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Eviction Laws by State (Notice Periods & Court Process)

Facing eviction or dealing with non-paying tenants? Eviction laws vary widely across the states we serve. Some states only give tenants 3 days to pay rent before a landlord can file, while others allow up to 14 days. Almost all require a court process before eviction is final.

This guide breaks down the notice periods, filing rules, and court requirements for eviction in each state. It’s for informational purposes only and not legal advice. If you’re a landlord or a tenant facing eviction, always consult an attorney or your local housing court. For national market context, see the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

31States covered 31Linked sources CSVFree download Aug 2026Last reviewed
Notice

Typically 3 to 14 days for nonpayment

The notice period before a landlord may file varies by state, and New Jersey allows filing immediately for nonpayment.

Court

Self-help eviction is illegal everywhere

Changing locks, shutting off utilities or removing belongings is unlawful in all states; a sheriff or court officer must enforce.

Cure

Many states let tenants stop it by paying

Paying the full past-due rent within the notice period ends the case in many states, and some allow it up to the court date.

The data
Download the full dataseteviction-laws.csv31 rows31 source links Download Now
Eviction Laws by State
State ▾NoticePeriodForNonpayment ▾EvictionFilingAllowed ▾CourtHearingRequired ▾Notes ▾SourceName ▾SourceURL ▾
Alabama7 daysAfter 7-day noticeYesTenant has 7 days to pay before filingAlabama Landlord-Tenant ActView source
Arizona5 daysAfter 5-day noticeYesTenant can cure by paying within 5 daysAZ Residential Landlord-Tenant ActView source
Arkansas5 daysAfter 5-day noticeYesLandlords must file after 5 days if unpaidAR Code §18-17View source
Colorado10 daysAfter 10-day noticeYesLandlord must provide 10-day demand noticeCO Rev Stat §13-40-104View source
Connecticut3 daysAfter 3-day noticeYesNotice to quit 3 days before filingCT Gen Stat §47a-23View source
Delaware5 daysAfter 5-day noticeYesLandlord can file if not cured within 5 daysDE Code Title 25 §5502View source
Florida3 daysAfter 3-day noticeYesTenant must pay or vacate in 3 daysFla Stat §83.56View source
Georgia7 daysAfter 7-day demandYesNo set period in law; courts allow 7 daysGA Code §44-7-50View source
Idaho3 daysAfter 3-day noticeYesTenant must cure or vacate in 3 daysIdaho Code §6-303View source
Illinois5 daysAfter 5-day noticeYes5-day notice for nonpayment735 ILCS 5/9-209View source
Indiana10 daysAfter 10-day noticeYesTenant has 10 days to cureInd. Code §32-31-1-6View source
Iowa3 daysAfter 3-day noticeYesTenant must pay or quit in 3 daysIowa Code §562A.27View source
Kansas3 daysAfter 3-day noticeYesTenant has 3 days to pay rentKS Stat §58-2564View source
Kentucky7 daysAfter 7-day noticeYesTenant may cure by paying within 7 daysKY Rev Stat §383.660View source
Louisiana5 daysAfter 5-day noticeYesTenant must vacate or pay in 5 daysLA Code Civ Proc Art. 4701View source
Massachusetts14 daysAfter 14-day noticeYesTenant has 14 days to cureMass Gen Laws Ch. 186 §11View source
Michigan7 daysAfter 7-day noticeYesTenant may cure within 7 daysMI Comp Laws §554.134View source
Minnesota14 daysAfter 14-day noticeYes14-day demand before filingMN Stat §504B.291View source
Mississippi3 daysAfter 3-day noticeYesTenant must cure within 3 daysMS Code §89-7-27View source
Missouri10 daysAfter 10-day noticeYesTenant has 10 days to cureMO Rev Stat §441.040View source
New JerseyNo notice requiredImmediatelyYesLandlord may file directly; exceptions applyNJSA §2A:18-61.2View source
North Carolina10 daysAfter 10-day demandYesTenant has 10 days to pay or quitNC Gen Stat §42-3View source
Ohio3 daysAfter 3-day noticeYesTenant must vacate in 3 daysOH Rev Code §1923.04View source
Pennsylvania10 daysAfter 10-day noticeYes10-day notice before filing68 P.S. §250.501View source
South Carolina5 daysAfter 5-day noticeYesTenant may cure within 5 daysSC Code §27-40-710View source
Tennessee14 daysAfter 14-day noticeYesTenant has 14 days to cure nonpaymentTN Code §66-28-505View source
Texas3 daysAfter 3-day noticeYesTenant must pay or vacate within 3 daysTex Prop Code §24.005View source
Utah3 daysAfter 3-day noticeYesTenant must cure or vacate in 3 daysUtah Code §78B-6-802View source
Virginia5 daysAfter 5-day noticeYesTenant may cure within 5 daysVa Code §55.1-1245View source
New York14 daysAfter 14-day rent demandYesTenant must cure in 14 daysNY Real Prop Acts §711View source
Wisconsin5 daysAfter 5-day noticeYesTenant must cure within 5 days (14 for repeat)Wis Stat §704.17View source

Last reviewed: August 2026 by Aldric Property SolutionsReference only — not legal adviceSort by tapping a column headingSwipe the table sideways — the state and the headings stay pinned

Questions

Frequently asked

01What is an eviction notice?

An eviction notice is a written demand that a tenant either pay overdue rent or vacate the property. States typically require landlords to serve this notice before filing in court. The notice period ranges from 3 to 14 days depending on the state.

02Can landlords file for eviction immediately?

In most states, no. Landlords must first wait for the notice period to expire. However, New Jersey is an exception, allowing landlords to file immediately for nonpayment (though judges still review cases).

03Do tenants have the right to “cure” the eviction by paying rent?

Yes, in many states tenants can stop the eviction by paying full past-due rent within the notice period. Some states also allow tenants to pay even after the case is filed, up until the court date.

04How long does the court eviction process take?

Once filed, most eviction hearings happen within 2–8 weeks, depending on court backlog. After a judgment, tenants may have a few days to move before the sheriff enforces eviction.

05Can a landlord evict without going to court?

No. “Self-help evictions” (changing locks, shutting off utilities, removing belongings) are illegal in all states. A sheriff or court officer must enforce the eviction order.

06How many homes are vacant and does that affect evictions?

Latest U.S. snapshot (Q2 2025): the rental vacancy rate was 7.0% and the homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%. Overall, about 10.4% of housing units were vacant — roughly 15.4 million homes. That includes approximately 3.55M for rent, 0.95M for sale, 0.95M rented/sold but not yet occupied, and 6.54M held off market. The South recorded the highest rental vacancy at 9.0%. Source: U.S. Census CPS/HVS (Q2 2025).

Does vacancy affect evictions? Higher vacancy can ease rent pressure, which may lower nonpayment risk. But evictions are influenced more by rent burden and local policy/courts than vacancy alone. For example, areas with higher eviction filing fees tend to see fewer filings, and eviction risk rises with rent burden. See also peer-reviewed work on rent burden & health outcomes: Graetz et al., 2024.

For more current vacancy and tenure trends, review the U.S. Census Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS).

Behind on Rent or Facing Eviction?

Evictions are stressful—for both tenants and landlords. If you’re facing eviction or dealing with non-paying tenants, Aldric Property Solutions can help. We buy homes as-is, even with active eviction cases, so you can move on quickly without court battles.

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This page is a general reference for the states Aldric Property Solutions serves. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, and statutes change. Confirm your own situation with a licensed attorney or advisor in your state before acting on anything here.