Pay-or-Quit Notice for Nonpayment of Rent

A pay-or-quit notice is the most common eviction notice in the United States, used when a tenant has failed to pay rent. It demands that the tenant either pay the full amount of overdue rent or vacate the property within a specified number of days. Notice periods vary dramatically by state and getting the period wrong invalidates the entire notice, forcing the landlord to restart the process from scratch. State-by-state notice periods: California — 3 days (CCP § 1161, and the notice must not include late fees or any amount other than rent); Texas — 3 days unless the lease specifies otherwise (Property Code § 24.005); Florida — 3 days excluding weekends and holidays (§ 83.56(3)); New York — 14 days (RPL § 711(2)); Illinois — 5 days (735 ILCS 5/9-209); Michigan — 7 days (MCL § 554.134(2)); Ohio — 3 days (ORC § 1923.04); Georgia — no statutory period but demand for possession is required; North Carolina — 10 days (§ 42-3); New Jersey — 30 days for month-to-month tenancies (NJSA 2A:18-61.2); Pennsylvania — 10 days (68 Pa. C.S. § 250.501(b)); Washington — 14 days (RCW 59.12.030(3), increased from 3 days under HB 1236). The notice must state the exact amount of rent owed and the period it covers. Overstating the amount — by including impermissible late fees, utility charges, or other non-rent charges — invalidates the entire notice in most jurisdictions. California courts are particularly strict: if the notice demands even one dollar more than the actual rent owed, the subsequent unlawful detainer action will be dismissed. If the tenant pays the full amount within the notice period (curing the default), the eviction cannot proceed and the landlord must accept the payment and continue the tenancy. In the UK, landlords use a Section 8 notice (Housing Act 1988, Ground 8 — mandatory ground for 2+ months arrears) with a minimum 2-week notice period. In Germany, § 543 BGB permits extraordinary termination after 2 months of arrears, and § 569(3) allows the tenant to cure by paying before the court hearing date. In France, a commandement de payer delivered by a huissier gives 2 months to pay before the bail can be résiliée. Courts across all jurisdictions enforce these requirements strictly and routinely dismiss cases where the notice contained errors in the amount, notice period, or service method.