What a pay-or-quit eviction notice is
Pay-or-quit is the non-payment paper. The amount, the names, the days, and the delivery method have to match what that state will enforce — or the filing is early.
Key facts
- Lifecycle stage: Notices.
- EvictIQ field operations: Georgia (metro Atlanta). We do not operate field crews in every state.
- Exact claims only: 10,000+ completed evictions; 72-hour service of tenant after filing on average (Georgia service).
- Not a law firm. Not legal advice. No date guarantees. No price list on this page.
What this service is
Pay-or-quit is not a threat letter. It is the notice that starts the statutory clock on non-payment in states that use that form. The ledger on the notice should be the ledger you will later file.
Days are set by statute or lease in ways that vary by state — sometimes by city. Filing before the period runs is a common, avoidable loss. This page explains the step. It is not a form bank and not legal advice.
When this step is needed
You need a pay-or-quit when the grounds are unpaid rent (or another sum the statute treats as rent) and that state requires this notice before filing.
Prepare a new one if the last notice is stale, the balance changed, or delivery was never proven. Do not file on a notice that has not run.
How the process usually works
- Confirm non-payment is the ground — not a conduct breach.
- Itemize the amount so it can be explained later in court.
- Count the days the way that state and city count them.
- Deliver and retain proof before anyone calendars a filing.
- Wait the full period. Early filing is a routine dismissal.
Courts and executing offices set their own calendars. These are operational steps, not a guaranteed timeline.
What this step usually covers
- Non-payment grounds matched to the lease and ledger
- Amount itemized so it can be explained at a hearing
- Deadline counted the way that state counts notice days
- Delivery and proof your court is likely to accept
These are the jobs the step exists to do. They are not a nationwide menu EvictIQ staffs in every county.
What you must verify locally
- How many days a pay-or-quit must give in that state and city
- Whether weekends and mailing days count
- Whether the lease shortens or lengthens the statutory period
We do not publish a stale per-state timetable. Statutes change.
What this does not include
- Legal advice, courtroom representation, or an attorney-client relationship
- A guaranteed hearing date, writ date, or setout date — courts and executing offices set their own calendars
- Self-help lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removal of belongings outside a court-issued writ
- A published price. Scope and price are written after intake, before work starts
Georgia we can handle. Elsewhere we route.
If the property is in Georgia, EvictIQ can take this step end to end. If it isn't, we'll tell you what to look for in a local attorney or service — we do not operate field crews in every state.
Related services
All eviction services — the full catalog, grouped by category on the hub.
Demand Notice Services
A written demand that documents the balance and deadline before an eviction notice or filing.
Cure-or-Quit Notices
The lease-violation notice: fix the cited breach in time or the possession case can follow.
Eviction Notice Preparation
The required written demand before a case can be filed — and proof it was delivered.
Common questions
Can I reuse last month’s pay-or-quit?
Usually no. If the balance changed, the names changed, or the last notice was never proven delivered, prepare a new one. Stale notices are a hearing problem.
Is this legal advice?
No. EvictIQ is not a law firm. Eviction notice rules are state law. Georgia hire is a soft path to local-eviction.com; other states need local counsel or a local service.
Need help with this step?
Tell us where the property is and where the case stands. Georgia we handle; elsewhere we route.
- A coordinator reviews it, usually the same business day
- You get a written scope and price before anything is filed
- Georgia hire on local-eviction.com
We'll tell you so rather than take the lead. What to look for locally: a provider who knows which office executes writs in your county, who gives you cycle-time variance rather than an average, and who refuses to guarantee a completion date.
Working a real case?
Georgia we handle end to end. Anywhere else, we'll tell you what to look for in a local provider.