General Eviction Notice Form – Complete 2025 Guide
Ever felt like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory guarding his spot on the couch? As a landlord, you sometimes need to reclaim your property just as firmly—that’s where the General Eviction Notice comes in. It’s the essential first step to formally inform your tenant they must leave due to nonpayment, lease violations, or simply ending a month‑to‑month tenancy. 🚀
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📑 What Is a General Eviction Notice?
This is a written originating document—from now on known as a “Notice to Quit”—used when a landlord wants a tenant to vacate. Reasons include nonpayment, lease violations, or simply ending a month‑to‑month agreement. Notice periods typically range from 3 to 60 days depending on jurisdiction.
According to NLIHC, nonpayment notices often give 3–5 days to pay or leave :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
🎯 General vs. Specific Notices
- Notice to Pay or Quit: For unpaid rent only.
- Notice to Cure or Quit: For lease violations that can be fixed.
- General Eviction Notice: Covers both violations and month‑to‑month terminations.
📝 Essential Elements
| Field | Details Required |
|---|---|
| Tenant names | Exact legal names |
| Property address | Full address, including unit & ZIP |
| Reason for notice | Specify nonpayment, violation, or refusal to renew |
| Deadline | Typically 3–5 days or 30–60 days—per state law :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3} |
| Cure or payment instructions | Explain how tenant can stop the eviction |
| Landlord contact | Name, mailing address, phone |
| Method & date of delivery | Personal delivery, posted, mailed |
🔍 Legal Background
Under federal law, landlords cannot use notices to retaliate against tenants (e.g., after a code complaint), and active-duty service members have eviction protections under SCRA :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.
📍 California Snapshot
California issues:
- 3-day notice for unpaid rent or lease violations
- 30-day notice to end tenancy of under a year
- 60-day notice if tenant exceeds one year
- The new AB 2347 (effective Jan 1 2025) increases tenant response time to 10 days :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.
📌 Use Cases
- Tenant is 2 months late → 3-day Pay or Quit.
- Unauthorized pet causing disturbance → 3-day Cure or Quit.
- Lease expired, tenant stays month-to-month (<1 year) → 30-day notice.
- Tenant sublets without permission → Cure or Quit.
- Major property damage → 3-day “unconditional” Quit.
- Tenant’s tenancy exceeds one year → 60-day termination notice.
✅ Tips & Common Pitfalls
- 📝 Use exact legal names—typos can invalidate notice.
- 💵 Rent-only notices must exclude fees/charges :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
- 📆 Count your days properly—many states exclude weekends/holidays.
- 📬 Follow delivery rules: personal, posted, and mailed—this varies :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.
- 🔐 Never perform self-help! Sheriff must enforce eviction—DIY is illegal :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.
- 🛠 If state requires a chance to cure first (like California), don’t skip that step.
📚 External Resources
- RentPrep – How Many Lease Violations Before Eviction?
- Cornell LII – Eviction Law Overview
- NLIHC – Eviction Process 101
🚀 Conclusion
Serving a well-crafted General Eviction Notice ensures you respect legal procedures, minimize delays, and streamline the eviction process fairly. By including all necessary information and honoring state-specific timelines, you’re set up for a smoother, compliant resolution. ✅
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Reviewed by LegalFormSign editorial team — Last updated June 2025
