Mailing & serving notices
Should a landlord notice be addressed to every tenant on the lease?
Updated · By the Landlord Notice Mail team
Yes: name every adult tenant on the lease in the notice, and for notices that start a legal deadline, send each tenant their own copy. A notice addressed to only one co-tenant gives the others an argument that they were never notified.
| Situation | How to address |
|---|---|
| Two or more tenants on the lease | All names on the notice; one certified copy per tenant |
| Adult occupant not on the lease | Follow your state's rules; many landlords add "and all other occupants" |
| Tenant moved out, co-tenant stayed | Notice to the remaining tenant at the unit and to the departed tenant at their forwarding address |
| Tenant gave a separate notice address in the lease | Send to the address the lease names, plus the unit if allowed |
Why it matters
Statutes speak of notice to "the tenant", and every person on the lease is a tenant. Courts look at whether each person whose tenancy you are ending got the notice the law requires. Separate certified copies give you a receipt per person.
Keep it organized
The Landlord plan address book keeps every tenant per unit, so a notice to a unit can go to each person on the lease in one step.
Quick answers
Can one envelope go to both tenants?
It can be addressed to both, but only one person signs the return receipt. Separate envelopes give a receipt per tenant.
Do minors need a notice?
Notices go to the adult tenants on the lease; minor occupants are not parties.
How to prove a tenant received a notice?
Keep the return receipt for each tenant's copy, plus proof of any other method the statute requires.
What to do next
Send a certified copy to each tenant on the lease for $17.99 each, or use your 5 included certified notices on the $29/month Landlord plan.
Start the Landlord planSources
Checked: . General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change: confirm current values at the official links above.