South Carolina Eviction Notice
Create a free South Carolina eviction notice with the state's required notice periods built in. Pick the notice type, fill in the details, and download a PDF.
South Carolina notice periods
Nonpayment: 5 days · Lease violation (cure): 14 days · No-cause termination: 30 days.
Tenant Name(s)
Live Preview
⚠ South Carolina 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. 5-day pay-or-quit. Under § 27-40-710(b), if rent is unpaid when due and the tenant fails to pay within 5 days of the due date, the landlord may terminate. The landlord must give written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate; HOWEVER, this notice obligation is satisfied for the tenancy once one such notice is given OR if the lease contains the statutory conspicuous-language clause ('If you do not pay your rent within five days of the due date, the landlord can start to have you evicted') — in which case no separate pre-filing notice is required. Counted in calendar days from the rent due date.
Notice to Pay Rent or Quit (South Carolina)
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 S.C. Code Ann. §§ 27-40-710, 27-40-770 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act).
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 S.C. Code § 27-40-240, written notice is properly served by delivering it in hand to the tenant or by mailing it by registered or certified mail to the tenant at the place held out as the place for receipt of communications (or, if none, the tenant's last known address / the dwelling unit). Proof of mailing is proof of notice without proof of receipt. For nonpayment, the 5-day notice may also be satisfied by conspicuous statutory language in the written lease (no separate notice then required to file ejectment).
_______________________________________
[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.
South Carolina Eviction Notice Requirements
In South Carolina, a landlord must serve a written notice before filing for eviction under S.C. Code Ann. §§ 27-40-710, 27-40-770 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). The required notice period depends on the reason:
- Nonpayment of rent: 5-day notice to pay or quit. 5-day pay-or-quit. Under § 27-40-710(b), if rent is unpaid when due and the tenant fails to pay within 5 days of the due date, the landlord may terminate. The landlord must give written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate; HOWEVER, this notice obligation is satisfied for the tenancy once one such notice is given OR if the lease contains the statutory conspicuous-language clause ('If you do not pay your rent within five days of the due date, the landlord can start to have you evicted') — in which case no separate pre-filing notice is required. Counted in calendar days from the rent due date.
- Curable lease violation: 14-day notice to cure or quit. 14-day cure-or-quit for noncompliance other than nonpayment. Under § 27-40-710(a), for a breach (including one materially affecting health and safety), the landlord delivers written notice specifying the acts/omissions and stating the agreement terminates not less than 14 days after receipt if the breach is not remedied within 14 days. Notice must specify the breach. (Note: § 27-40-720 is a separate self-help-repair provision for emergency/health-and-safety conditions, not the cure-or-quit notice itself.)
- No-cause termination (month-to-month): 30-day notice. 30 days. Under § 27-40-770, either party may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by written notice given at least 30 days before the termination date specified in the notice. A week-to-week tenancy requires at least 7 days written notice. No tenancy-length-dependent escalation.
Service: Per S.C. Code § 27-40-240, written notice is properly served by delivering it in hand to the tenant or by mailing it by registered or certified mail to the tenant at the place held out as the place for receipt of communications (or, if none, the tenant's last known address / the dwelling unit). Proof of mailing is proof of notice without proof of receipt. For nonpayment, the 5-day notice may also be satisfied by conspicuous statutory language in the written lease (no separate notice then required to file ejectment).
- Nonpayment of rent: landlord may terminate if rent is unpaid 5 days past the due date (S.C. Code 27-40-710(b)); the required written notice can be pre-satisfied by a conspicuous clause in the lease, so no separate notice is needed before filing ejectment in that case.
- Other lease violations (including those materially affecting health and safety): 14-day cure-or-quit notice under 27-40-710(a), specifying the breach; tenancy ends no sooner than 14 days after receipt if not cured.
- No-cause end of a month-to-month tenancy: 30 days written notice (27-40-770); week-to-week is 7 days.
- South Carolina has NO statewide just-cause eviction law — landlords may decline to renew or end periodic tenancies without stating a reason, subject to anti-retaliation/fair-housing limits.
- Service: hand delivery to the tenant or registered/certified mail to the tenant's designated address (27-40-240). After notice expires, the landlord files an Application for Ejectment / Rule to Vacate in magistrate's court.
South Carolina Eviction Notices by Type
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days notice to evict for nonpayment in South Carolina?
South Carolina requires a 5-day notice to pay rent or quit before a landlord can file for eviction. 5-day pay-or-quit. Under § 27-40-710(b), if rent is unpaid when due and the tenant fails to pay within 5 days of the due date, the landlord may terminate. The landlord must give written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate; HOWEVER, this notice obligation is satisfied for the tenancy once one such notice is given OR if the lease contains the statutory conspicuous-language clause ('If you do not pay your rent within five days of the due date, the landlord can start to have you evicted') — in which case no separate pre-filing notice is required. Counted in calendar days from the rent due date.
Can a landlord evict without notice in South Carolina?
No. A written notice is required before filing, and only a court can order a tenant removed. Self-help lockouts are illegal.
Does South Carolina require just cause to evict?
South Carolina 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 South Carolina eviction notice generator is a self-help tool for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Confirm South Carolina and local requirements before serving, and consult a landlord-tenant attorney for contested cases.
Know someone who could use this? Share this free tool: