Rhode Island Eviction Notice

Date of Notice: [[Date of Notice]]

TO: [[Tenant Full Name(s)]]
AND ALL OTHER OCCUPANTS

Premises:
[[Rental Property Full Street Address]]
[[City]], Rhode Island [[ZIP Code]]

FROM (Landlord or Authorized Agent):
[[Landlord or Agent Full Name]]
[[Landlord or Agent Mailing Address]]
[[City]], Rhode Island [[ZIP Code]]
Phone: [[Landlord Phone]]
Email: [[Landlord Email]], -

Rhode Island Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Notice Requirements

Rhode Island's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-1 et seq.) governs residential tenancies and the prerequisites to eviction actions (summary process).

Key Statutory Notice Periods (as specified):

• Non-payment of rent: 5-day written notice to pay or quit under R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35. Notice must state the exact amount owed and be itemized.

• Lease violations or noncompliance (not rent): 20-day notice to cure or quit under R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36.

Service of Notice (required methods):

Notice must be served by:

1. Personal delivery to the tenant; or

2. Certified mail, return receipt requested.

Posting alone is generally insufficient under Rhode Island law; follow the statute precisely.

Important: Delivery of this notice does not remove the tenant. To obtain a judgment for possession, the landlord must file a complaint in the Rhode Island District Court (Landlord-Tenant Division) in the district where the property is located, after the applicable notice period expires without cure or payment. Self-help evictions (changing locks, shutting off utilities, removing belongings, threats, or other extra-judicial actions) are strictly prohibited and may result in liability for damages, penalties, and attorney fees.

This document provides forms for the primary statutory notices. Choose and complete the correct type for the grounds. Consult the full Act and local court rules.

NOTICE TYPE 1, 5-DAY PAY-OR-QUIT (NON-PAYMENT OF RENT) (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35), -

5-DAY NOTICE TO PAY RENT OR QUIT

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
County of [[County Name]]

Date of Notice: [[Date of Notice]]

TO: [[Tenant Full Name(s)]]
AND ALL OTHER OCCUPANTS of the premises located at:
[[Rental Property Full Street Address]]
[[City]], Rhode Island [[ZIP Code]]
(hereinafter the "Premises")

FROM: [[Landlord or Authorized Agent Full Name]]
[[Landlord Mailing Address]]
[[City]], Rhode Island [[ZIP Code]]
Phone: [[Landlord Phone]], -

NOTICE OF NONPAYMENT AND INTENT TO TERMINATE

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that rent on the Premises is past due. Within five (5) days after service of this Notice (excluding the day of service), you must pay the full amount stated below OR vacate and surrender the Premises.

Exact Amount Owed (Rent Only, itemized; late fees and other non-rent charges are excluded from this demand):

DEMAND:

You must pay the total rent owed of $[[Total Exact Rent Owed]] to the Landlord or Agent at the address or by the method below within five (5) days after service, or vacate the Premises.

Payment Instructions: Pay to [[Payee / Landlord Name]] at [[Payment Address or Portal Instructions]] by [[Accepted Methods: cash, check, money order, online portal]] . Payment must be received by the deadline.

Deadline to pay or vacate: [[Computed Deadline, five (5) days after service date, e.g. Close of business on DATE]].

If you fail to pay the full amount or vacate within the five-day period, the tenancy will terminate and the Landlord will commence eviction proceedings (summary process) in the Rhode Island District Court (Landlord-Tenant Division) to recover possession, unpaid rent, costs, and such other relief as the court may allow.

This Notice is not an eviction order. Only a court judgment and execution can require you to leave., -

*Landlord / Authorized Agent Signature*

_______________________________________________
[[Landlord or Authorized Agent Full Name]]
Date: [[Date Signed]]

Proof of Service, 5-Day Notice

I served this 5-Day Notice on [[Service Date]] by (check one):

☐ Personal delivery to the tenant named above.

☐ Certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the tenant at the Premises (or last known address).

Served by: ________________________________ (name)

Signature: ________________________________

Date: [[Service Completion Date]], -

NOTICE TYPE 2, 20-DAY CURE-OR-QUIT (LEASE VIOLATION OR NONCOMPLIANCE) (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36), -

20-DAY NOTICE TO CURE OR QUIT

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
County of [[County Name]]

Date of Notice: [[Date of Notice]]

TO: [[Tenant Full Name(s)]]
AND ALL OTHER OCCUPANTS of the premises located at:
[[Rental Property Full Street Address]]
[[City]], Rhode Island [[ZIP Code]]
(hereinafter the "Premises")

FROM: [[Landlord or Authorized Agent Full Name]]
[[Landlord Mailing Address]]
[[City]], Rhode Island [[ZIP Code]]
Phone: [[Landlord Phone]], -

NOTICE OF NONCOMPLIANCE AND INTENT TO TERMINATE

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that you are in violation of your rental agreement or your obligations under R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24 for the Premises described above.

Specific Acts or Omissions Constituting the Violation:

[[Detailed description of the lease violation or noncompliance, e.g., "Unauthorized pet kept at the Premises in violation of Section 8 of the lease; repeated noise disturbances after 10:00 p.m. on [dates]; failure to maintain the unit in a clean and sanitary condition as required."]]

Date(s) Violation Observed or Occurred: [[Date(s) or range]]

Lease Provision(s) or Legal Obligation Violated: [[Lease section and/or statute reference]]

Actions Required to Cure (if remediable):

[[Specific cure actions and deadline, e.g., "Remove the pet permanently by [date]; pay for any damage caused; cease all noise disturbances after 10:00 p.m.; provide written confirmation of cure."]], -

DEMAND TO CURE OR QUIT

You must do one of the following within twenty (20) days after service of this Notice:

1. CURE the noncompliance by completing the actions required above no later than [[Cure Deadline Date]]; OR

2. VACATE and surrender possession of the Premises no later than [[Vacate Deadline Date]].

If the noncompliance is fully cured within the twenty-day period, the rental agreement will not terminate on the basis of this notice. If you fail to cure or vacate by the deadline, the rental agreement will terminate and the Landlord will file an action in the Rhode Island District Court (Landlord-Tenant Division) for possession., -

*Landlord / Authorized Agent Signature*

_______________________________________________
[[Landlord or Authorized Agent Full Name]]
Date: [[Date Signed]]

Proof of Service, 20-Day Notice

I served this 20-Day Notice on [[Service Date]] by (check one):

☐ Personal delivery to the tenant named above.

☐ Certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the tenant at the Premises (or last known address).

Served by: ________________________________ (name)

Signature: ________________________________

Date: [[Service Completion Date]], -

Additional Notes for All Rhode Island Notices

• Itemize rent demands exactly. Do not include late fees, utilities, or other charges in a non-payment notice unless separately authorized and clearly distinguished (doing so may invalidate the notice).

• Keep copies of the notice, proof of service, and any receipts or ledgers supporting the amount claimed.

• After the notice period expires without compliance, file promptly in the proper District Court division. Court filing fees, forms, and procedures are available from the Rhode Island Judiciary website.

• Tenants may have defenses or rights to cure in certain cases; the court will determine possession., -

*Template, not professional legal advice. This notice form follows the requirements of R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-35 and 34-18-36 for the notice types and periods indicated. Service, content, and timing rules are strict; improper notice can result in dismissal of the eviction action. Verify current statutes and court rules before serving. All values and dates are [[Token Name]] placeholders supplied by the user. Sources: R.I. Gen. Laws Title 34, Chapter 18 (as of June 2026); Rhode Island District Court Landlord-Tenant procedures.*