Indiana Eviction Laws
Indiana rules on eviction for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: Not less than 10 days' notice to pay or vacate, unless the parties agreed otherwise or the tenant pays in full within the notice period. IC 32-31-1-6, 32-31-1-7
The rules in Indiana
| Notice for unpaid rent | Not less than 10 days' notice to pay or vacate, unless the parties agreed otherwise or the tenant pays in full within the notice period. No notice is required if the lease expressly requires rent in advance and the tenant fails to pay it, among other exceptions (IC 32-31-1-8). The parties may agree to a different period. Source: IC 32-31-1-6, 32-31-1-7 |
|---|---|
| Notice for lease violations | No statute — Indiana law sets no notice period for ending a tenancy over a lease violation other than unpaid rent; the lease terms govern. No notice is needed at all when a fixed-term lease ends on its stated date, a tenant at will commits waste, or the tenant is a tenant at sufferance (IC 32-31-1-8). Before suing to enforce the tenant obligations in IC 32-31-7-5, a landlord must give notice and a reasonable time to fix the problem (IC 32-31-7-7, https://iga.in.gov/ic/2026/Title_32/Article_31/Chapter_7.pdf); that rule governs damage and enforcement suits, not termination notice. Re-verified 2026-10-27. |
| Lockouts & utility shutoffs | Except by court order, landlord may not change locks, remove doors/windows/fixtures/appliances, or interrupt or shut off electricity, gas, water or other essential services (emergencies, good-faith repairs and necessary construction excepted), and may not seize or withhold tenant property to enforce rent. Tenant may petition for an emergency possessory order; the court must hold a hearing within 3 business days and may order possession restored, plus damages at a later hearing. Emergency possessory order chapter: https://iga.in.gov/ic/2026/Title_32/Article_31/Chapter_6.pdf (sections amended by P.L.157-2025). |
How an eviction case works in Indiana
Eviction cases are heard in: Circuit, superior, or city/town court (commonly the small claims docket); in Marion County, township small claims courts.
- Serve notice: 10-day notice to pay or vacate for nonpayment, or the applicable termination notice for periodic tenancies
- File a complaint for possession (and damages) in a court with jurisdiction, often the small claims docket
- Optional: file an affidavit for immediate possession; the court issues an order to show cause with a hearing no earlier than 5 business days after service
- Possession hearing; judgment for possession
- Separate damages hearing may follow for unpaid rent and damages
- Order/writ of possession executed by sheriff or other executing officer
Landlords: how to evict a tenant in Indiana — steps, costs, timeline and forms.
Eviction court and fees by county
- Marion County (Indianapolis)
- Lake County (Gary, Hammond)
- Allen County (Fort Wayne)
- Tippecanoe County (Lafayette, West Lafayette)
- St. Joseph County (South Bend, Mishawaka)
- Hamilton County (Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville)
- Vanderburgh County (Evansville)
- Monroe County (Bloomington)
- Elkhart County (Elkhart)
- Johnson County
- Vigo County
- Madison County
- Delaware County (Muncie)
- Porter County
- Hendricks County
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?
Indiana vs. neighboring states
| State | Notice for unpaid rent | Notice for lease violations | Lockouts & utility shutoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | Not less than 10 days' notice to pay or vacate, unless the parties agreed otherwise or the tenant pays in full within the notice period. IC 32-31-1-6, 32-31-1-7 | No statute — Indiana law sets no notice period for ending a tenancy over a lease violation other than unpaid rent; the lease terms govern. No notice is needed at all when a fixed-term lease ends on its stated date, a tenant at will commits waste, or the tenant is a tenant at sufferance (IC 32-31-1-8). IC 32-31-1-1 to 32-31-1-22 (chapter checked); IC 32-31-1-8; IC 32-31-7-7 | Except by court order, landlord may not change locks, remove doors/windows/fixtures/appliances, or interrupt or shut off electricity, gas, water or other essential services (emergencies, good-faith repairs and necessary construction excepted), and may not seize or withhold tenant property to enforce rent. Tenant may petition for an emergency possessory order; the court must hold a hearing within 3 business days and may order possession restored, plus damages at a later hearing. IC 32-31-5-5, 32-31-5-6; IC 32-31-6-3, 32-31-6-5, 32-31-6-6, 32-31-6-9 |
| Illinois | Written demand giving not less than 5 days after service to pay; if unpaid, landlord may end the lease and file for eviction. To keep partial payments from invalidating the notice, it must state that only FULL PAYMENT waives the right to terminate. 735 ILCS 5/9-209 | 10 days' written notice to quit after default in any lease term (other than rent). 735 ILCS 5/9-210 | Self-help eviction not allowed: a landlord must go to court and may not evict by turning off utilities, locking the tenant out, changing locks, or removing belongings; only a sheriff may physically evict. Illinois AG fact sheet 'The Eviction Process' |
| Kentucky | URLTA areas: 7 days' written notice to pay or the lease terminates. Non-URLTA areas: no statutory pre-filing notice period for nonpayment was found; terms are governed by the lease. KRS 383.660(2) | URLTA areas: written notice specifying the breach; lease terminates on a date at least 14 days after receipt if not remedied (statute says 'remedied in fifteen (15) days'). A repeat within 6 months allows termination on 14 days' notice without cure. Non-URLTA areas: no statute. KRS 383.660(1) | URLTA areas: if the landlord unlawfully removes or excludes the tenant or willfully interrupts heat, water, hot water, electric, gas or other essential service, the tenant may recover possession or terminate and recover up to 3 months' rent plus reasonable attorney fees. Statewide: a landlord's entry on the possession of a tenant at will or by sufferance is a forcible entry, remediable through a forcible entry and detainer action in District Court. KRS 383.655; KRS 383.200(2)(b), 383.210 |
| Michigan | 7 days: written demand for possession (or written notice to quit) for nonpayment of rent before filing MCL 600.5714(1)(a); MCL 554.134(2); MCL 600.5716; MCL 600.5718 | No single statutory period. If the lease allows termination for the violation, the lease's notice term controls; for a month-to-month or no-written-lease tenancy, a notice to quit of one rental period (generally 1 month) is used. Shorter statutory periods apply to certain conduct: 24 hours (drug activity with lease clause and police report), 7 days (serious continuing health hazard or extensive continuing physical damage; violence/threats with police notified). MCL 600.5714(1)(b)-(e); MCL 554.134(1),(4) | Self-help eviction is prohibited. Landlord may not use force or threats, remove/retain/destroy the tenant's property, change locks without immediately providing keys, board up, remove doors/windows/locks, interrupt essential services (heat, running water, hot water, electric, gas) amounting to constructive eviction, or introduce noise/odor/nuisance. Tenant may recover actual damages or $200, whichever is greater, for each occurrence, plus possession; unlawful forcible ejection allows 3 times actual damages or $200, whichever is greater. MCL 600.2918(1)-(2) |
| Ohio | 3-day written notice to leave the premises before filing an eviction (forcible entry and detainer) action. The residential notice must conspicuously state: "You are being asked to leave the premises. If you do not leave, an eviction action may be initiated against you. If you are in doubt regarding your legal rights and obligations as a tenant, it is recommended that you seek legal assistance." Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.04 | For a tenant's failure to meet obligations under § 5321.05 that materially affects health and safety, the landlord may give written notice specifying the problem and a termination date at least 30 days after receipt; if not remedied, the rental agreement ends. The 3-day notice to leave (§ 1923.04) is then required before filing. Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.11 | Landlord may not recover possession by cutting off utilities or services, excluding the tenant (lockout), or threatening unlawful acts, and may not seize the tenant's belongings to collect rent without a court order. Landlord is liable for all damages plus reasonable attorney's fees. Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.15 |
City rules that may add to state law
More Indiana rental law
- Indiana Security Deposit Law
- Indiana Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in Indiana
- Indiana Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Indiana Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Indiana
- Squatters' Rights in Indiana
- Indiana Rental Fee Rules
- Indiana Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Indiana Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- Indiana Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- Indiana Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- Indiana Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Indiana landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Indiana
Compare eviction in all 50 states and DC →
Indiana Eviction Laws FAQ
How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Indiana?
Not less than 10 days' notice to pay or vacate, unless the parties agreed otherwise or the tenant pays in full within the notice period. (IC 32-31-1-6, 32-31-1-7)
How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in Indiana?
No statute — Indiana law sets no notice period for ending a tenancy over a lease violation other than unpaid rent; the lease terms govern. No notice is needed at all when a fixed-term lease ends on its stated date, a tenant at will commits waste, or the tenant is a tenant at sufferance (IC 32-31-1-8). (IC 32-31-1-1 to 32-31-1-22 (chapter checked); IC 32-31-1-8; IC 32-31-7-7)
Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities in Indiana?
Except by court order, landlord may not change locks, remove doors/windows/fixtures/appliances, or interrupt or shut off electricity, gas, water or other essential services (emergencies, good-faith repairs and necessary construction excepted), and may not seize or withhold tenant property to enforce rent. Tenant may petition for an emergency possessory order; the court must hold a hearing within 3 business days and may order possession restored, plus damages at a later hearing. (IC 32-31-5-5, 32-31-5-6; IC 32-31-6-3, 32-31-6-5, 32-31-6-6, 32-31-6-9)
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.