New York Eviction Laws

New York rules on eviction for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.

Short answer: 14-day written rent demand before filing a nonpayment proceeding. Separately, if rent is not received within 5 days of the due date, the landlord must send the tenant a certified-mail notice that rent was not received; N.Y. RPAPL § 711(2); N.Y. RPL § 235-e(d)

The rules in New York

Notice for unpaid rent	14-day written rent demand before filing a nonpayment proceeding. Separately, if rent is not received within 5 days of the due date, the landlord must send the tenant a certified-mail notice that rent was not received; failure is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment case. The 14-day period was set by HSTPA 2019 (previously 3 days). Since 2024, the demand must also include the Good Cause Eviction notice under RPL § 231-c stating whether the unit is covered (this content requirement is scheduled to drop when Art. 6-A sunsets June 15, 2034). RPL § 235-e text: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/RPP/235-E Source: N.Y. RPAPL § 711(2); N.Y. RPL § 235-e(d)
Notice for lease violations	No general statewide statutory cure-notice period (lease terms govern). Where Good Cause Eviction applies, the tenant must be given written notice and 10 days to cure a substantial lease violation before eviction on that ground. In any lease-breach eviction case, the court must grant a 30-day stay of the warrant during which the tenant may cure. RPAPL § 753 text: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/RPA/753. Source: N.Y. RPL § 216 (Good Cause); N.Y. RPAPL § 753(4)
Lockouts & utility shutoffs	Self-help eviction is illegal: no force/threats, cutting off essential services, removing belongings or the door, or changing/disabling locks to remove an occupant who has lived there 30+ days or has a lease. Owner must restore the occupant. Penalties: class A misdemeanor; civil penalty of $1,000-$10,000 per violation plus up to $100/day (max 6 months) for failing to restore. NY AG guide states an unlawfully evicted tenant may recover triple damages (RPAPL § 853). RPL § 235: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/RPP/235 Source: N.Y. RPAPL § 768; RPL § 235 (willful failure to furnish water, heat, light, power, etc.)

How an eviction case works in New York

Eviction cases are heard in: Summary proceedings: NYC Civil Court (Housing Part) in New York City; City, District, Town or Village Courts elsewhere.

Notice: 14-day rent demand (nonpayment, RPAPL 711(2)) or termination/non-renewal notice of 30/60/90 days (holdover, RPL 226-c); in Good Cause areas the notice must state coverage and grounds
File petition and notice of petition; in holdover cases serve it 10 to 17 days before the hearing (RPAPL 733)
Hearing/trial; tenant may raise defenses such as warranty of habitability, retaliation, or missing 5-day late-rent notice
Judgment of possession; court may stay the warrant up to 1 year for hardship (RPAPL 753(1)); 30-day cure stay in lease-breach cases (RPAPL 753(4))
Warrant of eviction issued; officer must give at least 14 days' written notice before execution (RPAPL 749)
Removal by sheriff, city marshal or constable, on a business day between sunrise and sunset; in nonpayment cases the warrant is vacated if full rent due is paid before execution

Landlords: how to evict a tenant in New York — steps, costs, timeline and forms.

Eviction court and fees by county

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New York Eviction Notice (Pay or Quit) — requirements and free draft

New York vs. neighboring states

Eviction: New York vs. neighboring states
State	Notice for unpaid rent	Notice for lease violations	Lockouts & utility shutoffs
New York	14-day written rent demand before filing a nonpayment proceeding. Separately, if rent is not received within 5 days of the due date, the landlord must send the tenant a certified-mail notice that rent was not received; failure is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment case. N.Y. RPAPL § 711(2); N.Y. RPL § 235-e(d)	No general statewide statutory cure-notice period (lease terms govern). Where Good Cause Eviction applies, the tenant must be given written notice and 10 days to cure a substantial lease violation before eviction on that ground. In any lease-breach eviction case, the court must grant a 30-day stay of the warrant during which the tenant may cure. N.Y. RPL § 216 (Good Cause); N.Y. RPAPL § 753(4)	Self-help eviction is illegal: no force/threats, cutting off essential services, removing belongings or the door, or changing/disabling locks to remove an occupant who has lived there 30+ days or has a lease. Owner must restore the occupant. Penalties: class A misdemeanor; civil penalty of $1,000-$10,000 per violation plus up to $100/day (max 6 months) for failing to restore. N.Y. RPAPL § 768; RPL § 235 (willful failure to furnish water, heat, light, power, etc.)
Connecticut	Rent is not 'unpaid' for eviction purposes until a 9-day grace period passes (4 days for week-to-week). Landlord then serves a written Notice to Quit giving at least 3 days before the quit date. From Jan. 1, 2026, the grace period is extended 5 more days if the landlord's online payment system prevented on-time payment. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-15a(a), 47a-23	Written notice specifying the breach and terminating the lease on a date at least 15 days after receipt; if the breach can be fixed by repair or paying damages and the tenant does so within 15 days, the lease does not terminate. A repeat of substantially the same breach within 6 months allows termination without another cure chance. No cure notice is required for nonpayment, serious nuisance, or a § 47a-11(h) violation. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15	Self-help eviction is illegal. Civil: 'entry and detainer' complaint to a Superior Court judge for being ousted, held out, or having property removed or detained; double damages plus costs. Criminal: landlord who, without a court order, deprives a tenant of access to the unit or possessions commits criminal lockout, a class C misdemeanor. Loss of landlord-supplied essential services is remedied under § 47a-13. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-43, 47a-46, 53a-214, 47a-13
Massachusetts	14 days' written notice to quit. For tenants at will: a tenant who has not received a similar notice in the previous 12 months can cure by paying the full rent due within 10 days after receiving the notice, and the notice must state this right. For tenants with a lease: the tenant can cure by paying all rent due, plus interest and costs, on or before the day the answer is due in the eviction case. G.L. c. 186, §§ 11, 12, 31	No single statutory period. Tenancy at will: the landlord generally ends it with a written notice to quit of at least 30 days (or one rental period, if longer) that expires at the end of a rental period, stating the lease violation as the reason. Unexpired lease: the lease itself controls the grounds for termination and the notice required. G.L. c. 186, § 12; Massachusetts Court System guidance	Illegal. A landlord who willfully fails to provide required utilities or services (heat, hot water, water, light, power, gas, elevator); interferes with them; shifts utility costs to the tenant without consent; interferes with quiet enjoyment; or tries to regain possession by force without court process faces: a criminal fine of $25-$300 or up to 6 months' imprisonment; and civil liability for actual and consequential damages or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater, plus costs and attorney's fees. A tenant removed or excluded without a valid court order may get back into the unit or end the lease, and may recover 3 months' rent or 3x actual damages, plus costs and attorney's fees. G.L. c. 186, §§ 14, 15F
New Jersey	No notice to quit is required before filing for nonpayment of rent. The written notice requirement of N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.2 expressly excludes nonpayment (and failure to pay a valid rent increase). The tenant can stop the case by paying the rent claimed plus accrued costs to the court clerk on or before entry of final judgment. After a warrant of removal is posted, or a lockout is carried out, for nonpayment, the tenant has 3 business days to pay all rent due. The landlord must accept that payment (cash, certified check, money order, or a rental-assistance program or charity) and the case is then dismissed. N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1(a), 2A:18-61.2, 2A:18-55, 2A:42-10.16a, 46:8-49.3	Disorderly conduct: a written notice to cease, then a 3-day notice to quit. Willful or grossly negligent damage to the premises: a 3-day notice to quit. Continued substantial violation of reasonable rules or lease covenants, or habitual late payment of rent: a written notice to cease, then a one-month notice to quit. Drug, assault, theft, or human-trafficking grounds: a 3-day notice. Notices must state the cause in detail and be served personally, at the residence on a family member over 14, or by certified mail (regular mail if the certified letter is not claimed). N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1(b)-(e), (j), (n)-(r); 2A:18-61.2(a)-(b)	Self-help eviction is illegal. A residence may be entered or retaken without the occupant's consent only through legal eviction process, and only a court officer may execute a warrant for possession. It is a disorderly persons offense, after a warning from police or another official, to take possession without a lawful warrant, including by changing or padlocking locks, removing belongings, or shutting off heat, electricity, water, or other vital services. A second offense within 5 years is a fourth-degree crime. A displaced tenant may re-enter with a police officer present. In a civil action, the tenant can recover possession, all damages, court costs, and reasonable attorney's fees, or treble damages if return to possession is not appropriate. N.J.S.A. 2A:39-1, 2A:39-2, 2A:39-8; 2C:33-11.1; 2A:42-10.16
Pennsylvania	10-day written notice to quit. Act § 501(b) (68 P.S. § 250.501(b))	Lease of 1 year or less or indeterminate term: 15 days' notice to quit. Lease of more than 1 year: 30 days. Illegal-drug grounds under § 505-A: 10 days. Act §§ 501(b), 501(d), 505-A (68 P.S. §§ 250.501, 250.505-A)	Self-help eviction is prohibited: a landlord may not change locks or shut off utilities to evict; the landlord must use the court process. PA AG Consumer Guide (Part V.C); Landlord and Tenant Act Art. V
Vermont	Written notice of termination at least 14 days after actual notice. The tenancy does not terminate if the tenant pays or tenders all rent due through the end of the rental period in which payment is made. 9 V.S.A. 4467(a)	Breach of the rental agreement or tenant obligations: at least 30 days' notice. Criminal activity, illegal drug activity, or acts of violence threatening other residents' health or safety: at least 14 days' notice. 9 V.S.A. 4467(b)	Landlord may not willfully interrupt or terminate a tenant's utility service (except for temporary emergency repairs), or deny access to the premises or the tenant's property, except by proper judicial process. Tenant may sue for injunctive relief, damages, costs and reasonable attorney's fees. 9 V.S.A. 4463; 4464

City rules that may add to state law

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New York Eviction Laws FAQ

How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in New York?

14-day written rent demand before filing a nonpayment proceeding. Separately, if rent is not received within 5 days of the due date, the landlord must send the tenant a certified-mail notice that rent was not received; failure is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment case. (N.Y. RPAPL § 711(2); N.Y. RPL § 235-e(d))

How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in New York?

No general statewide statutory cure-notice period (lease terms govern). Where Good Cause Eviction applies, the tenant must be given written notice and 10 days to cure a substantial lease violation before eviction on that ground. In any lease-breach eviction case, the court must grant a 30-day stay of the warrant during which the tenant may cure. (N.Y. RPL § 216 (Good Cause); N.Y. RPAPL § 753(4))

Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities in New York?

Self-help eviction is illegal: no force/threats, cutting off essential services, removing belongings or the door, or changing/disabling locks to remove an occupant who has lived there 30+ days or has a lease. Owner must restore the occupant. Penalties: class A misdemeanor; civil penalty of $1,000-$10,000 per violation plus up to $100/day (max 6 months) for failing to restore. (N.Y. RPAPL § 768; RPL § 235 (willful failure to furnish water, heat, light, power, etc.))

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.