Notice to quit

A written notice telling a tenant to leave by a certain date. Required as the first step of most evictions. Rules on delivery and content vary widely by state.

Rental & property management · Updated September 2026

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Part 1 of 4

Why a seller cares

A notice to quit tells a tenant to leave by a date, and it has to be right in form and delivery or the eviction that follows fails. For a seller emptying a rental, it is the document the timeline hangs on.

Part 2 of 4

A simple example

You serve a sixty-day notice to quit on a month-to-month tenant, in writing, by the method the state requires, to sell the home empty.

Notice to quit: a simple example
The noticeWhat it starts
Served correctlyThe clock, and possession on the date if the tenant leaves
Served by a method the state does not allowNothing; it has to be served again
Ignored by the tenantA court filing after the date passes

The notice to quit is the tenancy's end date, in writing, delivered the state's way.

Part 3 of 4

What people get wrong

That a notice to quit is an eviction. It is the step before one; only a court can order the tenant out.

Part 4 of 4 · where to read next

Where it appears in the sale

What a definition is, and what it isn't

Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.

Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish

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