Notice to cure

A notice giving a tenant a set number of days to fix a lease violation or pay overdue rent, or move out. Common first step for a nonpayment eviction.

Also called pay or quit notice · Rental & property management · Updated September 2026

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Part 1 of 4

Why a seller cares

A notice to cure gives a tenant a set number of days to fix a violation or pay, and it is the first step of most evictions. Selling a rental with a tenant behind on rent means either serving it or selling the problem with the building.

Part 2 of 4

A simple example

Your tenant is $1,400 behind. A five-day notice to pay or quit goes out in writing, served the way the state requires.

Notice to cure: a simple example
What the tenant doesWhat follows
Pays within the periodThe tenancy continues
Moves outThe unit is empty and can be shown
NeitherAn unlawful detainer filing, and the court's calendar

The notice to cure is the tenant's last chance and the landlord's first required step.

Part 3 of 4

What people get wrong

That a text message counts. Most states specify the form and the delivery, and a defective notice restarts the clock.

Part 4 of 4 · where to read next

Where it appears in the sale

What a definition is, and what it isn't

Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.

Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish

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