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Make your eviction notice
Pick your state and fill in what you know. The notice uses your state's period and wording and updates as you type. Anything you leave blank prints as a line to fill in by hand.
Everything you type stays in your browser. Nothing is sent to us or stored. This is a template, not legal advice: check your lease and any city or county rules before you serve it.
Notice periods for unpaid rent, by state
| State | Notice period | How it is counted | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 5 days | after the tenant receives written notice | A.R.S. § 33-1368(B) |
| California | 3 days | not counting Saturdays, Sundays or judicial holidays | Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161(2) |
| Florida | 3 days | not counting Saturday, Sunday or court-observed legal holidays | Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3) |
| Illinois | 5 days | after service; weekends and holidays are not excluded | 735 ILCS 5/9-209 |
| Michigan | 7 days | from service of the written demand | MCL 554.134(2); MCL 600.5714(1)(a) |
| New Jersey | None required | File directly | N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1(a); 2A:18-61.2 |
| New York | 14 days | written rent demand; weekends and holidays are not excluded | N.Y. RPAPL § 711(2) |
| North Carolina | 10 days | after the landlord's demand for the rent | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-3 |
| Ohio | 3 days | three or more days; weekends and holidays are not excluded | Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.04(A) |
| Pennsylvania | 10 days | from the date of service | 68 P.S. § 250.501(b) |
| Texas | 3 days | unless the written lease sets a different period; weekends and holidays are not excluded | Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005 |
| Virginia | 14 days | after service | Va. Code § 55.1-1245(F) |
| Washington | 14 days | Exact state form required | RCW 59.12.030(3); RCW 59.18.057 |
From each state's official statute text, read October 29, 2026. Several states let the lease change the period; Texas and Pennsylvania are two. Cities can add rules on top, including Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City.
Lease violation notices, by state
| State | Notice period | Chance to fix it | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 10 days | Yes | A.R.S. § 33-1368(A) |
| California | 3 days | Yes | Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161(3) |
| Florida | 7 days | Yes | Fla. Stat. § 83.56(2)(b) |
| Illinois | 10 days | No | 735 ILCS 5/9-210 |
| Michigan | No statewide period | Set by the lease | MCL 600.5714(1)(c); MCL 600.5716 |
| New Jersey | Two notices | After a notice to cease | N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1(d)-(e); 2A:18-61.2 |
| New York | No statewide period | Set by the lease | N.Y. RPAPL § 753(4) |
| North Carolina | No statewide period | Set by the lease | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-26(a) |
| Ohio | 30 days | Yes | Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.11 |
| Pennsylvania | 15 days | No | 68 P.S. § 250.501(b) |
| Texas | 3 days | No | Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005 |
| Virginia | 21 days to fix it, 30 days to end the lease | Yes | Va. Code § 55.1-1245(A)-(C) |
| Washington | 10 days | Yes | RCW 59.12.030(4); RCW 59.18.650(2)(b) |
In a state with a right to cure, the notice has to give the tenant the chance to fix the problem before the lease ends. In Pennsylvania, Illinois and Texas there is no statutory cure: the notice simply ends the tenancy after the period. New York, North Carolina and Michigan set no statewide period at all, so the lease controls, and New Jersey takes a notice to cease followed by one month's notice to quit.
Four states that need specific wording
- Illinois. The 5-day notice must say that only full payment stops the termination unless the landlord agrees in writing to take partial payment. The tool adds the statute's exact sentence.
- Ohio. The notice must tell the tenant they are being asked to leave, that an eviction action may follow, and that they may want legal help, printed conspicuously. The tool adds the statute's exact wording in a bordered box.
- California. The 3-day notice must state the amount due and the name, phone number and address of the person to pay, plus the days and hours they take payment in person. The tool adds those lines when you pick California.
- Florida. The 3-day and 7-day notices follow forms set out in the statute. The tool uses them, including the county and a blank for the payment deadline you fill in.
Washington goes further: its 14-day notice to pay or vacate must be the exact form in RCW 59.18.057, so the tool points you to that form rather than producing its own. Texas, since January 1, 2026, requires a notice to pay rent or vacate when a tenant who was not late before is being evicted only for unpaid rent.
Before you serve it
- Count the days the way your state does. California and Florida skip weekends and court holidays; most states on this page do not. The tool states the rule but does not pick the deadline date for you, because holidays and the delivery date decide it.
- Use the exact amount of rent owed. Keep late fees and other charges out of the rent figure unless your lease and state law treat them as rent.
- Deliver it the way your state allows and record how. Ohio, for example, allows certified mail with a return receipt, handing it to the tenant, or leaving it at the tenant's home or the premises. Fill in the date and method at the bottom and keep a copy.
- Keep your rent records ready. A rent ledger showing each charge and payment is what a court will want to see.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy without a violation is a different notice: use the notice to vacate template.
Rent just late? Start with a late rent notice before a formal notice.
Frequently asked questions
How many days' notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent?
It depends on the state: 3 days in California, Florida, Ohio and Texas, 5 in Arizona and Illinois, 7 in Michigan, 10 in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, and 14 in New York, Virginia and Washington. New Jersey requires no notice before filing for unpaid rent.
Do weekends count in an eviction notice?
In most states on this page, yes. California excludes Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays from its 3 days, and Florida excludes Saturday, Sunday and court-observed legal holidays.
Is a notice to pay or quit the same as an eviction?
No. The notice gives the tenant a deadline to pay or leave. If they do neither, the landlord then files an eviction case in court.
Can I use this template in Washington?
Not for unpaid rent. Washington requires its own 14-day notice in the exact form set out in RCW 59.18.057. The tool covers Washington's 10-day lease violation notice.
Does a tenant get a chance to fix a lease violation?
In Arizona, California, Florida, Ohio, Virginia and Washington the notice must give one. In Pennsylvania, Illinois and Texas there is no statutory right to cure.