How much notice is required to evict a tenant?

It depends on your state and the reason. Nonpayment notices are often 3 to 14 days. No-cause terminations of month-to-month tenancies often require 30 or 60 days where allowed. See the table above and confirm with your state courts.

Can I evict without going to court?

No. After the notice period, you typically file an eviction lawsuit and obtain a court order before a sheriff can remove a tenant.

What is the difference between a 3-day and 30-day notice?

A 3-day notice usually demands rent payment or immediate compliance for a breach. A 30-day notice often ends a month-to-month tenancy without alleging a violation. The correct form depends on your situation and state law.

Can I email the eviction notice to the tenant?

You can send an optional courtesy copy by email through Doqu after checkout, but most states require in-person service, posting, or certified mail to start the legal clock.

Eviction Notice - Illinois

Eviction Notice Template by State | Doqu

Serve a legally compliant eviction notice for your state. Pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, and notice-to-vacate formats. Preview free, download as PDF or Word.

An eviction notice template (notice to quit or notice to vacate) is a written demand from a landlord telling a tenant to pay overdue rent, fix a lease violation, or leave by a deadline. It is usually required before filing an eviction lawsuit — it is not a court order.

Select your state when you start the form so venue and address fields prefilled correctly. Notice periods vary by state — use the table below as a starting point and confirm current rules with your state courts or a local housing agency before you serve.

What is an eviction notice?

An eviction notice records that the landlord gave the tenant formal written notice of a problem (unpaid rent, lease breach, holdover after lease end, or termination of a periodic tenancy). It should identify the landlord, tenant(s), property, reason, deadline, and signature.

Only a court can order a forcible eviction. Self-help lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removing tenant belongings are illegal in every state.

Types of eviction notices

Type	When to use
Pay or quit	Tenant owes rent — pay by the deadline or vacate
Cure or quit	Fixable lease violation — cure the breach or leave
Unconditional quit	Serious or repeated violation — vacate without a cure option
Notice to vacate	Ending month-to-month or periodic tenancy when allowed

Notice periods by state (nonpayment of rent)

Deadlines below are common starting points for rent default. Lease terms, local rent control, and just-cause cities can change the rule. Always verify before serving.

State	Typical nonpayment notice	Notes
Alabama	7 days
Alaska	7 days
Arizona	5 days
Arkansas	3 days
California	3 days	Business days; Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 1161
Colorado	10 days (demand)
Connecticut	9 days
Delaware	5 days
Florida	3 days	Excludes weekends/holidays; Fla. Stat. § 83.56
Georgia	Immediate / per lease	No fixed statutory pay-or-quit in many cases
Hawaii	5 days
Idaho	3 days
Illinois	5 days
Indiana	10 days
Iowa	3 days
Kansas	3 days
Kentucky	7 days
Louisiana	5 days
Maine	7 days
Maryland	10 days (14 for Baltimore City)
Massachusetts	14 days
Michigan	7 days
Minnesota	14 days
Mississippi	3 days
Missouri	Immediate / per lease
Montana	3 days
Nebraska	7 days
Nevada	7 days
New Hampshire	7 days
New Jersey	30 days	Just-cause and local rules common
New Mexico	3 days
New York	14 days	Local rules (e.g. NYC) may differ
North Carolina	10 days
North Dakota	3 days
Ohio	3 days
Oklahoma	5 days
Oregon	13 days (72 hours)
Pennsylvania	10 days
Rhode Island	5 days
South Carolina	5 days	Lease may waive separate notice
South Dakota	3 days
Tennessee	14 days
Texas	3 days	Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005
Utah	3 days
Vermont	14 days
Virginia	5 days
Washington	14 days
West Virginia	Immediate	No statutory pay-or-quit in many cases
Wisconsin	5 days
Wyoming	3 days

How to serve an eviction notice

Statutory service methods vary. Common options include personal delivery to the tenant, substituted service plus mailing, posting on the premises plus mailing, or certified mail where allowed. Email alone rarely satisfies service — Doqu can send a courtesy copy after you serve properly.

How it works on Doqu

Select your state

Choose your state in the form so landlord venue fields prefilled correctly.

Pick the eviction reason

Answer questions for nonpayment, lease violation, holdover, or periodic termination. Only relevant fields appear.

Preview, sign, and serve

Review the live preview, sign electronically, download PDF or Word, and serve using a method your state allows.

Frequently asked questions

Eviction Notice — other states

Browse eviction notice templates for other US states.