What this eviction notice sample shows
The sample above is a California notice to pay rent or quit, filled with example details. It is built the same way a court will read it, top to bottom:
- Title and state. "Notice to Pay Rent or Quit" and the state, so there is no doubt which law it relies on.
- Who it is to and from. Every adult tenant plus "all other occupants", and the landlord or agent with an address and phone number.
- The premises. Street, unit and county.
- The demand. The exact rent owed and the rental period it covers, and the choice: pay in full or move out.
- Who to pay and how. California Code of Civil Procedure § 1161(2) requires the payee's name, phone and address, and the days and hours for in-person payment (or bank or electronic transfer details).
- The deadline. Counted from the service date. For this notice California skips Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays, so a notice served on a Wednesday is due the following Monday, not Saturday.
- Signature, date and the statute. Signed by the landlord or agent, with the code section printed at the bottom.
Eviction notice examples by type
| Example | Use it when | Typical wording |
|---|---|---|
| Pay rent or quit | Rent is late | "Within 3 days... pay the full amount due or vacate and deliver up possession." |
| Cure or quit | A fixable lease violation (pet, guest, parking, noise) | "Within [period]... remove the dog from the premises, or vacate." |
| Notice to quit | Serious violations where the state allows no cure | "Your tenancy is terminated... vacate within [period]." |
| Notice to vacate | Ending a month-to-month tenancy | "Your tenancy... is terminated effective [date]." |
| Tenant notice to vacate | A tenant moving out | "I will vacate the premises and end my tenancy on [date]." |
Florida is a good example of why state matters: Fla. Stat. § 83.56 gives the exact wording for the 3-day, 7-day cure and 7-day unconditional notices, and our builder uses that wording when you pick Florida. See every verified state on the state rules page, or start from a blank eviction notice template.
How to adapt the sample for your tenant
- Replace every example name, amount and address. Click "Start a new notice" to clear the example but keep your landlord details.
- Set the date you will actually serve it. If you serve it later, update the date so the deadline moves too.
- Only include amounts and violations you can prove with the lease, a ledger or photos.
- Print one copy per tenant plus one for your file, and record how you served it.
Frequently asked questions
What is an example of a sample eviction letter?
The form above is loaded with a complete example: a California 3-day notice to pay rent or quit from Maple Street Rentals LLC to Jordan Lee for $1,850 of October rent, with who to pay, the deadline and a signature line. Change the state or notice type to see how the wording and deadline change.
How do I write a letter to a tenant to vacate?
State the tenant names, the property address, that the tenancy ends on a specific date, the law or lease clause that gives the notice period, and ask for the keys and a move-out inspection. Pick "Notice to vacate (landlord)" above to generate one.
Can I just copy a sample eviction notice?
Use a sample to understand the structure, but the notice you serve must match your state: the notice period, any required wording and the service method. A California sample used in Florida, for example, would miss Florida's statutory wording and county requirement.
Should the eviction notice be polite?
Keep it factual and neutral. State what is owed or what happened, what the tenant must do and by when. Avoid threats, opinions or anything that could look like retaliation or harassment.
What happens after I serve the notice?
Wait until the deadline has fully passed. If the tenant paid, fixed the problem or left, you are done. If not, the next step is filing an eviction case with the local court, which serves the tenant with a summons. You cannot remove the tenant yourself.
More free landlord tools
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- Lease Agreement Builder
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- Rental Application Maker
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Last updated · Written by the EvictionNoticeMaker editorial team and checked against the official state statutes cited on each page. Templates and general information, not legal advice.