legally acceptable methods for delivering the notice
Review state-specific statutes where the property resides in the chart below.
Step 2 – Write the Notice to Quit
The notice to quit must contain the following essential details:
- Date of Notice
- Tenant’s Name(s)
- Rental Property Address
- Lease Start Date
- Amount Owed (Past Rent, Late Fees, Other Charges)
- Payment Deadline (as per state law)
- Instructions for Payment
- Landlord’s Contact Information & Signature
Step 3 – Speak with the Tenant (Optional but Recommended)
Before sending the notice, contact the tenant to understand why they have not paid. Common issues include:
- Mailed check delays
- Financial difficulties
- Miscommunication
Step 4 – Deliver the Notice Properly
The way the notice is delivered can determine the success of an eviction case if it reaches court. Use one of these legally recognized methods:
- In-Person Delivery – Hand the notice directly to the tenant.
- Certified Mail with Return Receipt (USPS) – Provides proof of delivery with:
- Date the notice was received.
- Tenant’s signature.
- Tenant’s address (matching the rental unit).
- Other Methods Allowed by State Law – Some states permit posting the notice on the tenant’s door or emailing it if prior consent exists.
The landlord must prove in court that the notice was sent on a specific date and that a reasonable effort was made to guarantee the tenant received the notice.
Step 5 – Wait the Required Time (Cure Period)
Once the notice is delivered, the landlord must wait for the state-mandated cure period before proceeding with eviction:
- If the tenant pays within the cure period, → Eviction is no longer valid.
- If the tenant does not pay or vacate, → The landlord can proceed to court for formal eviction.
Step 6 – File for Eviction (If Needed)
If the tenant fails to pay or vacate, the next step is filing an eviction lawsuit. Eviction is a legal process where a landlord removes a tenant from a rental property due to a lease violation.
State Laws
| State | Rent Grace Period | Notice to Pay or Quit | Maximum Late Fees |
| Alabama | No statute | 7 days (§ 35-9A-421) | No statute |
| Alaska | No statute | 7 days (§ 34.03.220) | No statute |
| Arizona | No statute | 5 days (§ 33-1368(b)) | “reasonable” (§ 33-1368(2)(B)) |
| Arkansas | 5 days (§ 18-17-701(b)) | 5 days (§ 18-17-701) | No statute |
| California | No statute | 3 days (§ 1161(2)) | “reasonable” (§ 1671(b)) |
| Colorado | No statute | 5/10 days (§ 13-40-104(1)(d)) | No statute |
| Connecticut | 9 days (§ 47a-15a) | 3 days (§ 47a-23(d)) | $5 per day (up to $50 max) or 5% of unpaid rent amount. (§ 47a-15a) |
| Delaware | 5 days (§ 25-5501(d)) | 5 days (§ 5502) | 5% of the rent (§ 5501(d)) |
| Florida | No statute | 3 days (§ 83.56(3)) | $20 or 20% of the rent (§ 83.808(3)) |
| Georgia | No statute | 3 days (§ 44-7-50) | No statute |
| Hawaii | No statute | 5 days (§ 521-68) | No statute |
| Idaho | No statute | 3 days (§ 6-303(2)) | No statute |
| Illinois | 5 days (770 ILCS 95/7.10(a)) | 5 days (735 ILCS 5/9-209) | No statute |
| Indiana | No statute | 10 days (IC 32-31-1-6) | No statute |
| Iowa | No statute | 3 days (§ 562A.27(2)) | $12 to $20 per day (§ 562A.9(4)) |
| Kansas | No statute | 3 or 5 days (K.S.A. 58-2564) | No statute |
| Kentucky | No statute | 7 days (§ 383.660(2)) | No statute |
| Louisiana | No statute | 5 days (§ CCP 4701) | No statute |
| Maine | 15 days (§ 6028) | 7 days (§ 6002) | 4% of the rent (§ 6028) |
| Maryland | No statute | 5 days (§ 8-401) | 5% of the rent (§ 8-208) |
| Massachusetts | 30 days (§ 15B(1)(c)) | 14 days (MGL c.186 § 12) | No statute |
| Michigan | No statute | 7 days (§ 554.134(2)) | No statute |
| Minnesota | No Statute | 14 days (§ 504B.321) | 8% of the rent (§ 504B.177(a)) |
| Mississippi | No Statute | 3 days (§ 89-7-27) | No statute |
| Missouri | No Statute | Immediate (§ 535.010) | No statute |
| Montana | No statute | 3 days (§ 70-24-422) | No statute |
| Nebraska | No statute | 7 days (§ 76-1431(2)) | No statute |
| Nevada | No statute | 5 days (NRS 40.2512) | Written in the lease (§ 118A.200(g)) |
| New Hampshire | No statute | 7 days (§ 540:3(II)) | No statute |
| New Jersey | 5 days (§ 2A:42-6.1) | *Immediate (*§ 2A:18-61.2) | No statute |
| New Mexico | No statute | 3 days (§ 47-8-33) | 10% of the rent (§ 47-8-15(D)) |
| New York | No statute | 14 days (§ 711(2)) | No statute |
| North Carolina | 5 days (§ 42-46(a)(1)) | 10 days (§ 42-3) | $15 or 5% of the rent (§ 42-46(a)(1)) |
| North Dakota | No statute | 3 days (§ 47-32-01) | No statute |
| Ohio | No statute | 3 days (§ 1923.02) | No statute |
| Oklahoma | No statute | 5 days (§ 131) | No statute |
| Oregon | 5 days (§ 90.394(2)) | 10 or 13 Days (§ 90.394(2) | 5% of the rent (§ 90.260(2)(b)) |
| Pennsylvania | No statute | 10 days (§ 250.501(b)) | No statute |
| Rhode Island | 15 days (§ 34-18-35(a)) | 5 days (§ 34-18-35) | No statute |
| South Carolina | No statute | 5 days (§ 27-40-710(B)) | No statute |
| South Dakota | 3 days (§ 21-16-1-(4)) | Immediate | No statute |
| Tennessee | 5 days (§ 66-28-201(d)) | *14/30 days (*§ 66-28-505) | 10% of the rent (§ 66-28-201(d)) |
| Texas | 2 days (§ 92.019(a)(3)) | 3 days ( § 24.005) | “reasonable” (§ 92.019(a)(2)) |
| Utah | No statute | 3 days (§ 78B-6-802) | No statute |
| Vermont | No statute | 14 days (§ 4467) | No statute |
| Virginia | 5 days (oral agreements only) (§ 55.1-1204(C)(5)) | 5 days (§ 55.1-1245(F)) | No statute |
| Washington | No statute | 14 days (SB 5600) | No statute |
| Washington D.C. | 5 days (§ 42–3505.31(b)(2)) | 30 days (§ 42–3202) | 5% of the rent (§ 42–3505.31(a)) |
| West Virginia | No statute | Immediate (§ 55-3A-1) | No statute |
| Wisconsin | No statute | 14 days (§ 704.17(2) | No statute |
| Wyoming | No statute | 3 days (§ 1-21-1003) | No statute |
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