Georgia Eviction Laws
Georgia rules on eviction for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: Before filing a dispossessory affidavit for unpaid rent, late fees, utilities, or other charges, the landlord must give the tenant a notice to vacate or pay all past-due amounts within three business days. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c), (d) (as amended by HB 404, 2024 Safe at Home Act, Act 392)
The rules in Georgia
| Notice for unpaid rent | Before filing a dispossessory affidavit for unpaid rent, late fees, utilities, or other charges, the landlord must give the tenant a notice to vacate or pay all past-due amounts within three business days. The notice must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property AND delivered by any additional method(s) agreed upon in the rental agreement. Verified from the enrolled HB 404 text; effective 7/1/2024 and applies to residential leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024. HB 1389 (2026) proposing to extend this to seven days did not pass. After filing, a tenant may tender all rent allegedly owed plus the cost of the dispossessory warrant within 7 days of being served; this is a complete defense, but the landlord must accept it only once in any 12-month period (§ 44-7-52(a); official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror, code year 2024, current as of March 28, 2024). |
|---|---|
| Notice for lease violations | No statutory cure period. Landlord must demand possession before filing for eviction, and lease notice terms must be followed. For leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, the demand for possession must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property and also delivered by any additional method agreed in the lease. § 44-7-50(d), as amended by HB 404, applies the posting requirement to the demand for possession under subsection (a) as well as to the 3-day notice to vacate or pay. The state DCA Landlord-Tenant Handbook (rev. 8-29-24, p. 17) still says a non-rent demand need not be written; the statute controls. |
| Lockouts & utility shutoffs | Self-help eviction is illegal: landlord cannot remove a tenant or block access without the court dispossessory process. A landlord may not knowingly and willfully suspend a tenant's utility service before the final disposition of a dispossessory case the landlord has filed against that tenant; 'utilities' means cooling, heat, light, and water service. Violation is a crime punishable by a fine of up to $500. Official code not freely readable online; § 44-7-14.1 text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024, current as of March 28, 2024), which predates HB 404's addition of 'cooling' to the definition (enrolled HB 404: https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2024-signed-legislation/hb-404/download). |
How an eviction case works in Georgia
Eviction cases are heard in: Magistrate Court of the county where the property is located (can also be filed in State or Superior Court).
- Demand for possession; for nonpayment, a notice to vacate or pay within 3 business days, posted in a sealed envelope on the door and delivered by any additional method in the lease (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c)-(d))
- Landlord files a sworn dispossessory affidavit
- Summons served by sheriff/deputy, constable, or (since 7/1/2025) an approved process server: personal service, an adult resident, or post-and-mail the same day; tack-and-mail alone supports possession but not a money judgment if tenant defaults
- Tenant answers orally or in writing within 7 days of service (tendering all rent allegedly owed plus the cost of the dispossessory warrant within 7 days of service is a complete defense, which the landlord must accept only once in any 12-month period); if the case is not decided within 2 weeks, tenant must pay rent into court
- Hearing (usually within about 7 days if a valid defense is raised); judgment
- Writ of possession after 7 days; sheriff supervises removal and property is placed on landlord's land. Either party may appeal within 7 days; tenant must pay rent into court to stay in the unit
Landlords: how to evict a tenant in Georgia — steps, costs, timeline and forms.
Eviction court and fees by county
- Fulton County (Atlanta)
- DeKalb County (Decatur)
- Gwinnett County (Lawrenceville)
- Cobb County (Marietta)
- Chatham County (Savannah)
- Clayton County (Jonesboro)
- Muscogee County (Columbus)
- Richmond County (Augusta)
- Clarke County (Athens)
- Bibb County (Macon)
- Hall County
- Cherokee County
- Henry County
- Houston County
- Lowndes County (Valdosta)
- Dougherty County
- Douglas County (Douglasville)
Free calculators
- Notice Deadline Calculator — Enter the date a notice was delivered and see the date it runs out under your state's law.
Templates
Related questions
- Can a landlord evict you without going to court, change the locks or shut off utilities?
- How long does an eviction take?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before an eviction?
Georgia vs. neighboring states
| State | Notice for unpaid rent | Notice for lease violations | Lockouts & utility shutoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | Before filing a dispossessory affidavit for unpaid rent, late fees, utilities, or other charges, the landlord must give the tenant a notice to vacate or pay all past-due amounts within three business days. The notice must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property AND delivered by any additional method(s) agreed upon in the rental agreement. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c), (d) (as amended by HB 404, 2024 Safe at Home Act, Act 392) | No statutory cure period. Landlord must demand possession before filing for eviction, and lease notice terms must be followed. For leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, the demand for possession must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property and also delivered by any additional method agreed in the lease. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(a), (d) (as amended by HB 404, 2024) | Self-help eviction is illegal: landlord cannot remove a tenant or block access without the court dispossessory process. A landlord may not knowingly and willfully suspend a tenant's utility service before the final disposition of a dispossessory case the landlord has filed against that tenant; 'utilities' means cooling, heat, light, and water service. Violation is a crime punishable by a fine of up to $500. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-14.1 (definition amended by HB 404, 2024); Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), pp. 7, 12, 17 |
| Alabama | Written notice to terminate that states the rent and any late fees owed. The rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 7 business days after the tenant receives the notice, unless the tenant pays (cures) within the 7 business days. Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b) | For a material noncompliance, the landlord gives written notice describing the breach. The rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 7 business days after receipt unless the tenant remedies the breach first. Some acts are noncurable and allow termination on a 7-day notice: illegal drugs, illegal firearm use or discharge, criminal assault on the premises, a repeat of substantially the same breach within 6 months, and intentional misrepresentation of a material fact in the application. Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(a), (d) | Self-help eviction is prohibited. A landlord may not take possession, including by interrupting heat, water, hot water, electricity, gas, or other essential service, except after abandonment or surrender or as the Act permits. A tenant who is unlawfully removed, excluded, or has services cut off may recover possession or terminate the lease. In either case the tenant recovers the greater of up to 3 months' periodic rent or actual damages, plus reasonable attorney's fees. Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-427, 35-9A-407 |
| Florida | 3-day written notice to pay or vacate, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and court-observed legal holidays, substantially in the statutory form. Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3) | Curable violations: 7-day notice to cure (repeat within 12 months allows eviction without another chance). Non-curable violations (e.g., intentional damage, continued unreasonable disturbance, and, from October 1, 2026, fraudulent entry of the unit using false identity statements, forged documents or impersonation): 7-day notice to vacate with no cure. Fla. Stat. § 83.56(2); § 817.537; ch. 2026-143, Laws of Fla. | Landlord may not interrupt utilities (water, heat, light, electricity, gas, elevator, garbage, refrigeration), change locks or use a bootlock, remove doors/windows/locks, or remove the tenant's property except after surrender, abandonment, or lawful eviction. Tenant recovers the greater of actual and consequential damages or 3 months' rent, plus costs and attorney's fees. Fla. Stat. § 83.67 |
| North Carolina | If the lease has no forfeiture (re-entry) clause for nonpayment, the landlord must make a demand for all past-due rent and wait 10 days before the term is forfeited. If the lease has such a clause, the statute requires no pre-filing notice. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-3; § 42-26(a)(2) | No statutory cure or notice period. Eviction for a lease violation is allowed only if the lease provides that the tenant's estate ends (forfeiture/re-entry clause) on that breach. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-26(a)(2) | Residential tenants may be removed only through the court summary ejectment process; actual or constructive removal (e.g., lockouts, utility cutoffs) is prohibited. Tenant may recover possession or terminate the lease, plus actual damages (no punitive or treble damages). N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-25.6, 42-25.9(a) |
| South Carolina | If rent is unpaid and not paid within 5 days of the due date, the landlord may terminate after written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate. If the written lease contains the statutory notice language in bold, conspicuous type, the lease itself serves as the notice. S.C. Code § 27-40-710(B); § 27-37-10(B) | Written notice specifying the breach; rental agreement terminates on a date at least 14 days after receipt unless the tenant cures within 14 days. S.C. Code § 27-40-710(A) | If the landlord unlawfully removes or excludes the tenant or willfully diminishes/interrupts essential services, the tenant may recover possession or terminate, and recover the greater of 3 months' periodic rent or twice actual damages, plus reasonable attorney's fees. S.C. Code § 27-40-660 |
| Tennessee | 14 days. URLTA counties: written notice that the lease will end unless the rent is paid within 14 days after the tenant receives the notice. The tenant can cure by paying. Notice may be waived only by a waiver in 12-point or larger bold type in the lease, and the 5-day late-fee grace period still applies. Non-URLTA counties: 14 days' notice for rent that is due and in arrears, upon demand. The lease does not end if the tenant pays before the date in the notice. T.C.A. 66-28-505(a)(2), (b); 66-28-201(c); 66-7-109(a) | URLTA counties: (1) a breach that can be fixed by paying money or repairs: 14 days to cure, or the lease ends; (2) any other material breach: termination no less than 14 days after the tenant receives notice; (3) the same breach again within 6 months: 7 days' written notice; (4) violent acts, real and present danger, hazardous or unsanitary conditions, or an unauthorized occupant who refuses to leave: termination 3 days after the tenant receives written notice. Non-URLTA counties: 14 days for damage beyond normal wear and tear (curable) or for violent or dangerous behavior; 30 days for all other lease defaults; 3 days for violent acts, drug-related criminal activity, or dangerous behavior (except tenants who are mentally or physically disabled). T.C.A. 66-28-505(a); 66-28-517(a); 66-7-109(a), (b), (d) | URLTA counties: if a landlord unlawfully removes or excludes the tenant, or willfully cuts essential services required by the lease, the tenant may recover possession or end the lease. In either case the tenant may recover actual damages, punitive damages when appropriate, and reasonable attorney's fees. If the lease ends, the landlord must return all prepaid rent and deposits. All counties: a person may enter and take possession of property only where the law gives a right of entry, and then only peaceably. Entering a home occupied by another and holding it by force, threats or intimidation, removing the occupant's belongings, or entering peaceably and then keeping the occupant out by force or terror is a forcible entry and detainer. Outside URLTA counties, no statute sets a specific damages remedy for a lockout or utility shutoff. T.C.A. 66-28-504; 66-28-517(d); 29-18-101 to 29-18-103 |
City rules that may add to state law
More Georgia rental law
- Georgia Security Deposit Law
- Georgia Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in Georgia
- Georgia Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Georgia Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Georgia
- Squatters' Rights in Georgia
- Georgia Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Georgia Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- Georgia Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- Georgia Landlord Selling the House
- Georgia Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- Georgia Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Georgia landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Georgia
Compare eviction in all 50 states and DC →
Georgia Eviction Laws FAQ
How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Georgia?
Before filing a dispossessory affidavit for unpaid rent, late fees, utilities, or other charges, the landlord must give the tenant a notice to vacate or pay all past-due amounts within three business days. The notice must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property AND delivered by any additional method(s) agreed upon in the rental agreement. (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c), (d) (as amended by HB 404, 2024 Safe at Home Act, Act 392))
How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in Georgia?
No statutory cure period. Landlord must demand possession before filing for eviction, and lease notice terms must be followed. For leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, the demand for possession must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property and also delivered by any additional method agreed in the lease. (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(a), (d) (as amended by HB 404, 2024))
Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities in Georgia?
Self-help eviction is illegal: landlord cannot remove a tenant or block access without the court dispossessory process. A landlord may not knowingly and willfully suspend a tenant's utility service before the final disposition of a dispossessory case the landlord has filed against that tenant; 'utilities' means cooling, heat, light, and water service. Violation is a crime punishable by a fine of up to $500. (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-14.1 (definition amended by HB 404, 2024); Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), pp. 7, 12, 17)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.