A Notice Was Posted on My Door in Tennessee: What Is It and What Do I Do?

Reviewed Nov 4, 2026

Short answer: most papers taped to a Tennessee door are either a notice from your landlord (a warning, with no court case yet) or a detainer warrant (an eviction lawsuit with a court date). Look for a courtroom, date and time. If you see one, it is a court paper and you should plan to go. If you don’t, it is usually a landlord notice, and you usually still have time to pay, fix the problem, or talk with your landlord.

Step 1: Is it from your landlord or from the court?

<th>Landlord notice</th><th>Court paper (detainer warrant)</th>

Signed by the landlord or property manager	Headed with the court name, e.g. "Metropolitan General Sessions Court," and a case number
Gives a number of days (often 14 or 30)	Gives a courtroom, a date and a time to appear
Nothing filed in court yet	A lawsuit has been filed
Ignoring it usually leads to a lawsuit	Ignoring it can lead to a default judgment against you

A third kind of paper, a writ of possession (also called a writ of restitution), comes after a judgment and is served by the sheriff. If you have one, act the same day.

Step 2: If it’s a landlord notice, what kind?

• 14-day notice to pay or vacate: unpaid rent. You usually get 14 days (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505 in Davidson and other larger counties; § 66-7-109 in counties outside that law). See how to count a 14-day pay-or-vacate notice.
• Notice to fix a lease problem: a pet, guest, noise or damage issue. In Davidson County this is usually 14 days. In counties outside the landlord-tenant act, many lease problems get 30 days (§ 66-7-109).
• 7-day notice: in Davidson County and other counties under the landlord-tenant act, usually a repeat of the same problem within six months (§ 66-28-505).
• 3-day notice: violence, a real danger to other people or property, a hazardous or unsanitary condition, or an unauthorized occupant (§ 66-28-517).
• 30-day notice: ends a month-to-month lease (§ 66-28-512), or a notice required in many federally backed homes under the CARES Act. See when federally backed housing needs 30 days.
• Entry notice: your landlord plans to come in. That is not an eviction notice. See notices to enter your home.

Watch for one trap: some leases waive the 14-day rent notice in bold print, so a landlord can file in court right away. See Tennessee notice periods explained.

Step 3: What to do today

1. Take a photo of every page and write down the day you found it.
2. Find the date your notice gives. Day counts usually run from when you received it, so check your papers rather than assuming.
3. If you can pay or fix the problem, do it in writing and keep receipts.
4. Ask for help paying rent: call 2-1-1 (United Way) or Metro Action Commission in Nashville.
5. Don’t move out or stop answering just because of a notice. Only a court can order you out. If a landlord locks you out or cuts off essential services to push you out, the law lets you recover your home or damages (§ 66-28-504).

If it’s a detainer warrant

Go to court on the date listed. Read what happens after a detainer warrant and what to bring to eviction court. Nashville tenants can also contact Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee (las.org) for eviction help. Can’t find a lawyer? We guarantee you one.

Sources

• Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 66-28-505, 66-28-512, 66-28-504, 66-28-403 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act)
• Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-7-109 (counties outside the Act)
• Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-101 et seq. (detainer actions)
• CARES Act § 4024(c), 15 U.S.C. § 9058(c)
• Davidson County General Sessions Court Clerk, circuitclerk.nashville.gov; Tennessee courts, tncourts.gov

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.