Updated July 26, 2024
A late rent notice, or notice to pay or quit, is sent to a tenant when they have not paid rent on the date mentioned in their lease. If there is a statutory grace period, the landlord will have to wait until after it ends to send the late rent notice.
Delivery
It’s recommended to attach a Certificate of Service and deliver the notice:
- In-person;
- Post on the tenant’s door; or
- Send via certified mail (with return receipt).
By State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Table of Contents |
How to Send Notice (4 steps)
1. Write a Notice to Quit
Write a notice to quit and include the following information:
- Date of Notice
- Tenant(s) Name(s)
- Property Address
- Lease Start Date
- Notice of Non-Payment
- Past Rent
- Late Fees
- Other Fees
- Payment Instructions
- Landlord’s Signature
2. Speak with the Tenant
Before sending the notice to quit, it is best to contact the tenant to hear why they are late paying rent. If paying by check, maybe it was mailed late or there are other issues.
No matter the reason for late rent, it is always recommended to contact the tenant on a personal level to get their side of the story.
4. Wait for Payment
After receiving the notice, the tenant will have the state-required notice period to pay the landlord. If the tenant does not pay, they will have the option to vacate the property to avoid eviction.
If the tenant does not pay or vacate the property within the notice period, the landlord will have to seek an eviction from the local housing court.
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 |