Mail a notice to pay, cure, or quit
Notices to pay rent or quit, cure-or-quit notices, and lease-termination notices can be sent as USPS Certified Mail for $12.99 ($14.99 with electronic Return Receipt) so the notice period has a provable start date before you file for eviction.
Usually the right pick: Certified + Return Receipt · $14.99
Eviction is the one landlord-tenant action where getting notice wrong can throw the whole case out. Courts routinely dismiss eviction filings because the landlord cannot prove the tenant actually received the pay-or-quit or cure-or-quit notice, or cannot prove when the statutory cure period began. Certified Mail with an electronic Return Receipt gives you both dates: when it was mailed and when it was signed for.
Read your state and local ordinance before choosing a delivery method — this is the one area of landlord-tenant law where mail alone is often not enough. Many jurisdictions require notice by more than one method (mail plus posting on the door, or mail plus personal delivery attempt), and some require a process server for the eviction summons itself once you actually file. Certified Mail is frequently one accepted leg of that combination, not always the whole requirement.
What this is honestly good for: the pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, and lease-termination notices that precede a filing, where your local rule accepts or requires mail. It is not a substitute for the summons and complaint service that most courts require once the case is filed — that step usually needs a sheriff, constable, or process server regardless of how the pre-filing notice was handled.
Address it to every named tenant on the lease at the unit address, and to any address the lease designates for notice if different. The letter is printed and handed to USPS the next business day, and the Return Receipt lands in your email once signed — attach it to your filing.
Common questions
Is Certified Mail enough to serve an eviction notice?
It depends on your state and local court rules. Many jurisdictions accept or require Certified Mail for the pre-filing notice (pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit) but require a different method — posting, personal service, or a process server — for the notice itself or for the eviction summons once filed. Check your local rules before relying on mail alone.
What if the tenant refuses to sign for the Certified letter?
USPS logs the delivery attempt regardless, and many statutes treat a refused or unclaimed Certified letter as sufficient notice once mailed. Keep the tracking history from your order — it shows the attempt even without a signature.
Can I send notices to more than one tenant on the same lease?
Yes — send a separate order addressed to each named tenant if your state requires individual notice, or one letter addressed to all named tenants at the unit if that satisfies your jurisdiction. Each order is one piece of mail, so plan for one order per required recipient.