Lease Violation Notice Laws by State
Look up the time to correct a residential lease violation, how notice is delivered, and where to find the official rule in each of the 50 states.
This table focuses on correctable non-rent violations and states which situations each row covers. Where the correction period depends on the lease or the circumstances, the table identifies the applicable rule. A correction request and a notice ending the tenancy are separate steps in some states.
Cure periods and delivery rules for all 50 states
50 states shown
On a small screen, swipe across to see delivery rules and sources.
| State | Time to correct | How to deliver notice | Official sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama AL | 7 business days from receipt for a covered breach. Prior cures and repeat breaches can change the rule. | Confirm effective receipt under Ala. Code § 35-9A-144. Keep a dated record of hand delivery or the applicable mailing and receipt. | |
| Alaska AK | 10 days from service for a qualifying first breach. | Personal service, leaving a copy at the premises if the tenant is absent, or registered/certified mail. The court form allows 13 days for mail and adjusts for court closures. | |
| Arizona AZ | 10 days from receipt for a material lease breach. A separate 5-day rule covers certain health and safety breaches. | Hand delivery or registered/certified mail. For that mail, receipt is actual receipt or 5 days after mailing, whichever comes first. | |
| Arkansas AR | 14 days after receipt. State a conditional termination date at least 14 days after receipt. | Deliver a written notice describing the acts or omissions. The tool uses hand delivery when permitted and records planned receipt. | |
| California CA | 3 days after service for a covered covenant breach, excluding weekends and court holidays. | Use personal service, qualifying substitute service plus mailing, or posting plus mailing when permitted. Check local just-cause and warning requirements. | |
| Colorado CO | 10 days for an ordinary covered tenancy. Other tenancy categories can differ. | The tool uses personal service. See court form JDF 99 A for other methods and its service record. Use the applicable language and form. | |
| Connecticut CT | 15 days after receipt for the covered repair or damages branch. The stated termination date must be at least 15 days after receipt. | Deliver written notice describing the breach. Confirm receipt and keep proof. The pretermination notice and later notice to quit are separate steps. | |
| Delaware DE | At least 7 days under the covered rule. Extend a last day that falls on a weekend or legal holiday. | Use a method permitted by § 5113 and verify the effective notice date. Keep proof of the method and date. | |
| Florida FL | 7 days for a violation that qualifies for an opportunity to cure. | Mail, deliver a true copy, email under § 83.505, or leave a copy at the residence if the tenant is absent. Verify timing for the chosen method. | |
| Georgia GA | Use any cure period in the lease or applicable rules. The tool prepares a correction request. | Follow the lease’s notice and delivery terms and keep proof. A demand for possession is a separate step. | |
| Hawaii HI | At least 10 days for a covered rental-rule violation under §§ 521-52 and 521-72. | Give written notice and determine effective notice under § 521-9. Identify the rule, conduct and deadline. | |
| Idaho ID | 3 days for a covered covenant breach. Check the court’s guidance on the last day. | The tool uses personal delivery. Check § 6-304 for alternatives and serve any subtenant in actual occupation. | |
| Illinois IL | Chicago example only. At least 10 days after receipt for a covered correctable breach under the city ordinance. | The tool uses personal delivery in covered Chicago rentals. Elsewhere, check the lease, local law and applicable Illinois service rules. | |
| Indiana IN | A reasonable time for a covered statutory tenant-duty violation under § 32-31-7-7. | Give notice of the specific noncompliance and document delivery. A separate repair-and-cost notice applies when the landlord already repaired the damage. | |
| Iowa IA | 7 days after receipt for a covered breach. State a conditional termination date. | Check § 562A.8. For mail under that section, use both regular and certified mail and allow 4 days from deposit and postmark for service to be complete. | |
| Kansas KS | 14 days to cure and a conditional termination date at least 30 days after receipt. | Give written notice, verify effective receipt and keep proof. If receipt is later than expected, recheck both dates. | |
| Kentucky KY | 15 days to remedy under KRS 383.660 where the locality has adopted the Act. The statute separately describes a 14-day minimum for the termination date. | The tool uses hand delivery and preserves the 15-day opportunity to remedy. Verify local adoption, receipt and any longer period. | |
| Louisiana LA | A reasonable time to perform under Civil Code art. 2015. The notice states the consequence if performance is not timely. | Serve a written demand identifying the obligation and deadline. Check the lease’s delivery terms and keep proof. A notice to vacate is separate. | |
| Maine ME | Check the written lease for any correction period. The tool prepares a correction request. | Follow the lease’s delivery terms. If the lease lacks a termination or notice provision, review §§ 6001 and 6002 before seeking termination. | |
| Maryland MD | Check the lease and local rules for a correction period. The tool prepares a correction request. | Follow the applicable delivery terms and keep proof. Repossession under § 8-402.1 involves a separate written notice. | |
| Massachusetts MA | Check the lease for any correction period. The tool prepares a correction request. | Use the lease’s delivery procedure. The Massachusetts Trial Court explains delivery of a separate notice to quit. | |
| Michigan MI | 7 days after service for the covered serious continuing health hazard or extensive continuing property damage branch. | Use the court’s DC 100b instructions for personal, qualifying substitute or other permitted service and the certificate of service. | |
| Minnesota MN | Check the lease and applicable local or housing-program rules. The tool prepares a correction request. | Follow any applicable notice and delivery terms in the lease and document delivery. Review the separate court procedure if seeking possession. | |
| Mississippi MS | 14 days for a covered correctable non-rent breach. Set termination at least 14 days after receipt. | Verify effective receipt. Use email or text only where the statutory written-agreement requirement is satisfied. | |
| Missouri MO | Check the written lease for a correction period. The tool prepares a correction request. | Follow the lease’s delivery terms. § 441.030 addresses a separate written demand for possession in covered cases. | |
| Montana MT | 14 days for the ordinary branch. Pets, unauthorized occupants and other specified grounds can differ. | Qualifying mailed service under § 70-24-108 is made 3 days after mailing. For qualifying email, follow the statutory receipt requirements. | |
| Nebraska NE | 14 days to cure and a conditional termination date at least 30 days after receipt. | Give written notice and verify effective receipt under § 76-1413. Check that section before using electronic delivery. | |
| Nevada NV | 5 judicial days after service for a covered covenant breach. Skip weekends and court holidays. | Use an authorized server under NRS 40.280. Keep proof and verify service on any subtenant in actual occupation. | |
| New Hampshire NH | No fixed cure period for the prior warning under RSA 540:2, III. This is the restricted-property, other-good-cause branch. | Serve the warning under RSA 540:5 or by certified mail before an eviction notice. Keep the service record. | |
| New Jersey NJ | Initial opportunity to cease the substantial breach under § 2A:18-61.1(e)(1). This branch specifies no fixed day count for the initial notice. | Deliver the written Notice to Cease and keep proof. If the breach continues, check the separate Notice to Quit and service rules. | |
| New Mexico NM | 7 days for the first covered material non-rent violation. | The tool uses personal delivery. See court form 4-902 for other allowed methods and the record of actual service. | |
| New York NY | 10 days after receipt for a qualifying breach in housing covered by the Good Cause Eviction Law. | Give written notice. The tool uses hand delivery when permitted. Check coverage, service rules and any longer cure period. | |
| North Carolina NC | Check the lease for the applicable correction period. The tool prepares a correction request. | Follow the lease’s delivery terms. Verify the grounds and demand requirements for any separate summary ejectment. | |
| North Dakota ND | Check the written lease and applicable requirements. The tool prepares a correction request. | Follow the lease’s delivery terms. The statutory Notice of Intention to Evict and its service rules are separate. | |
| Ohio OH | At least 30 days after receipt to the stated termination date for the covered health or safety tenant-duty breach. The tenancy can continue if the tenant remedies the condition. | Give written notice identifying the act or omission and the termination date. Document receipt. Check requirements for any later notice to leave. | |
| Oklahoma OK | 10 days to cure and at least 15 days after receipt to conditional termination. | Check 41 O.S. § 111(E) for personal, substitute and posting-plus-mailing service. Verify the effective date. | |
| Oregon OR | Ordinary branch: at least 14 days to cure and 30 days to conditional termination. First-class mail alone makes those minimums 17 and 33 days. | Personal delivery or first-class mail. Combined mailing and attachment has separate statutory conditions. Check the tenancy type. | |
| Pennsylvania PA | Check the lease and local rules for a correction period. The tool prepares a correction request. | Follow the lease’s delivery terms. Section 501 governs a separate notice to quit, with timing based in part on the lease term. | |
| Rhode Island RI | 20 days to cure. State a conditional termination date at least 21 days after mailing for the covered breach. | Use regular first-class U.S. mail, postage prepaid. Complete the mailing certificate after sending and keep a copy. | |
| South Carolina SC | 14 days from receipt for the covered breach. Timely commencement and good-faith completion within a reasonable time can matter when the remedy takes longer. | Give written notice and verify receipt under § 27-40-240. Keep evidence of the delivery date. | |
| South Dakota SD | A reasonable time for repairs the tenant is legally responsible for under § 43-32-18(2). | Deliver and document the repair request in accordance with the lease and applicable requirements. Termination and possession are separate steps. | |
| Tennessee TN | Check the lease, county and applicable statute. The tool prepares a correction request without assigning a statutory cure period. | Follow the governing lease and notice rules. Confirm whether the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act applies before pursuing termination. | |
| Texas TX | Check the lease and applicable law for any opportunity to cure or respond. The tool prepares a correction request. | Use the governing lease and delivery terms. Property Code § 24.005 governs a separate presuit notice to vacate. | |
| Utah UT | 3 calendar days after service for a covered covenant violation. | Serve the tenant and any subtenant in actual occupation. Check permitted methods in § 78B-6-805 and keep proof. | |
| Vermont VT | Check the lease for any correction period. The ordinary 30-day rule in § 4467(b)(1) is for termination notice. | Document delivery of the correction request. A separate termination notice requires actual notice at least 30 days before the specified date for the ordinary branch. | |
| Virginia VA | 21 days to cure and at least 30 days after receipt to conditional termination for the covered breach. | Use written notice delivered as permitted by § 55.1-1202. Verify the effective receipt date and keep proof. | |
| Washington WA | 10 days after service for a covered non-rent covenant breach. | Personal delivery or qualifying combined service under RCW 59.12.040. The statute gives 5 additional days before filing when service is made by mail. Check local rules. | |
| West Virginia WV | Check the lease for a correction period. The tool prepares a correction request. | Follow the lease’s delivery terms and keep proof. The court petition and service of a hearing notice under § 55-3A-1 are separate. | |
| Wisconsin WI | At least 5 days for a first covered breach of a fixed-term lease of one year or less. Other lease terms can change the rule. | The tool uses personal delivery. Check § 704.21 for other methods and Wisconsin’s last-day counting rule. | |
| Wyoming WY | Check the lease and applicable requirements. The tool prepares a request to correct a covered non-rent renter-duty breach. | Follow applicable delivery terms and retain proof. A notice to quit under § 1-21-1003 has separate service requirements. |
Before you serve a notice
Check the lease, the type of violation, prior notices, and any local or housing-program rules. Identify the date that starts the clock and keep proof of service. When the law calls for both a cure date and a termination date, write each date separately.
See how cure periods and delivery differ across seven states and how to count calendar days and court days.