Tennessee Eviction Notice
Create a proper Tennessee 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 Tennessee
If the tenant does not comply, the eviction moves to court. These are Tennessee’s own rules for that step, from the judiciary and the statute.
- What the case is called. In Tennessee an eviction lawsuit is a(n) Unlawful detainer (initiated by a detainer warrant) action. — Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-104 (2025 Tennessee Code, Justia mirror) ↗
- Where to file. If the tenant doesn’t comply with the notice, the landlord files in the General Sessions Court. — Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-107 (2025 Tennessee Code, Justia mirror) ↗
- How to serve the notice. URLTA statute only says the landlord 'may deliver a written notice' (14-day cure / 14-day termination; 7 days for repeat breach); no delivery method prescribed. Lease may waive notice for nonpayment (12-pt bold), letting landlord file a detainer warrant immediately. — Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505(a)-(b) (2025 Tennessee Code, Justia mirror; Acts 2019 ch. 236) ↗
- Official guidance. Tennessee publishes its own instructions for the court step; read them before filing. — Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts – General Sessions Courts ↗
- No self-help. Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-504: unlawful removal/exclusion or willful interruption of essential services lets tenant recover possession or terminate, plus actual and punitive damages and attorney's fee. — Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-504 (2025 Tennessee Code, Justia mirror; Acts 1975 ch. 245) ↗
Each point links to the Tennessee source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
Tennessee notice periods · as of 2026
- Non-payment of rent
- 14 days
- Lease violation (cure)
- 14 days
- End month-to-month
- 30 days
Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505; § 66-28-512 (URLTA counties) · 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.
Tennessee notice period & service
The number of days and how you must deliver the notice are set by Tennessee law — get both right, keep proof of service, and never lock out or remove a tenant yourself. Check the current Tennessee 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 Tennessee demand letter for payment; if it’s ignored, you can file in Tennessee small claims court, where the limit is $25,000.
Frequently asked questions
How many days notice do I have to give in Tennessee?
In Tennessee, a non-payment (pay-or-quit) notice must give the tenant 14 days to pay or leave (as of 2026). Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505; § 66-28-512 (URLTA counties). 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 Tennessee?
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 Tennessee’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 Tennessee.
Where does a landlord file an eviction case in Tennessee?
If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord files in the General Sessions Court (the case is called a(n) Unlawful detainer (initiated by a detainer warrant) action). Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-107 (2025 Tennessee Code, Justia mirror).
How must an eviction notice be served in Tennessee?
URLTA statute only says the landlord 'may deliver a written notice' (14-day cure / 14-day termination; 7 days for repeat breach); no delivery method prescribed. Lease may waive notice for nonpayment (12-pt bold), letting landlord file a detainer warrant immediately. Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505(a)-(b) (2025 Tennessee Code, Justia mirror; Acts 2019 ch. 236).
How does Tennessee 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 Tennessee compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Tennessee: Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505; § 66-28-512 (URLTA counties) ↗.
- Notice to pay rent or quit
Notice to pay rent or quit: 14 days — about 3× the national median of 5 days across the 47 states with a statutory rule.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 6 other states.
Notice to pay rent or quit in neighboring states — Alabama (7 days), Arkansas (3 days), Georgia (3 days), Kentucky (7 days), Mississippi (3 days), Missouri (no statutory rule), North Carolina (10 days), Virginia (14 days).
- Notice to cure a lease violation
Notice to cure a lease violation: 14 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 7 other states.
Notice to cure a lease violation in neighboring states — Alabama (7 days), Arkansas (14 days), Georgia (no statutory rule), Kentucky (14 days), Mississippi (14 days), Missouri (10 days), North Carolina (no statutory rule), Virginia (21 days).
- 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 — Alabama (30 days), Arkansas (30 days), Georgia (60 days), Kentucky (30 days), Mississippi (30 days), Missouri (30 days), North Carolina (7 days), Virginia (30 days).
The rest of what Tennessee requires
The figures below are Tennessee'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 Tennessee page for that document.
- Security deposit cap · as of 2026
- No statutory limit Tenn. Code §66-28-301 ↗
- Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
- 30 days after move-out Tenn. Code §66-28-301 ↗
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
- 30 days Tenn. Code §66-28-301 ↗
- Small claims limit · as of 2026
- $25,000 Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-15-501 ↗
- Where you file · as of 2026
- General Sessions Court · filing fee Varies by county: state base filing fee per Tenn. Code Ann. §8-21-401 plus county litigation taxes and service of the civil warrant; typical all-in cost roughly $100-$150 (evictions can run higher). Check the county General Sessions clerk for exact amounts. Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-15-501 ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- No statutory limit Tennessee Code ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Tennessee DOR / DMV.ORG ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization recommended Tenn. Code §34-6-101 et seq. ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 48-249-102(24), 48-249-203 ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- County Register of Deeds ('county register', Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-24-101) · no witnesses Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-22-101 ↗
Eviction notice in other states
More Tennessee legal forms
Different state? See eviction notices by state →