Rhode Island Eviction Notice
Create a free Rhode Island eviction notice with the state's required notice periods built in. Pick the notice type, fill in the details, and download a PDF.
Rhode Island notice periods
Nonpayment: 5 days · Lease violation (cure): 20 days · No-cause termination: 30 days.
Tenant Name(s)
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⚠ Rhode Island requires a 5-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. Calendar days. Rent must first be 15 days in arrears (§ 34-18-35(a)) before the landlord may send the written demand. The notice then gives the tenant 5 days from the date of mailing to cure (pay the arrears). The eviction complaint may be filed no earlier than the sixth day after mailing. So the practical sequence is: 15-day arrears trigger + 5-day demand.
Notice to Pay Rent or Quit (Rhode Island)
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 5 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 R.I. Gen. Laws Title 34, Chapter 34-18 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act), §§ 34-18-35, 34-18-36, 34-18-37, 34-18-56.
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: All statutory eviction notices (5-day demand, noncompliance, periodic-tenancy termination) are served by first-class U.S. mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the tenant, with a certificate of mailing in the form prescribed by § 34-18-56. Notice periods run from the DATE OF MAILING (not receipt). Statutory forms in § 34-18-56(a)-(d) should be used substantially as written.
_______________________________________
[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.
Rhode Island Eviction Notice Requirements
In Rhode Island, a landlord must serve a written notice before filing for eviction under R.I. Gen. Laws Title 34, Chapter 34-18 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act), §§ 34-18-35, 34-18-36, 34-18-37, 34-18-56. The required notice period depends on the reason:
- Nonpayment of rent: 5-day notice to pay or quit. Calendar days. Rent must first be 15 days in arrears (§ 34-18-35(a)) before the landlord may send the written demand. The notice then gives the tenant 5 days from the date of mailing to cure (pay the arrears). The eviction complaint may be filed no earlier than the sixth day after mailing. So the practical sequence is: 15-day arrears trigger + 5-day demand.
- Curable lease violation: 20-day notice to cure or quit. § 34-18-36(b): For material noncompliance (or noncompliance materially affecting health and safety), the notice must give the tenant 20 days from mailing to remedy the breach, and set a termination date not less than 21 days after mailing. If the tenant cures before the specified date, the tenancy does not terminate (except for § 34-18-24(8),(9),(10) violations).
- No-cause termination (month-to-month): 30-day notice. § 34-18-37: A landlord or tenant may terminate a month-to-month tenancy on at least 30 days' written notice before the date specified. Week-to-week tenancies require at least 10 days. Not tenancy-length-dependent. Rhode Island has no statewide just-cause restriction, so a no-cause 30-day termination is generally available for month-to-month tenants.
Service: All statutory eviction notices (5-day demand, noncompliance, periodic-tenancy termination) are served by first-class U.S. mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the tenant, with a certificate of mailing in the form prescribed by § 34-18-56. Notice periods run from the DATE OF MAILING (not receipt). Statutory forms in § 34-18-56(a)-(d) should be used substantially as written.
- Nonpayment: rent must be 15 days in arrears, then a 5-day demand-for-rent notice (cure period) before an eviction complaint may be filed (§ 34-18-35).
- Curable lease violation: 20 days to remedy from date of mailing, with a termination date no sooner than 21 days after mailing (§ 34-18-36(b)).
- No-cure tracks: recurring noncompliance within 6 months = 20 days' notice with no chance to cure (§ 34-18-36(d)); drug activity / crimes of violence / controlled-substance violations under § 34-18-24(8)-(10) = no notice required, landlord may file immediately (§ 34-18-36(f)).
- No-cause month-to-month termination requires 30 days' written notice; week-to-week requires 10 days (§ 34-18-37).
- All notice periods run from the date of FIRST-CLASS MAILING, and statutory notice/complaint forms appear in § 34-18-56. Rhode Island has no statewide just-cause eviction law (only the narrow foreclosed-property protection in § 34-18-38.2).
Rhode Island Eviction Notices by Type
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days notice to evict for nonpayment in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island requires a 5-day notice to pay rent or quit before a landlord can file for eviction. Calendar days. Rent must first be 15 days in arrears (§ 34-18-35(a)) before the landlord may send the written demand. The notice then gives the tenant 5 days from the date of mailing to cure (pay the arrears). The eviction complaint may be filed no earlier than the sixth day after mailing. So the practical sequence is: 15-day arrears trigger + 5-day demand.
Can a landlord evict without notice in Rhode Island?
No. A written notice is required before filing, and only a court can order a tenant removed. Self-help lockouts are illegal.
Does Rhode Island require just cause to evict?
Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island eviction notice generator is a self-help tool for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Confirm Rhode Island and local requirements before serving, and consult a landlord-tenant attorney for contested cases.
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