Rhode Island Eviction Notice
Create a proper Rhode Island eviction notice — pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or termination — and download a print-ready PDF. Free, no signup. The preview updates as you type.
Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
What happens after the notice in Rhode Island
If the tenant does not comply, the eviction moves to court. These are Rhode Island’s own rules for that step, from the judiciary and the statute.
- What the case is called. In Rhode Island an eviction lawsuit is a(n) eviction action (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18) action. — R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35 (current as of Jan 1, 2026) ↗
- Where to file. If the tenant doesn’t comply with the notice, the landlord files in the District Court. — R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35 (current as of Jan 1, 2026); RI Judiciary District Court Landlord/Tenant page ↗
- How to serve the notice. Nonpayment: written 5-day demand notice sent by regular first-class U.S. mail (tenant 15+ days in arrears); complaint may be filed no earlier than the 6th day after mailing. — R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-35 and 34-18-56(a) (current as of Jan 1, 2026) ↗
- Filing fee. $80.00 District Court civil filing fee statewide, plus one-time e-filing fees ($17.50 Tyler processing + $3.25 technology surcharge) — RI Judiciary District Court Civil Fees and Costs ↗
- Official notice form. Rhode Island’s courts publish an official notice form — compare it with the one you generate here. — RI Judiciary District Court form 'Five Day Demand Notice for Non-Payment of Rent (G.L. 1956 § 34-18-35)' ↗
- Official guidance. Rhode Island publishes its own instructions for the court step; read them before filing. — Rhode Island Judiciary, District Court – Landlord/Tenant Evictions ↗
- No self-help. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-44 — self-help recovery of possession prohibited, including interrupting heat, water, electric, gas or other essential services — R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-44 (current as of Jan 1, 2026) ↗
Each point links to the Rhode Island source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
Rhode Island notice periods · as of 2026
- Non-payment of rent
- 5 days
- Lease violation (cure)
- 20 days
- End month-to-month
- 30 days
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35; § 34-18-36; § 34-18-37 · verify ↗. Using the wrong number can void the notice — confirm the current rule before you serve it.
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Types of eviction notice
- Pay or quit — for unpaid rent: pay by the deadline or move out.
- Cure or quit — for a lease violation: fix it by the deadline or move out.
- Unconditional / termination — to end a month-to-month tenancy or for serious violations.
Rhode Island notice period & service
The number of days and how you must deliver the notice are set by Rhode Island law — get both right, keep proof of service, and never lock out or remove a tenant yourself. Check the current Rhode Island eviction rules before serving.
If the tenant moves out still owing rent, the notice won’t collect it. Put the amount and a deadline in writing with a Rhode Island demand letter for payment; if it’s ignored, you can file in Rhode Island small claims court, where the limit is $5,000.
Frequently asked questions
How many days notice do I have to give in Rhode Island?
In Rhode Island, a non-payment (pay-or-quit) notice must give the tenant 5 days to pay or leave (as of 2026). Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35; § 34-18-36; § 34-18-37. Notice periods for lease violations or ending a tenancy differ — see the box on this page and confirm current law before serving.
How do I serve the notice in Rhode Island?
States set rules for delivery — often personal delivery, leaving it with an adult at the home, and/or mailing a copy. Keep proof of how and when you served it. Improper service is a common reason eviction cases get dismissed, so follow Rhode Island’s method carefully.
Do I need a lawyer?
Not always for the notice itself, but eviction is technical and a small mistake can restart the clock. For contested cases, commercial properties, or if the tenant has an attorney, it’s worth consulting a landlord-tenant lawyer in Rhode Island.
Where does a landlord file an eviction case in Rhode Island?
If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord files in the District Court (the case is called a(n) eviction action (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18) action). Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35 (current as of Jan 1, 2026); RI Judiciary District Court Landlord/Tenant page.
How must an eviction notice be served in Rhode Island?
Nonpayment: written 5-day demand notice sent by regular first-class U.S. mail (tenant 15+ days in arrears); complaint may be filed no earlier than the 6th day after mailing. Source: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-35 and 34-18-56(a) (current as of Jan 1, 2026).
What does it cost to file an eviction in Rhode Island?
$80.00 District Court civil filing fee statewide, plus one-time e-filing fees ($17.50 Tyler processing + $3.25 technology surcharge) Source: RI Judiciary District Court Civil Fees and Costs.
How does Rhode Island compare? See the notice periods in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute. Not sure which notice applies? Try the 2-question wizard.
How Rhode Island compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Rhode Island: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35; § 34-18-36; § 34-18-37 ↗.
- Notice to pay rent or quit
Notice to pay rent or quit: 5 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 7 other states.
Notice to pay rent or quit in neighboring states — Connecticut (3 days), Massachusetts (14 days).
- Notice to cure a lease violation
Notice to cure a lease violation: 20 days — above the national median of 14 days across the 38 states with a statutory rule.
Ranked #10 of 38 states — higher means more time to fix the violation.
No other state uses exactly this figure.
Notice to cure a lease violation in neighboring states — Connecticut (15 days), Massachusetts (no statutory rule). Rhode Island's 20 days is the longest among its neighbors.
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy: 30 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 36 other states.
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in neighboring states — Connecticut (3 days), Massachusetts (30 days).
The rest of what Rhode Island requires
The figures below are Rhode Island's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Rhode Island page for that document.
- Security deposit cap · as of 2026
- 1 month's rent R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-19 ↗
- Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
- 20 days after move-out R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-19 ↗
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
- 30 days R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-19 ↗
- Small claims limit · as of 2026
- $5,000 R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-16-1 (ch. 10-16, Small Claims and Consumer Claims) ↗
- Where you file · as of 2026
- District Court (Small Claims and Consumer Claims) · filing fee $55 filing fee per the District Court's official Civil Fees and Costs schedule; e-filing adds a one-time $17.50 processing fee + $3.25 technology surcharge. Some 2026 secondary sources report an increase to $75, not yet reflected on the official schedule. R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-16-1 (ch. 10-16, Small Claims and Consumer Claims) ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- Application fees are prohibited Rhode Island General Laws ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Rhode Island DMV / DMV.ORG ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization required R.I. Gen. Laws §18-16-2 ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-2(23) ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- Town Clerk (recorder of deeds) — Rhode Island records land evidence by TOWN/CITY, not county (R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-11-1, 34-13-1) · no witnesses R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-11-1 ↗
Eviction notice in other states
More Rhode Island legal forms
Different state? See eviction notices by state →