How to Serve a Notice to Vacate in the United States

Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · United States · Last updated May 25, 2026

United States landlords must serve a statutory pre-eviction notice before filing for possession. Nonpayment notices range from 3 to 14 days depending on the state. Curable lease-violation notices typically run 3 to 30 days. No-cause month-to-month terminations require 7 to 60 days written notice. A growing minority of states (California, Oregon, Washington, New Jersey) impose just-cause termination requirements that overlay the basic notice rules. Service methods, content elements, and weekend or holiday treatment are codified state by state, and a defective notice typically restarts the entire eviction clock.