Tennessee Eviction Notice

This Tennessee Eviction Notice template provides the required statutory written notices under Tennessee law prior to filing an unlawful detainer action. It covers the 14-day Pay or Quit for non-payment of rent and the 30-day Cure or Quit for other material lease violations pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 66-28-505. The notice must be properly served before a landlord may file in General Sessions Court. Self-help evictions are prohibited.

All variable information appears as `[[Token Name]]` placeholders in Title Case. Fixed statutory language and periods are written in full., -

1. Tennessee Unlawful Detainer Process Overview

Under the Tennessee Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (TCA § 66-28-101 et seq.), a landlord may not evict a tenant without following statutory notice and court procedures.

Key Requirements (TCA § 66-28-505)

• Non-payment of rent: Landlord must serve a written 14-day Pay or Quit notice. Tenant has 14 days to pay all rent due or vacate.
• Material breach of lease other than non-payment: Landlord must serve a written 30-day Cure or Quit notice. Tenant has 30 days to cure the violation or vacate.
• No self-help evictions: Changing locks, shutting off utilities, removing tenant property, or threatening force are illegal (TCA § 66-28-504). Landlord must obtain a court order for possession.
• Filing: After the notice period expires without cure or payment, landlord files a detainer warrant (unlawful detainer) in the General Sessions Court for the county where the property is located.
• Service of notice: Personal delivery to tenant is preferred. If tenant cannot be found after good-faith attempt, notice may be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises (e.g., front door) and a copy mailed.

This notice is only the first step. A court judgment and writ of possession are required to lawfully remove a tenant., -

2. Property and Parties

Date of Notice: [[Date of Notice]]

Landlord / Authorized Agent: [[Landlord or Property Manager Full Name]]
Mailing Address: [[Landlord Mailing Address]], [[City]], TN [[ZIP]]
Phone: [[Landlord Phone]] Email: [[Landlord Email]]

Tenant(s): [[Tenant Full Legal Name(s)]]
And All Other Occupants

Premises: [[Full Rental Property Address]], [[City]], Tennessee [[ZIP Code]]
County: [[County Name]]

Lease Date (if known): [[Lease Start Date or "Month-to-Month"]], -

3. NOTICE TYPE A, 14-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit (Non-Payment)

14-DAY NOTICE TO PAY RENT OR QUIT

TENNESSEE

Pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 66-28-505, you are hereby notified that you are in default under your rental agreement for failure to pay rent when due.

Itemized Rent Due (Rent Only, Late Fees and Other Charges Not Included in This Demand):

You must do one of the following within FOURTEEN (14) DAYS after receipt of this notice:

1. Pay the total rent owed of $[[Total Rent Owed]] in full to [[Landlord or Property Manager Full Name]] at [[Payment Address or Method, e.g. online portal / mailing address]]; OR

2. Vacate and surrender possession of the Premises located at [[Full Rental Property Address]], [[City]], Tennessee [[ZIP Code]].

The 14-day period begins on the date of personal delivery or, if posted and mailed, on the date of posting.

Deadline to Pay or Vacate: [[Deadline Date, 14 Days After Service]]

If you fail to pay or vacate by the deadline, the landlord will terminate the tenancy and file an unlawful detainer action in the General Sessions Court of [[County Name]] County, Tennessee, seeking possession of the Premises, unpaid rent, court costs, and such other relief as the court may award.

Important: This notice demands rent only. Other charges (late fees, utilities, damages) are not part of the statutory pay-or-quit amount under Tennessee law., -

4. NOTICE TYPE B, 30-Day Notice to Cure Lease Violation or Quit (Non-Monetary Breach)

30-DAY NOTICE TO CURE LEASE VIOLATION OR QUIT

TENNESSEE

Pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 66-28-505, you are hereby notified of a material breach of the lease agreement other than non-payment of rent.

Description of Violation(s):

[[Specific description of the lease violation, e.g., "Unauthorized pet (a dog) kept at the Premises in violation of Section X of the Lease Agreement. The lease prohibits pets without prior written consent."]]

Lease Provision(s) Violated: [[Lease Section or "Material violation of quiet enjoyment / property rules / health and safety provisions"]]

Date(s) Violation Observed: [[Date(s)]]

You must do one of the following within THIRTY (30) DAYS after receipt of this notice:

1. Cure the violation by [[Specific cure action, e.g., "removing the unauthorized pet and providing written confirmation that the pet has been permanently removed from the Premises"]] on or before [[Deadline Date, 30 Days After Service]]; OR

2. Vacate and surrender possession of the Premises by the same deadline.

If the violation is cured within the 30-day period, the tenancy will continue. If the violation is not cured and you do not vacate, the landlord will terminate the tenancy and commence unlawful detainer proceedings in General Sessions Court., -

5. Additional Notice Provisions (Repeated Violations or Other Grounds)

For repeated violations of the same nature within six months after a prior cure notice, or for certain serious breaches (illegal activity, substantial damage, etc.), a shorter or unconditional notice may be appropriate under TCA § 66-28-505 and related case law. Consult counsel for the specific facts.

If this notice is for termination of a month-to-month tenancy without cause, a separate 30-day notice to vacate under TCA § 66-28-512 may apply instead of or in addition to the above., -

6. Demand to Vacate and Termination

If the applicable cure or payment period expires without full compliance, your tenancy is terminated effective [[Termination Date]] and you must vacate the Premises no later than that date.

After termination, any holdover will be treated as a tenant at sufferance, and the landlord will seek immediate possession through the courts., -

7. Service of Notice and Proof of Service

Method of Service (check all that apply and complete details):

- [ ] Personal delivery to tenant on [[Date/Time]] at [[Location on Premises or Address]]
Delivered to: [[Name of Person Served or "Tenant"]]
By: [[Server Full Name]]

- [ ] Posted in conspicuous place on the Premises (after good-faith attempt at personal service) on [[Date/Time]]
Description of posting location: [[e.g., "Front door, taped in clear plastic sleeve"]]

• [ ] Mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, on [[Date]] to the Premises address and/or last known address.

Proof of Service Affidavit (to be completed by server):

I, [[Server Full Name]], declare under penalty of perjury that on [[Date of Service]] I served the above notice upon the tenant(s) named herein by the method(s) indicated. I made a good-faith effort to effect personal service before posting.

Server Signature: _______________________________ Date: [[Date]]

Printed Name / Title: [[Server Name / Agent / Process Server]], -

8. Landlord Certification

I certify that the information in this notice is true and that all required statutory procedures will be followed before filing any court action.

Landlord / Authorized Agent Signature: _______________________________ Date: [[Date]]

Printed Name: [[Landlord or Property Manager Full Name]], -

9. Important Tenant Rights and Disclaimers

• You have the right to pay the rent demanded within the 14-day period (for non-payment) or cure within the 30-day period (for other violations) and thereby avoid eviction on these grounds.
• Payment must be received by the landlord within the period; mailing alone may not suffice if not received timely.
• After a court filing, you will receive a summons and have the right to appear and present defenses.
• This notice does not itself remove you from the property. Only a court order and execution by the sheriff can lawfully do so.
• Retaliatory eviction for exercising legal rights (reporting code violations, etc.) is prohibited., -

10. Next Steps for Landlord

1. Serve this notice properly and retain proof.
2. Wait the full statutory period.
3. If no cure/payment and tenant remains, file detainer warrant in General Sessions Court.
4. Attend the hearing with proof of notice, lease, ledger, and any photos or communications.
5. If judgment granted, obtain writ of possession and coordinate with sheriff for lock change., -

*This is a professional sample template based on Tennessee Code Annotated § 66-28-505 (as of June 2026). It is not legal advice. Statutes, local court practices, and required forms can change. Verify all periods, service methods, and filing requirements with current Tennessee law and the General Sessions Court clerk for the county where the property is located before use. Self-help evictions are illegal and expose the landlord to significant liability.*