14-Day vs. 30-Day Notices in Tennessee: Which One Applies to You?
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Review your noticeReviewed Nov 4, 2026
Short answer: a 14-day notice is usually for unpaid rent or a lease problem you can fix. A 30-day notice is usually for ending a month-to-month lease with no reason given, or it’s required in many federally backed rentals under the CARES Act, even for unpaid rent. Neither one is a court case. Check your papers and your lease to see which clock you’re on.
Have a notice on your door? Review your notice.
Your first review is free with an account. We’ll tell you whether it’s a landlord notice or a court warrant, what kind of notice it is, and your next steps.
| Usual reason | Unpaid rent, or a fixable lease violation | Ending a month-to-month lease; or required in CARES Act "covered properties" |
| Law | Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505 (§ 66-7-109 in smaller counties) | § 66-28-512 (month-to-month); CARES Act § 4024(c), 15 U.S.C. § 9058(c) |
| Can you fix it? | Usually yes: pay or fix within the period | Month-to-month: usually no, the lease is ending. CARES: depends on the reason |
| When it usually runs from | In Davidson County, when you receive it | Month-to-month: must come at least 30 days before the rent date |
Outside Davidson County
Counties outside Tennessee’s landlord-tenant act follow § 66-7-109. There, 14 days is usually for unpaid rent, damage, or violence, and most other lease problems get 30 days. Week-to-week rentals anywhere work differently, so check your papers.
Outside Davidson County
Counties outside Tennessee’s landlord-tenant act follow § 66-7-109. There, 14 days is usually for unpaid rent, damage, or violence, and most other lease problems get 30 days. Week-to-week rentals anywhere work differently, so check your papers.
Outside Davidson County
Counties outside Tennessee’s landlord-tenant act follow § 66-7-109. There, 14 days is usually for unpaid rent, damage, or violence, and most other lease problems get 30 days. Week-to-week rentals anywhere work differently, so check your papers.
When a 14-day notice might really need to be 30
If your home has a federally backed mortgage (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA and others) or is in a federal housing program (vouchers, public housing, LIHTC and others), the CARES Act says the landlord can’t require you to leave until 30 days after a notice to vacate (15 U.S.C. § 9058(c)). Courts have not all agreed on how this applies today, so ask a lawyer if it might be you. See CARES Act 30-day notices.
When there may be no notice at all
Some Tennessee leases waive the 14-day rent notice in bold type, and other notices can be shorter (7 days for a repeat problem, 3 days for serious safety issues). See Tennessee notice periods explained.
Have a notice on your door? Review your notice.
Your first review is free with an account. We’ll tell you whether it’s a landlord notice or a court warrant, what kind of notice it is, and your next steps.
Next steps
- 14-day rent notice: see how to count a 14-day pay-or-vacate notice.
- Got a court date instead? That’s a detainer warrant.
Sources
- Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 66-28-505, 66-28-512; § 66-7-109
- CARES Act § 4024, 15 U.S.C. § 9058
- tn.gov / tncourts.gov landlord-tenant resources
This is general information to help you understand your papers, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and court practice can change, so check your papers and talk with a lawyer if you can. Can’t find a lawyer? We guarantee you one.
Have a notice on your door? Review your notice.
Your first review is free with an account.
The review reads your notice, tells you whether it’s a landlord notice or a court warrant (detainer warrant) and what kind of notice it is, and gives you your next steps.
Review your notice