Eviction laws by state: a landlord’s comparison chart
The same eviction can take three weeks in one state and several months in the next. This chart puts the rules landlords ask about most side by side for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each row summarizes our full guide for that state, which cites the statute or court rule behind every figure.
Checked against each state guide on September 24, 2026.
See the landlord-friendly states map: every state scored and ranked from these rules.
- Court:
- Where a residential eviction is filed.
- Notice for unpaid rent:
- What the landlord must serve before filing for nonpayment.
- Answer or first hearing:
- When the tenant must respond, or when the first court date falls.
- Appeal deadline:
- How long the tenant has to appeal a judgment for possession.
- Just cause:
- Whether the state limits evictions to listed reasons.
| State | Court | Notice for unpaid rent | Answer or first hearing | Appeal deadline | Just cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AlabamaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District Court of the county | 7 business days | Answer within 7 calendar days of service | 7 days | No statewide just cause |
| AlaskaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District court (superior court if claim exceeds $100,000) | 7 days to pay or vacate | Hearing not more than 15 days after filing; summons served at least 2 days before | 30 days | No statewide just cause |
| ArizonaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Justice court (or superior court) | 5 days | Summons return date 3-6 days after summons issued | 5 calendar days | No statewide just cause |
| ArkansasAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Circuit court (unlawful detainer route) | 3 days written notice to quit (unlawful detainer route) | Tenant has 5 days (excl. Sundays/holidays) to object | Set by court rules (see guide) | No statewide just cause |
| CaliforniaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Superior court | 3 days (excl. Sat/Sun/judicial holidays) | Tenant has 10 court days to respond | See guide | Statewide just cause after 12 months tenancy (many exemptions) |
| ColoradoAttorneys · Process · Timeline | County court | 10 days (5 days for exempt small-landlord leases) | Summons return date 7-14 days after issuance | 14 days | Statewide just cause (tenants at least 12 months, with exemptions) |
| ConnecticutAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Superior Court, Housing Session | 3 full days after grace period (9 days monthly/4 days weekly) | Appearance due 2 days after return date | 5 days (excl. Sundays/holidays) | Limited: tenants 62+ or with a disability in 5+ unit buildings |
| DelawareAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Justice of the Peace Court | 7 days (was 5 before Sept. 1, 2026) | Hearing notice served 5-30 days before hearing | 5 days | No statewide just cause |
| District of ColumbiaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Superior Court, Landlord and Tenant Branch | 10-day notice of intent to file | Summons served at least 14 days before initial hearing | 30 days | Statewide just cause |
| FloridaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | County court | 3 days (excl. weekends/legal holidays) | Answer within 5 days (excl. weekends/holidays) | 30 days | No statewide just cause |
| GeorgiaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Magistrate court | 3 business days (after written demand for possession) | Answer within 7 days of service | 7 days | No statewide just cause |
| HawaiiAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District court | 10 calendar days (plus mediation opportunity) | Appear/answer by return day at least 5 days after service (same circuit) | 30 days | No statewide just cause |
| IdahoAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District court (magistrate division) | 3 days | Trial within 12 days of filing (expedited nonpayment cases) | 42 days | No statewide just cause |
| IllinoisAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Circuit court | 5 days | Appearance date 7-40 days after summons issued | 30 days | No statewide just cause |
| IndianaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Small claims docket of circuit/superior court (up to $10,000) | 10 days | No answer required; tenant appears at the hearing | 30 days | No statewide just cause |
| IowaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Iowa District Court (small claims docket) | 3 days to pay | Hearing set within 8 days of filing (or 15 days) | 20 days (small claims) | No statewide just cause |
| KansasAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District court | 3 days (24-hour periods, incl. weekends/holidays; +2 days if mailed) | Appearance date 3-14 days after summons issued | 7 days (possession) | No statewide just cause |
| KentuckyAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District Court (forcible detainer) | 7 days (URLTA areas only); no statutory period outside URLTA (lease controls) | No written answer; trial with at least 3 days' notice | 7 days | No statewide just cause |
| LouisianaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Justice of the peace, city/parish, or district court | 5 days (waivable in the lease) | No written answer; hearing not earlier than 3rd day after service | 24 hours for a suspensive (stay-the-eviction) appeal | No statewide just cause |
| MaineAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District Court (forcible entry and detainer) | 7 days | Hearing within 10 days of the return day (return day set at least 14 days after service) | Usually 7 days (closes when the writ issues) | No statewide just cause |
| MarylandAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District Court | 10-day notice of intent to file (Judiciary form) | Trial set by statute for the 5th day after filing | 4 days (FTPR); 10 days (breach or holdover) | No statewide just cause |
| MassachusettsAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Housing Court (or District Court/Boston Municipal Court) | 14-day notice to quit | Entry date 7-30 days after service; first-tier event 30-60 days after entry date | 10 days | No statewide just cause |
| MichiganAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District court | 7 days after written demand for possession | Appearance within 10 days of summons issuance (or 5 days after service by local rule) | 10 days | No statewide just cause |
| MinnesotaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District court (Housing Court in Hennepin/Ramsey) | 14-day written notice (longer period in Minneapolis/St. Paul) | Appearance 7-14 days after summons issues | 15 days | No statewide just cause |
| MississippiAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Justice court (commonly); county or circuit court also can hear | 3 days | No written answer; hearing on removal within 30 days of filing | 5 days | No statewide just cause |
| MissouriAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Associate circuit court | Written demand for rent; no statutory waiting period | Court date within 21 business days of summons; served at least 4 days before | 10 days (rent and possession, to set aside or seek trial de novo) | No statewide just cause |
| MontanaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Justice court or district court | 3 days | Answer within 5 business days of service; hearing within 10 business days | 30 days | No statewide just cause |
| NebraskaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | County or district court | 7 calendar days | Trial set 10-14 days after summons issues | 30 days | No statewide just cause |
| NevadaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Justice court | 7 judicial days | Tenant must file affidavit within notice period; hearing held if affidavit filed | 10 judicial days | No statewide just cause |
| New HampshireAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District division of the circuit court | 7 days (plus a demand for rent) | Writ returnable 7 days from service; tenant must file appearance by return day | 7 days (notice of intent to appeal) | Yes for "restricted" property; not for small owner-occupied rentals |
| New JerseyAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Special Civil Part, Landlord/Tenant section | No notice required in conventional private housing | Trial noticed 21 days after service of summons | See guide | Statewide just cause (Anti-Eviction Act) |
| New MexicoAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Magistrate court (or district/metropolitan court) | 3 days | Trial set 7-10 days after service of summons | 15 days | No statewide just cause |
| New YorkAttorneys · Process · Timeline | NYC Civil Court Housing Part; district/city/town/village courts elsewhere | 14-day rent demand | NYC: answer within 10 days of service | See guide | Local only (NYC + opt-in municipalities, Good Cause law) |
| North CarolinaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Magistrate (small claims court) | 10-day demand for rent | Hearing not more than 7 days after summons issued (often 7-14 days in practice) | 10 days | No statewide just cause |
| North DakotaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District court (often a judicial referee) | 3 days | Hearing date 3-15 days after summons issued | 60 days (7 days to request referee review) | No statewide just cause |
| OhioAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Municipal or county court | 3 days | Hearing ~2-3 weeks after filing (min 7 days after service) | See guide | No statewide just cause |
| OklahomaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District court (small claims docket) | 5 days | Trial set 5-10 days after summons issued | 2 days to post stay bond (appeal itself: 30 days) | No statewide just cause |
| OregonAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Circuit court or justice of the peace | 10-day or 13-day notice (timing depends on rent period) | First appearance 7 days (15 for nonpayment) after fee payment | 30 days | Statewide just cause after first year of occupancy |
| PennsylvaniaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Magisterial District Judges (Municipal Court in Philadelphia) | 10 days (waivable in lease) | Hearing 7-15 days after filing | 10 days (30 for domestic violence victims) | No statewide just cause |
| Rhode IslandAttorneys · Process · Timeline | District Court | 5-day demand (after rent 15 days late) | Hearing 14-24 days after filing | 5 days | No statewide just cause |
| South CarolinaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Magistrate court | 5-day notice (a conspicuous lease clause can satisfy it) | Tenant has 10 days to appear and show cause | 5 days to post appeal bond to stay ejectment | No statewide just cause |
| South DakotaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Circuit court or magistrate court | No notice required (repealed 2024); ground is 3 days rent overdue | Answer within 5 days of service | 10 days (magistrate to circuit court) | No statewide just cause |
| TennesseeAttorneys · Process · Timeline | General sessions court | 14 days (both URLTA and non-URLTA counties) | Trial at least 6 days after service | 10 days | No statewide just cause |
| TexasAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Justice of the peace court | 3 days (pay-or-vacate mandatory for first-time late payer) | Trial set 10-21 days after filing | 5 days after judgment | No statewide just cause |
| UtahAttorneys · Process · Timeline | State district court | 3 business days (pay or vacate) | Answer within 3 business days of service | 10 days | No statewide just cause |
| VermontAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Civil Division of Superior Court (ejectment action) | 14 days actual notice | Answer generally 21 days after service | See guide | No statewide just cause |
| VirginiaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | General District Court | 14 days | Hearing within 21 days of filing (30 days max) | 10 days | No statewide just cause |
| WashingtonAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Superior court | 14 days (itemized statutory form) | Show cause hearing 7-30 days from service | 30 days | Statewide just cause |
| West VirginiaAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Magistrate court (or circuit court) | No statutory pre-suit notice required | Hearing set 5-10 judicial days after filing | 20 days | No statewide just cause |
| WisconsinAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Circuit court, small claims division | 5 days (first default; 14-day no-cure notice for repeat default) | Return date 5-25 days from issue date | 15 days | No statewide just cause |
| WyomingAttorneys · Process · Timeline | Circuit court | 3 days (same notice used for all grounds) | Trial set 3-12 days after summons served | Bond within 48 hours (Sundays excepted) to stay the writ | No statewide just cause |
How to use this chart
Treat each row as a starting point. Counting rules (business days, court days, whether weekends count), local ordinances and recent amendments change the answer in many states, and the state guide explains each of them. Click a state name to open its guide, or find a landlord-side eviction attorney in that state.
This chart is general information for landlords, not legal advice. Statutes, court rules and local requirements change; confirm current rules with a licensed attorney in your state before acting.