Georgia Eviction Notice

Q: How many days notice to evict a tenant in Georgia?

It depends on the cause. Nonpayment of rent, late fees, utilities, or other lease charges requires a written notice to vacate or pay, with 3 business days for the tenant to pay before the landlord can file. For holding over past the lease term or occupying as a tenant at will or at sufferance, Georgia sets no fixed statutory waiting period; the landlord demands possession and can file immediately if the tenant refuses. Ending a no-cause tenancy at will, like month-to-month, needs 60 days' notice from the landlord.

Q: Can a landlord evict without notice in Georgia?

No. Georgia law requires a demand for possession, or for nonpayment, a written notice to vacate or pay, before a landlord can file a dispossessory affidavit under O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50. Skipping the demand, or the 3-business-day nonpayment notice where it applies, can get the case dismissed.

Q: What must a Georgia eviction notice state?

For nonpayment, the notice to vacate or pay must state the past-due rent, late fees, utilities, and other charges owed, and the 3-business-day deadline to pay everything or vacate. For every other cause, holding over, tenant at will, or tenant at sufferance, Georgia sets no required wording for the general demand, only that the notice makes clear the landlord is demanding possession of the property. (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(c), (d))

Q: Does Georgia require a specific eviction notice form, or can a landlord write their own?

No. Georgia has no state-mandated form for the pre-filing notice or demand for possession, and no "magic language" is required for the general demand. A landlord can write the notice themselves, as long as the nonpayment notice states the amounts owed and the 3-business-day deadline, and every notice is delivered by posting in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property. (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(c), (d))

Q: How do I serve an eviction notice in Georgia?

Georgia law requires the notice, whether the general demand for possession or the 3-business-day nonpayment notice, to be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property, plus delivered by any additional method the lease agreement specifies. Personal delivery to the tenant isn't required by statute for this pre-filing notice, which differs from many other states. (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(d))

Q: Is a lease violation curable in Georgia, and what should the notice say?

Georgia's dispossessory statute doesn't create a separate cure-or-quit notice or a fixed cure period for lease violations other than nonpayment. Once the landlord terminates the lease for a violation, the tenant becomes a tenant at sufferance, and the notice is simply a demand for possession describing the property and, ideally, the lease term that was violated; no statutory cure language is required. Any chance to fix the problem before the landlord demands possession comes only from the lease's own terms, so point to the specific lease provision in the notice if one applies.

Q: How do I calculate the deadline on a Georgia eviction notice?

For a nonpayment notice, count 3 business days from the date the notice is delivered, excluding weekends and legal holidays; that's the pay-or-vacate deadline. For a demand for possession, holdover, tenant at will, or tenant at sufferance, there's no deadline to calculate; the landlord may file as soon as the tenant refuses or fails to deliver possession after the demand. For a no-cause tenancy-at-will termination, count 60 days from the landlord's notice, or 30 days from the tenant's. (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(c); O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-7)

Q: What happens if the tenant doesn't respond to a Georgia eviction notice?

If the tenant doesn't pay everything owed within the 3-business-day window, or doesn't vacate after a demand for possession, the landlord may go to court and file a dispossessory affidavit; filing isn't automatic, the landlord has to take that next step once the notice period passes or the tenant refuses. Keep a record of how and when the notice was posted, since that's the evidence the pre-filing step was completed. (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(a), (c))

Georgia eviction notice: the 3-business-day pay-or-quit rule under O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(c). Free template, statute cites. Attorney review available.

Introduction

An eviction notice is a written notice a landlord serves on a tenant to begin ending a tenancy for cause, before filing a dispossessory affidavit in court. Georgia's rules are unusual compared to most states: for nonpayment of rent, late fees, utilities, or other lease charges, the landlord must give a written notice to vacate or pay, and the tenant gets 3 business days to pay everything owed before the landlord can file. For nearly every other cause, holding over past the lease term, or occupying as a tenant at will or at sufferance, Georgia law requires only a demand for possession with no fixed statutory waiting period; once the tenant refuses, the landlord may file immediately. Unlike states that split eviction notices into separate pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, and unconditional-quit types with different day counts, Georgia's statute times only the nonpayment notice; every other cause runs through that same untimed demand for possession, so there's no three-way split to track. This page is built around that actual notice document, the form a landlord fills out and serves, not a broader breakdown of how Georgia eviction law or court proceedings work. Georgia's dispossessory proceedings statute, O.C.G.A. Title 44, Chapter 7, Article 3, Sections 44-7-49 through 44-7-59, governs the entire pre-filing and court process. There's no mandatory form or "magic language" for the notice itself, but the nonpayment notice must state the past-due amounts and the 3-business-day deadline, and it must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property. Serve the wrong notice type, skip it entirely for nonpayment, or fail to post it correctly, and the case can be dismissed before it starts.

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Key Things to Know

1
An eviction notice is a written notice a landlord must serve on a tenant to begin ending a tenancy for cause, before filing a dispossessory affidavit in court.
2
Georgia times only one notice type by statute: nonpayment of rent, late fees, utilities, or other lease charges gets a written notice to vacate or pay, with 3 business days (not calendar days) for the tenant to pay everything owed before the landlord can file. This applies to residential leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024. (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(c))
3
For holding over past the lease term, or occupying as a tenant at will or at sufferance, Georgia sets no fixed statutory waiting period. The landlord demands possession, and if the tenant refuses, the landlord may file immediately. There is no separate statutory cure-or-quit notice for lease violations; any cure chance comes only from the lease itself. (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(a))
4
The governing law is Georgia's dispossessory proceedings statute, O.C.G.A. Sections 44-7-49 to 44-7-59, which sets the pre-filing notice rules and the court process that follows.
5
Both the general demand for possession and the 3-business-day nonpayment notice must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property, plus any additional method the lease agreement specifies. Georgia does not require personal delivery to the tenant first for this pre-filing notice, unlike some other states. (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(d))
6
Common causes are nonpayment of rent or charges, holding over after the lease term ends, occupying as a tenant at will or at sufferance, and ending a no-cause tenancy at will (such as month-to-month) with 60 days' notice from the landlord or 30 days' from the tenant. (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-7)
7
There's no state-mandated form for the notice itself, and no "magic language" is required for the general demand. The nonpayment notice must, at minimum, state the amounts owed and the 3-business-day deadline to pay or vacate. (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(c), (d))

Key decisions before you file

Before you file a Eviction Notice in Georgia, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Eviction Notice guide walks through them.

Open the Eviction Notice guide

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GEORGIA EVICTION NOTICE

[NOTICE TO VACATE OR PAY (NONPAYMENT) / DEMAND FOR POSSESSION (HOLDOVER OR LEASE VIOLATION) / TERMINATION OF TENANCY AT WILL]

Date of Notice: [DATE]

1. LANDLORD AND TENANT

Landlord/Property Manager: [LANDLORD'S FULL LEGAL NAME] Landlord's Address: [STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP] Landlord's Phone: [PHONE NUMBER]

Tenant(s): [FULL LEGAL NAME(S) OF ALL TENANTS ON LEASE]

2. PREMISES

Rental Address: [STREET ADDRESS, UNIT/APT NUMBER, CITY, GEORGIA, ZIP CODE]

3. REASON FOR NOTICE

[SELECT ONE:]

Nonpayment of rent or charges: Past-due rent, late fees, utilities, and/or other charges owed under the lease total $[AMOUNT DUE] for the period(s) of [DATES]. Payment may be made to [NAME] at [ADDRESS/METHOD].
Holdover after lease term: The lease for the premises expired on [DATE], and the tenant has continued in possession without a new agreement.
Tenant at will or at sufferance / lease violation: The tenant is occupying the premises as a tenant at will or at sufferance, specifically: [DESCRIBE, e.g., lease terminated for violation of the following term: ______].

4. PAY OR VACATE PERIOD (NONPAYMENT ONLY)

If this is a nonpayment notice: You have 3 business days from the date this notice is delivered to pay all past-due rent, late fees, utilities, and other charges owed, or vacate the premises. Business days exclude weekends and legal holidays.

Note (include only if this is a demand for possession for holdover or tenant-at-will/sufferance status, not nonpayment): Georgia law sets no fixed statutory waiting period for this notice type. This notice demands immediate possession; if you fail to deliver possession, the landlord may file a dispossessory affidavit in court.

5. COMPLY-OR-VACATE-BY DATE

Deadline: [DATE, calculated as 3 business days from delivery for nonpayment notices; immediate for demand-for-possession notices, per Section 4 above]

6. STATUTORY BASIS

Served under Georgia Code of Georgia Annotated Section 44-7-50. Failure to comply may result in the landlord filing a dispossessory affidavit in the Magistrate Court (or Superior, State, or other court with jurisdiction) of [COUNTY], Georgia.

Note (include only if this notice terminates a tenancy at will, such as month-to-month, without cause): This is a 60-day termination notice under O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-7. No cause is required to end a tenancy at will, only this notice period.

7. SERVICE / PROOF OF SERVICE

Method of service (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(d)):

This notice must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property, plus delivered by any additional method the rental agreement specifies. Personal delivery to the tenant is not required by statute for this pre-filing notice.

Served by: [NAME OF PERSON SERVING NOTICE] Date posted: [DATE] Additional method used, if any: [E.G., EMAIL, HAND DELIVERY, PER LEASE TERMS]

Landlord Signature: _________________________ Date: [DATE]

Issued under Official Code of Georgia Annotated Sections 44-7-49 through 44-7-59. This is a template; consult the current statute or an attorney to confirm details for your situation, attorney review is available and optional. For the full national Eviction Notice template covering all notice types, see the full Eviction Notice template.

Georgia Requirements for Eviction Notice

Notice Period for Nonpayment of Rent (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(c))
3 business days (not calendar days) for the tenant to pay all past-due rent, late fees, utilities, and other lease charges owed, or vacate, after a written notice to vacate or pay. Added by the 2024 "Safe at Home Act" (HB 404); applies to residential leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024. Only after the tenant refuses to pay or fails to deliver possession following that period may the landlord file a dispossessory affidavit.
Governing Dispossessory Proceedings Statute (O.C.G.A. Sections 44-7-49 to 44-7-59)
The statutory basis for every notice type on this page and the court process that follows if the tenant does not comply: O.C.G.A. Title 44, Chapter 7 (Landlord and Tenant), Article 3, Sections 44-7-49 through 44-7-59, "Dispossessory Proceedings." Amended most recently by the 2024 "Safe at Home Act" (HB 404).
Service Method for the Pre-Filing Notice (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(d))
Both the general demand for possession and the 3-business-day nonpayment notice must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property, plus delivered by any additional method the rental agreement specifies. Personal delivery to the tenant is not required by statute for this pre-filing notice. This is separate from the later court-summons service, which follows a personal-delivery-first hierarchy under O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-51.
No Prescribed Notice Form, Statutory Content Required (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(c)-(d))
There is no Georgia court- or agency-mandated form for the pre-filing demand or notice to vacate or pay, and no "magic language" is required for the general demand. The nonpayment notice must nonetheless state the past-due rent, late fees, utilities, and other charges owed, the 3-business-day deadline to pay or vacate, and must be delivered per the door-posting method above.
Demand for Possession for Holdover or Tenancy at Sufferance (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(a))
For a tenant holding over past the lease term, or occupying as a tenant at will or at sufferance (including after a lease violation ends the tenancy, or after a foreclosure), the landlord demands possession and, once the tenant refuses or fails to deliver possession, may go to court immediately. Georgia sets no minimum number of days that must elapse between the demand and the filing for this cause.
No-Cause Tenancy-at-Will Termination Notice (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-7)
Distinct from the nonpayment and demand-for-possession notices above: ending a tenancy at will without cause, such as a month-to-month arrangement, requires 60 days' notice from the landlord or 30 days' notice from the tenant. Georgia has no statewide "just cause" requirement; the landlord need not state a reason, only give this notice period.
No Statutory Cure Period for Lease Violations (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(a))
Georgia's dispossessory statute does not create a separate statutory cure-or-quit notice, or any fixed cure period, for lease violations other than nonpayment of rent. Any opportunity to cure a non-rent lease violation comes only from the lease's own terms, not from state law. This is a real difference from states that provide a statutory cure period; do not assume one applies in Georgia.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days notice to evict a tenant in Georgia?

Can a landlord evict without notice in Georgia?

What must a Georgia eviction notice state?

Does Georgia require a specific eviction notice form, or can a landlord write their own?

How do I serve an eviction notice in Georgia?

Is a lease violation curable in Georgia, and what should the notice say?

How do I calculate the deadline on a Georgia eviction notice?

What happens if the tenant doesn't respond to a Georgia eviction notice?

Introduction

Key Things to Know

Key decisions before you file

Customize your Eviction Notice Template with DocDraft

GEORGIA EVICTION NOTICE

[NOTICE TO VACATE OR PAY (NONPAYMENT) / DEMAND FOR POSSESSION (HOLDOVER OR LEASE VIOLATION) / TERMINATION OF TENANCY AT WILL]

1. LANDLORD AND TENANT

2. PREMISES

3. REASON FOR NOTICE

4. PAY OR VACATE PERIOD (NONPAYMENT ONLY)

5. COMPLY-OR-VACATE-BY DATE

6. STATUTORY BASIS

7. SERVICE / PROOF OF SERVICE

Georgia Requirements for Eviction Notice

Notice Period for Nonpayment of Rent (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(c))

Governing Dispossessory Proceedings Statute (O.C.G.A. Sections 44-7-49 to 44-7-59)

Service Method for the Pre-Filing Notice (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(d))

No Prescribed Notice Form, Statutory Content Required (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(c)-(d))

Demand for Possession for Holdover or Tenancy at Sufferance (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(a))

No-Cause Tenancy-at-Will Termination Notice (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-7)

No Statutory Cure Period for Lease Violations (O.C.G.A. Section 44-7-50(a))

Frequently Asked Questions