Tennessee Notice to Vacate: 2026 Landlord Rules & 14-Day Notice

Q: What is the difference between a cure notice and a no-cure notice in Tennessee?

In a URLTA county, a remediable material breach, such as one that can be fixed by paying rent, repair costs, or damages, carries a 14-day cure window under Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505(a)(2): if the tenant does not remedy within fourteen days after receipt, the agreement terminates. A breach that is not remediable terminates the agreement no less than 14 days after the tenant receives notice under § 66-28-505(a)(3). In non-URLTA counties, § 66-7-109 provides a 30-day cure window for lease violations other than nonpayment. Confirm the exact subsection that governs your county before serving a cure notice.

Q: When can a Tennessee landlord use a 3-day notice?

In a URLTA county, Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-517 lets a landlord terminate a rental agreement within three days from the date the tenant receives written notice where the tenant willfully or intentionally commits a violent act, behaves so as to be a real and present danger to health, safety, or welfare, creates a hazardous or unsanitary condition, or refuses to vacate as an unauthorized occupant. The notice must specifically detail the violation committed and is effective only from the date the tenant receives it. The tenant is entitled to immediate access to a court of competent jurisdiction to seek a temporary or permanent injunction against the termination.

Q: What protections do military tenants have in Tennessee?

Active-duty servicemembers are covered by the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), 50 U.S.C. § 3955, which provides lease-termination and eviction protections. Tennessee also has servicemember lease-termination provisions referenced in Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66. A landlord who receives a military lease-termination notice or who learns a tenant is on active duty should verify the controlling SCRA subsection and any Tennessee servicemember provision before serving notice to vacate or filing a detainer warrant on that tenancy.

Q: What happens if my notice to vacate is defective in Tennessee?

A defective notice can delay or derail the eviction. Tennessee notice provisions require written notice given to or received by the tenant, and the URLTA violence notice under § 66-28-517 must specifically detail the violation and is effective only from the date the tenant receives it. If the notice states the wrong period, fails to identify the cause, or was not properly delivered, the General Sessions Court can dismiss the detainer warrant and force the landlord to start over with corrected notice. Confirm the required notice content for your county against the controlling statute before serving.

Q: Can a Tennessee landlord retaliate after a tenant complaint?

No. In URLTA counties, Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-514 prohibits retaliatory conduct, such as raising rent, decreasing services, or bringing or threatening to bring an action for possession, after a tenant complains of a code violation or otherwise exercises a right under the chapter. A retaliation defense is a common tenant response to an eviction filing. A landlord should be able to show a legitimate, non-retaliatory ground for the notice and filing, and should confirm the exact retaliation provision that applies before proceeding.

Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Tennessee · Last updated 2026-05-31

Tennessee uses a split landlord-tenant system. The Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA), Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66 Chapter 28, governs counties over 75,000 population, while smaller non-URLTA counties follow Title 66 Chapter 7, chiefly § 66-7-109. For nonpayment of rent, both regimes use a 14-day written notice before the tenancy can be terminated under § 66-28-505(a) or § 66-7-109(a)(1). URLTA counties apply a 14-day cure window for a remediable material breach under § 66-28-505(a)(2), and a 3-day notice applies where a tenant commits a violent act or creates a real and present danger under § 66-28-517. If the tenant does not vacate, the landlord files a forcible entry and detainer action in the General Sessions Court of the county under Tenn. Code Ann. Title 29 Chapter 18.

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What are the steps to evict a tenant in Tennessee?

Tennessee eviction follows an ordered sequence. First, confirm whether the property's county is governed by the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA), Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66 Chapter 28, which applies to counties over 75,000 population, or by Title 66 Chapter 7 in smaller counties. Second, give the tenant written notice for the correct cause: a 14-day notice for nonpayment under § 66-28-505(a) or § 66-7-109(a)(1), or a different period for other causes. Third, wait for the notice period to run. Fourth, if the tenant does not vacate, file a forcible entry and detainer action, called a detainer warrant, in the General Sessions Court of the county where the property is located under Title 29 Chapter 18. Fifth, appear at the hearing and, if you prevail, obtain a writ of possession.

How many days notice does Tennessee require for nonpayment of rent?

Tennessee requires 14 days written notice for nonpayment of rent under both regimes. In URLTA counties (over 75,000 population), Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505(a)(2) lets the landlord state that if the breach is not remedied within fourteen days after receipt of the notice, the rental agreement terminates. In non-URLTA counties, Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-7-109(a)(1) states that fourteen days notice is sufficient to terminate a tenancy for a tenant's neglect or refusal to pay rent that is due and in arrears upon demand. The 14-day count is measured in calendar days, not business days.

How much notice is required to end a lease without cause in Tennessee?

For a periodic tenancy in a URLTA county, Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-512 lets either the landlord or the tenant terminate a month-to-month tenancy by written notice given at least thirty days before the periodic rental date specified in the notice, and a week-to-week tenancy on at least ten days written notice. Tennessee does not impose a separate statewide no-cause notice count for a fixed-term lease that simply expires; the holdover remedy then applies. Tennessee has no statewide just-cause eviction requirement, so a landlord may decline to renew or terminate a periodic tenancy on the statutory notice, subject to the retaliation prohibition in § 66-28-514 and fair-housing law.

What happens after the notice period if the tenant does not vacate?

After the notice period expires, the landlord files a forcible entry and detainer action, the detainer warrant, in the General Sessions Court of the county where the rental property is located, under Tenn. Code Ann. Title 29 Chapter 18. The warrant is served on the tenant before the hearing. Detainer-warrant filing fees are set per county and are not uniform statewide; published county clerk examples include Sevier County at $198.50 to issue the warrant and Wilson County at $250.00 for one defendant. If the landlord prevails, the court can issue a judgment for possession and a writ of possession. The appeal window after a General Sessions judgment is 10 days under Tenn. Code Ann. § 27-5-108.

Tennessee notice-to-vacate framework at a glance

Tennessee runs a split landlord-tenant system. The Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA), Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66 Chapter 28, governs counties over 75,000 population, including Davidson, Shelby, and Knox; smaller counties fall under Title 66 Chapter 7, mainly § 66-7-109. Which notice section and cure window apply depends on the property's county. For nonpayment, both regimes use a 14-day written notice under § 66-28-505(a) or § 66-7-109(a)(1). URLTA counties apply a 14-day cure window for a remediable material breach under § 66-28-505(a)(2), terminate the agreement no less than 14 days after notice for a non-remediable breach under § 66-28-505(a)(3), and allow a 3-day notice under § 66-28-517 where a tenant willfully commits a violent act or creates a real and present danger to health, safety, or welfare. A periodic month-to-month tenancy can be terminated on at least 30 days written notice under § 66-28-512. Tennessee has no statewide just-cause eviction requirement. After notice expires, the landlord files a forcible entry and detainer detainer warrant in the General Sessions Court of the county under Title 29 Chapter 18; the appeal window is 10 days. The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts publishes General Sessions court forms at tncourts.gov, and the official Tennessee Code is hosted via tncourts.gov.

Landlord Resources

Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts

State judicial branch resource publishing General Sessions Court forms, including the detainer warrant used in forcible entry and detainer actions.

Tennessee Code (official)

The official Tennessee Code, including the URLTA provisions in Title 66 Chapter 28 and the non-URLTA notice rules in Title 66 Chapter 7, linked from the state courts site.

Tennessee General Assembly portal

State legislature portal where landlords can confirm the current text of Title 66 and Title 29 statutes before serving notice or filing a detainer warrant.

Relevant Laws

Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505 (URLTA: Noncompliance and Failure to Pay Rent)

Sets the 14-day cure window for a remediable material breach in URLTA counties and termination no less than 14 days after notice for a non-remediable breach.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-512 (URLTA: Periodic Tenancy and Holdover)

Governs termination of a month-to-month tenancy on at least 30 days notice and a week-to-week tenancy on at least 10 days notice, plus holdover remedies.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-517 (URLTA: Violence or Threats, 3-Day Notice)

Allows termination within three days of the tenant receiving written notice for a willful violent act or a real and present danger, and preserves the tenant's right to seek an injunction.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-514 (URLTA: Retaliatory Conduct Prohibited)

Prohibits a landlord in a URLTA county from retaliating against a tenant who complains of a code violation or exercises a right under the chapter.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-7-109 (Non-URLTA: Notice of Termination by Landlord)

Provides that 14 days notice is sufficient to terminate a residential tenancy for nonpayment in counties not governed by URLTA.

Tenn. Code Ann. Title 29 Chapter 18 (Forcible Entry and Detainer)

The statewide procedure for the detainer-warrant action filed in General Sessions Court, including service before the hearing and the writ of possession.

Federal SCRA, 50 U.S.C. § 3955 (Termination of Residential Leases)

Federal protection allowing active-duty servicemembers to terminate residential leases, applicable alongside Tennessee servicemember provisions.

Regional Variances

URLTA versus non-URLTA counties in Tennessee

Davidson County (Nashville, URLTA)

Davidson County is over 75,000 population and is governed by the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66 Chapter 28. Nonpayment uses a 14-day notice under § 66-28-505(a), a remediable material breach carries a 14-day cure window under § 66-28-505(a)(2), and violent or dangerous conduct can support a 3-day notice under § 66-28-517. The detainer warrant is filed in the Davidson County General Sessions Court.

Shelby County (Memphis, URLTA)

Shelby County is a URLTA county under Title 66 Chapter 28. The same URLTA notice sections apply as in Davidson County: 14 days for nonpayment, a 14-day cure window for a remediable breach, and the § 66-28-517 3-day track for violence or a real and present danger. Periodic month-to-month tenancies terminate on at least 30 days notice under § 66-28-512.

Knox County (Knoxville, URLTA)

Knox County is a URLTA county. URLTA notice rules govern, and the Knox County General Sessions Court handles the detainer warrant. The county clerk publishes a detainer-warrant form. As in other URLTA counties, the nonpayment notice is 14 days and the retaliation prohibition in § 66-28-514 applies.

Non-URLTA counties (under 75,000 population)

Counties below the 75,000 population threshold are governed by Title 66 Chapter 7, mainly § 66-7-109. Nonpayment still uses a 14-day notice under § 66-7-109(a)(1), but a 30-day cure window applies for lease violations other than nonpayment, and the URLTA-specific sections such as § 66-28-505 and § 66-28-517 do not control. Confirm the current statute for the specific county before serving notice.

Suggested Compliance Checklist

Confirm whether the county is governed by URLTA

Pre-notice days after starting

The Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66 Chapter 28, applies to counties over 75,000 population under § 66-28-102; smaller counties follow Title 66 Chapter 7. Confirm your specific county against the current statute, because the notice section and cure window depend on which regime governs.

Identify the cause and the correct notice period

Pre-notice days after starting

Map the situation to the right statute. Nonpayment: 14 days under § 66-28-505(a) (URLTA) or § 66-7-109(a)(1) (non-URLTA). Remediable material breach in a URLTA county: 14-day cure under § 66-28-505(a)(2). Violence or a real and present danger in a URLTA county: 3 days under § 66-28-517. Month-to-month termination: at least 30 days under § 66-28-512.

Draft a written notice that meets the statutory requirements

Pre-notice days after starting

Tennessee requires written notice. A § 66-28-505 material-noncompliance notice should specify the acts or omissions constituting the breach and state that the agreement terminates. A § 66-28-517 violence notice must specifically detail the violation. Confirm the required content for your cause and county; Tennessee does not mandate a single standardized form.

Document: notice-to-vacate

Serve the notice on the tenant

Service days after starting

Tennessee notice provisions require written notice given to or received by the tenant, and the § 66-28-517 violence notice is effective only from the date the tenant receives it. Confirm the permitted delivery method, such as personal delivery, against § 66-28-505, § 66-28-512, and the Title 29 Chapter 18 service rules before serving, and keep proof of delivery.

Wait the full notice period before filing

Notice period days after starting

Do not file the detainer warrant before the notice period runs. The minimum is 14 days for nonpayment under § 66-28-505(a) or § 66-7-109(a)(1), 14 days for a remediable URLTA breach, or 3 days for the § 66-28-517 violence track. Filing too early is grounds for dismissal and forces re-service.

File the detainer warrant in General Sessions Court

Post-notice days after starting

File the forcible entry and detainer action, the detainer warrant, in the General Sessions Court of the county where the property is located, under Tenn. Code Ann. Title 29 Chapter 18. Filing fees are set per county and are not uniform statewide; published examples include Sevier County at $198.50 to issue the warrant and Wilson County at $250.00 for one defendant. Confirm the current fee with the filing county's clerk.

Appear at the General Sessions hearing

Hearing days after starting

The detainer warrant must be served on the tenant before the hearing. Bring the lease, the notice with proof of service, a rent ledger if nonpayment is the ground, and any documentation supporting a legitimate, non-retaliatory basis under § 66-28-514. Confirm the hearing-setting and service windows in Title 29 Chapter 18 for the filing county.

Obtain and execute the writ of possession

Post-judgment days after starting

If the landlord prevails, the court can issue a judgment for possession and a writ of possession under Title 29 Chapter 18. The appeal window after a General Sessions judgment is 10 days under Tenn. Code Ann. § 27-5-108. A landlord seeking immediate execution of the writ may be required to post bond under Title 29 Chapter 18, so track the appeal and bond deadlines.

Task	Description	Document	Days after starting
Confirm whether the county is governed by URLTA	The Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66 Chapter 28, applies to counties over 75,000 population under § 66-28-102; smaller counties follow Title 66 Chapter 7. Confirm your specific county against the current statute, because the notice section and cure window depend on which regime governs.	-	Pre-notice
Identify the cause and the correct notice period	Map the situation to the right statute. Nonpayment: 14 days under § 66-28-505(a) (URLTA) or § 66-7-109(a)(1) (non-URLTA). Remediable material breach in a URLTA county: 14-day cure under § 66-28-505(a)(2). Violence or a real and present danger in a URLTA county: 3 days under § 66-28-517. Month-to-month termination: at least 30 days under § 66-28-512.	-	Pre-notice
Draft a written notice that meets the statutory requirements	Tennessee requires written notice. A § 66-28-505 material-noncompliance notice should specify the acts or omissions constituting the breach and state that the agreement terminates. A § 66-28-517 violence notice must specifically detail the violation. Confirm the required content for your cause and county; Tennessee does not mandate a single standardized form.	notice-to-vacate	Pre-notice
Serve the notice on the tenant	Tennessee notice provisions require written notice given to or received by the tenant, and the § 66-28-517 violence notice is effective only from the date the tenant receives it. Confirm the permitted delivery method, such as personal delivery, against § 66-28-505, § 66-28-512, and the Title 29 Chapter 18 service rules before serving, and keep proof of delivery.	-	Service
Wait the full notice period before filing	Do not file the detainer warrant before the notice period runs. The minimum is 14 days for nonpayment under § 66-28-505(a) or § 66-7-109(a)(1), 14 days for a remediable URLTA breach, or 3 days for the § 66-28-517 violence track. Filing too early is grounds for dismissal and forces re-service.	-	Notice period
File the detainer warrant in General Sessions Court	File the forcible entry and detainer action, the detainer warrant, in the General Sessions Court of the county where the property is located, under Tenn. Code Ann. Title 29 Chapter 18. Filing fees are set per county and are not uniform statewide; published examples include Sevier County at $198.50 to issue the warrant and Wilson County at $250.00 for one defendant. Confirm the current fee with the filing county's clerk.	-	Post-notice
Appear at the General Sessions hearing	The detainer warrant must be served on the tenant before the hearing. Bring the lease, the notice with proof of service, a rent ledger if nonpayment is the ground, and any documentation supporting a legitimate, non-retaliatory basis under § 66-28-514. Confirm the hearing-setting and service windows in Title 29 Chapter 18 for the filing county.	-	Hearing
Obtain and execute the writ of possession	If the landlord prevails, the court can issue a judgment for possession and a writ of possession under Title 29 Chapter 18. The appeal window after a General Sessions judgment is 10 days under Tenn. Code Ann. § 27-5-108. A landlord seeking immediate execution of the writ may be required to post bond under Title 29 Chapter 18, so track the appeal and bond deadlines.	-	Post-judgment

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my Tennessee county is a URLTA county?

What is the difference between a cure notice and a no-cure notice in Tennessee?

When can a Tennessee landlord use a 3-day notice?

What protections do military tenants have in Tennessee?

What happens if my notice to vacate is defective in Tennessee?

Can a Tennessee landlord retaliate after a tenant complaint?

Does Tennessee require a specific notice-to-vacate form?

Does Tennessee seal eviction court records?

Other Tennessee guides

How to Break a Lease in Tennessee Legally (2026)

Tenant Rights in Tennessee: Renting a New Property (2026)

Landlord Rules in Tennessee: Renting Out Property (2026)

Selling a House with Renters in Tennessee (2026)

How to File a Small Claims Lawsuit in Tennessee (2026)

How to Dispute a Bill in Tennessee (2026)

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