Montana Eviction Notice
Create a free Montana eviction notice with the state's required notice periods built in. Pick the notice type, fill in the details, and download a PDF.
Montana notice periods
Nonpayment: 3 days · Lease violation (cure): 14 days · No-cause termination: 30 days.
Tenant Name(s)
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⚠ Montana requires a 3-day notice for a notice to pay rent or quit; the count runs from the date of SERVICE, and some states exclude weekends/holidays — verify before relying on a date. MCA 70-24-422 (nonpayment subsection): landlord may terminate if the tenant fails to pay rent within 3 days after the landlord's written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate. Calendar days; the statute does not provide a separate statutory grace period before notice may be given.
Notice to Pay Rent or Quit (Montana)
NOTICE TO PAY RENT OR QUIT
Date of Notice: ________________
From (Landlord/Agent): [LANDLORD/AGENT NAME], [LANDLORD ADDRESS]
To: [TENANT NAME(S)], Tenant(s) in possession of: [PROPERTY ADDRESS]
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that rent is now due and unpaid in the amount of $________. This amount is for unpaid RENT only and excludes late fees, utilities, and other charges unless your state and lease allow them.
You are required to PAY the full amount of rent due within 3 days after this notice is served on you, OR to vacate and surrender possession of the property. Payment must be made to [LANDLORD/AGENT NAME] at [LANDLORD ADDRESS], by cash, check, or money order. If you mail payment, it must be RECEIVED by the deadline.
If you do not comply with this notice within the time stated, the landlord may begin legal proceedings to recover possession of the property under Mont. Code Ann. (MCA) Title 70, Chapter 24 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act of 1977), esp. § 70-24-422 (tenant noncompliance/termination) and § 70-24-441 (periodic-tenancy termination).
Only a court can order you to move out. The landlord may NOT lock you out, remove your belongings, or shut off your utilities; doing so is illegal.
This notice is given without waiving, and the landlord expressly reserves, all other rights and remedies, including the right to recover unpaid rent and damages.
How this notice may be served: Per MCA 70-24-108, notice is delivered by actual hand delivery to the tenant; or by certified mail or mail with a certificate of mailing to the address the tenant designated for receipt (service then deemed made 3 days after the date of mailing); or by email if the tenant provided an email address in the rental agreement. The statute does NOT authorize posting on the door as a stand-alone method.
_______________________________________
[LANDLORD/AGENT NAME] — Landlord / Authorized Agent
[LANDLORD ADDRESS]
Date: ________________
PROOF OF SERVICE
I served this notice on the tenant(s) on ____________ (date).
Method of service (use a method permitted in your state — see the service note above):
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________ Date: ____________
Signature of person serving the notice
Email yourself a copy (PDF)
Self-help template, not legal advice. Notice periods, wording, and service rules vary by state and city. You cannot remove a tenant yourself — serve a proper notice and, if needed, file in court.
Montana Eviction Notice Requirements
In Montana, a landlord must serve a written notice before filing for eviction under Mont. Code Ann. (MCA) Title 70, Chapter 24 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act of 1977), esp. § 70-24-422 (tenant noncompliance/termination) and § 70-24-441 (periodic-tenancy termination). The required notice period depends on the reason:
- Nonpayment of rent: 3-day notice to pay or quit. MCA 70-24-422 (nonpayment subsection): landlord may terminate if the tenant fails to pay rent within 3 days after the landlord's written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate. Calendar days; the statute does not provide a separate statutory grace period before notice may be given.
- Curable lease violation: 14-day notice to cure or quit. MCA 70-24-422(1): general remediable rental-agreement noncompliance carries a 14-day notice. If the tenant remedies the noncompliance before the date specified in the notice (by repairs, payment of damages, or written landlord approval), the agreement does not terminate. Note: certain noncompliances have a shorter 3-day notice but are still curable — unauthorized pets, unauthorized persons residing in the unit, and tenant verbal abuse.
- No-cause termination (month-to-month): 30-day notice. MCA 70-24-441(2): either party may terminate a month-to-month tenancy with at least 30 days' written notice prior to the termination date designated in the notice. Not tenancy-length-dependent. (A week-to-week tenancy requires at least 7 days under 70-24-441(1).)
Service: Per MCA 70-24-108, notice is delivered by actual hand delivery to the tenant; or by certified mail or mail with a certificate of mailing to the address the tenant designated for receipt (service then deemed made 3 days after the date of mailing); or by email if the tenant provided an email address in the rental agreement. The statute does NOT authorize posting on the door as a stand-alone method.
- Nonpayment: 3-day pay-or-quit notice under MCA 70-24-422 before filing eviction.
- Curable lease violations: standard 14-day cure-or-quit under 70-24-422(1); shorter 3-day (still curable) notice for unauthorized pets, unauthorized occupants, and tenant verbal abuse.
- Deliberate property destruction or dangerous/criminal activity under 70-24-321(3) (drug labs, gangs, illegal weapons): 3-day notice with no chance to cure (70-24-422(3)).
- Repeat of substantially the same violation within 6 months: at least 5-day notice, no cure right (70-24-422(1)).
- No-cause termination of a month-to-month tenancy: at least 30 days' written notice (70-24-441(2)); Montana has no statewide just-cause requirement.
- Service per 70-24-108: hand delivery, certified mail / certificate of mailing (deemed served 3 days after mailing), or email if provided in the lease; posting alone is not an authorized method.
Montana Eviction Notices by Type
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days notice to evict for nonpayment in Montana?
Montana requires a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit before a landlord can file for eviction. MCA 70-24-422 (nonpayment subsection): landlord may terminate if the tenant fails to pay rent within 3 days after the landlord's written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate. Calendar days; the statute does not provide a separate statutory grace period before notice may be given.
Can a landlord evict without notice in Montana?
No. A written notice is required before filing, and only a court can order a tenant removed. Self-help lockouts are illegal.
Does Montana require just cause to evict?
Montana does not have a statewide just-cause requirement, though some cities may. A month-to-month tenancy can generally be ended with a 30-day notice.
Disclaimer
This Montana eviction notice generator is a self-help tool for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Confirm Montana and local requirements before serving, and consult a landlord-tenant attorney for contested cases.