Late rent & pay or quit
How do I write a late rent notice to a tenant?
Updated · By the Landlord Notice Mail team
A late rent notice states the rent that is unpaid (period and amount), any late fee your lease and state law allow, how and where to pay, and a date to pay by, and it is sent in writing to every tenant on the lease. It is a reminder, not an eviction notice: if you may need to file, also serve the pay-or-quit notice your state requires, with its exact number of days and wording.
Some states make the reminder itself mandatory. New York, for example, requires a landlord who has not received rent within five days of the due date to send the tenant a written notice by certified mail (RPL 235-e).
| Late rent notice (reminder) | Pay-or-quit / demand notice | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Ask for payment and document the default | The legal first step before a nonpayment eviction |
| Required by law | Usually no (New York: yes, by certified mail) | Yes, in almost every state |
| Number of days | Your choice, often 3 to 5 days | Set by statute, e.g. 3 days (CA, FL), 5 (AZ), 14 (NY, WA, VA) |
| Wording | Your own | Often prescribed; missing items can get the case dismissed |
| Delivery | Any method; certified mail gives proof | Only the methods your statute allows |
| Can include late fees | If the lease and state law allow | Some states say rent only (California) |
What to put in the notice
- Date, tenant names (everyone on the lease) and the unit address.
- The rent period and the amount unpaid, separate from any late fee.
- The late fee, only if your lease provides it and it fits your state's limit (see late fee rules).
- How to pay: payee, address or portal, accepted methods.
- A pay-by date and a contact for questions or a payment plan.
- A line saying that if rent is not paid you may serve the notice required by state law.
Why mail it, and why certified
Texts and portal messages are easy to deny. A notice mailed with USPS Certified Mail gives you a mailing receipt and tracking, and the electronic return receipt adds the signature and delivery date. If the tenant later says they never heard from you, that file answers it. If the tenant may refuse certified mail, send a First-Class copy the same day: see certified or First-Class for tenant notices.
When the reminder is not enough
Courts look at the statutory notice, not the reminder. Check the pay-or-quit days by state and your state's page in state notice rules before you count on a date to file.
Quick answers
How do landlords send late rent notices by certified mail?
Write the notice (or start from our late rent notice template), choose Certified Mail with return receipt, and we print and mail it and email you the tracking number, a proof-of-mailing PDF and the signed receipt when it comes back.
Is a late rent notice the same as an eviction notice?
No. A late rent reminder documents the default. The eviction process starts with the state's pay-or-quit or demand notice, which has its own days, wording and delivery rules.
How soon after rent is late should I send a notice?
Check your lease's grace period and state law. In New York, the certified-mail notice is due once rent is not received within five days of the due date.
Should I send it to every tenant?
Yes, address it to each adult tenant named on the lease. See notices to every tenant on the lease.
What to do next
Fill in the late rent notice and send it by Certified Mail with return receipt for $17.99, or get 5 certified notices a month on the Landlord plan for $29.
Send a late rent noticeSources
- New York Real Property Law 235-e (rent receipts; certified mail notice of non-receipt)
- California Courts: Types of eviction notices for landlords
- USPS: Insurance & Extra Services (Certified Mail, Return Receipt)
Checked: . General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change: confirm current values at the official links above.