Legal Templates

Tennessee Eviction Notice

Use our Tennessee Eviction Notice to remove a tenant from your rental property.

Updated May 13, 2022 | Legally reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.

If you’re a landlord seeking to evict a tenant, use a Tennessee (TN) eviction notice to begin the process. Your eviction notice must be written according to Tennessee state law, and give your tenant the legally required amount of time to respond or move out.

In Tennessee, eviction lawsuits are governed by Title 29, Chapter 18 of the Tennessee Code.

Eviction notices in Tennessee are also known as:

  • Tennessee Notice to Quit
  • Tennessee Notice to Quit for Non-Payment of Rent
  • Tennessee Notice to Vacate
  • Tennessee Lease Termination

Tennessee Eviction Notices by Type

Download a free eviction notice customized for Tennessee state law below in MS Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF format

tennessee 10 day lease termination10-Day Lease Termination: Use this notice to let a tenant know that you’re ending a week-to-week lease, and that they must prepare to leave your property. In Tennessee, landlords must give tenants 10 days’ notice to move out if they’re on a week-to-week lease.

Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF

tennessee 30 day lease termination30-Day Lease Termination: Use this notice to let a tenant know that you’re ending a month-to-month lease, and that they must prepare to leave your property. In Tennessee, landlords must give tenants 30 days’ notice to move out if they’re on a month-to-month lease.

Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF

tennessee eviction notice 7 day comply or quit7-Day Notice to Quit for Non-Compliance: Use this notice to begin evicting a tenant if they’ve broken the terms of your lease. In Tennessee counties with a population of over 75,000 people, landlords must give tenants 7 days’ notice if the landlord has sent the tenant a similar notice for the same violation in the preceding six months. After that period of time has passed, the eviction can proceed in court. However, during that time, tenants may have the option to fix (or “cure”) the problem.

Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF

tennessee eviction notice 14 day comply or quit14-Day Notice to Quit for Non-Compliance: Use this notice to begin evicting a tenant if they’ve broken the terms of your lease. In Tennessee counties with a population of over 75,000 people, landlords must give tenants 14 days’ notice if the landlord has NOT sent the tenant a similar notice for the same violation in the preceding six months. After that period of time has passed, the eviction can proceed in court. However, during that time, tenants may have the option to fix (or “cure”) the problem.

Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF

tennessee eviction notice 30 day comply or quit30-Day Notice to Quit for Non-Compliance: Use this notice to begin evicting a tenant if they’ve broken the terms of your lease. In Tennessee counties with a population of less than 75,000 people, landlords must give tenants 30 days’ notice before the eviction process can proceed in court. In that time, tenants may have the option to fix (or “cure”) the problem.

Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF

tennessee eviction notice 7 day pay rent or quit7-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit: Use this notice to begin evicting a tenant if they haven’t paid rent on time. In Tennessee, landlords must give tenants seven days to pay rent if the landlord has sent a similar notice for non-payment of rent in the preceding six months. After this period of time, the eviction process can proceed in court.

Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF

If you wish to send a letter simply reminding your tenant that rent is late (without threat of eviction), use a late rent notice.

tennessee eviction notice 14 day pay rent or quit14-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit: Use this notice to begin evicting a tenant if they haven’t paid rent on time. In Tennessee, landlords must give tenants 14 days to pay rent if the landlord has not had to send a similar notice for non-payment of rent in the preceding six months. After this period of time, the eviction process can proceed in court.

Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF

Eviction Laws & Requirements

  • Grace Period for Late Rent: 5 days, Landlords may only impose a late fee after five days of the rental due date. (§ 66-28-201)
  • Notice of Non-Compliance: 7, 14, or 30 days depending on the county and whether the tenant has been notified for breaking the same lease term within the last six months. (§ 66-7-109(b))
  • Illegal Behavior Eviction: 3 days (§ 66-28-517)
  • Non-Payment of Rent Notice: 14 days, 7 days for repeat offenders within the last six months. (§ 66-28-505 and § 66-7-109(a))
  • Month-to-Month Lease Termination: 30 days (§ 66-28-512)
  • Immediate Eviction: Landlords may immediately evict tenants for prostitution or drug violations. (§ 66-7-107)

What is the Eviction Process in Tennessee?

Step 1: Send an eviction notice

To start the eviction process, landlords must notify tenants about the lease breach or violation, along with serving them the appropriate eviction form. Landlords must give the tenants time to cure the breaches if applicable (i.e. rent nonpayment).

Step 2: Wait for a response

If a tenant does not respond to an eviction notice, landlords can file a Detainer Summons with their local General Sessions Court. Landlords must ensure that the Court they visit has jurisdiction over the property in question. If they do, the Court will set a hearing date.

Step 3: Allow the sheriff to handle the situation

Landlords must hire the local sheriff to serve a tenant with a Detainer Warrant; they cannot do it themselves.

Step 4: Appear in court

A hearing date will be set. The Court will issue a Writ of Possession if the tenant does not appear or the landlord is proven correct. The landlord may then take possession of the premises with the sheriff if necessary.

Related Tennessee Court Forms

Detainer Summons: This form is used to summon a tenant to court if they failed to abide by the demands of an eviction notice.

Writ of Possession: This form is issued by the court if a landlord is found correct during an eviction lawsuit. It entitles the landlord to reclaim possession of their property.

Eviction Information for Tennessee Landlords and Tenants

Both landlords and tenants should know their rights and responsibilities to ensure fair dealings on both sides. Read every lease agreement carefully and use these resources for more information.

Landlords

Tennessee landlords must be careful to serve a tenant the correct eviction notice depending on circumstances. Self-help evictions are not permitted in Tennessee, meaning landlords should never change the locks or shut off the utilities before going through the eviction process and receiving a court order.

Tenants