Mississippi · Evictions · Updated Oct 2026

Mississippi eviction rules for tenants

The notices a landlord in Mississippi must give, how long you have to respond in court, why a lockout is illegal and where to get free legal help fast.

Short answer

A written 3-day notice (or by email or text if you agreed in writing) saying the lease will end if the rent is not paid within 3 days (Miss.

Notice for unpaid rent: 3 days
Time to respond in court: The summons names a hearing date; go to the hearing and present any defense.
Lockouts: See the rule

If you get an eviction notice

Read it closely: the kind of notice, the amount, the dates and how it was delivered. Use the timeline below.
Don't move out or stop paying because of a notice alone. Only a court can order an eviction; the notice is the first step.
Get free legal help now. Legal aid and the court's self-help center can check whether the notice is valid.
If you are served with court papers, respond by the deadline and go to every hearing. Missing one can mean losing by default.
Keep copies of the notice, your lease, rent receipts, texts and photos.

Eviction in Mississippi

Notice for unpaid rent: A written 3-day notice (or by email or text if you agreed in writing) saying the lease will end if the rent is not paid within 3 days (Miss. Code §89-8-13(5)). The statute does not say whether weekends count.
Notice for a lease violation: A written 14-day notice describing the breach; if you fix it within 14 days, the lease does not end. A repeat of the same breach within 6 months allows termination on 14 days' notice (Miss. Code §89-8-13(3)).
Ending a month-to-month tenancy: 30 days' written notice from either side; week-to-week, 7 days. No notice is needed for a substantial violation that materially affects health or safety (Miss. Code §89-8-19). After a fixed-term lease ends, the landlord may give a 3-day notice before filing (§89-8-17).
Time to respond to an eviction lawsuit: The summons names a hearing date; go to the hearing and present any defense. If the landlord wins, you usually get at least 7 days to move out. In a nonpayment case, you do not have to move if you pay everything owed before the hearing or by the court-ordered move-out date (Miss. Code §§89-8-35, 89-8-39).
Lockouts and utility shutoffs: The Act sets out a court process: removal only by warrant executed by the sheriff or constable after a judgment (Miss. Code §§89-8-31 to 89-8-39). After removal you get 72 hours of reasonable access to get your belongings. No statute sets a specific penalty for lockouts or utility shutoffs. Since March 25, 2026 (HB 1404), it is a crime for a landlord who collected utility money under a lease to knowingly fail to pay the utility bill within 60 days of receiving it.
Court self-help: The court's eviction self-help page
Law: Miss. Code Ann. §§89-8-13, 89-8-17, 89-8-19, 89-8-31 to 89-8-41

Eviction notice timeline for Mississippi

Got a notice from your landlord? Enter the kind of notice and the day you got it to see the dates that follow from your state's rule, what your landlord may not do, and where to get free help fast.

This is not legal advice. Eviction deadlines are short and missing one can cost you your home. Read your notice carefully and contact legal aid or your court's self-help center right away.

Where to get free help in Mississippi

Retaliation in Mississippi

Limited. After a lease expires, a landlord may not raise rent or start eviction with the dominant purpose of retaliating against you for actions the Act allows (such as written repair complaints) (Miss. Code §89-8-17(2)). No general retaliation statute with a presumption period.

Rent increases and rent control in Mississippi

Notice of a rent increase: no statute; for month-to-month, the landlord can end the tenancy with 30 days' notice. After a lease ends, the landlord may demand higher rent unless the main purpose is retaliation (Miss. Code §89-8-17).
Rent control: No statewide rent control or rent cap.

Questions about eviction in Mississippi

How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Mississippi?

A written 3-day notice (or by email or text if you agreed in writing) saying the lease will end if the rent is not paid within 3 days (Miss. Code §89-8-13(5)). The statute does not say whether weekends count.

How much notice for a lease violation in Mississippi?

A written 14-day notice describing the breach; if you fix it within 14 days, the lease does not end. A repeat of the same breach within 6 months allows termination on 14 days' notice (Miss. Code §89-8-13(3)).

How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in Mississippi?

30 days' written notice from either side; week-to-week, 7 days. No notice is needed for a substantial violation that materially affects health or safety (Miss. Code §89-8-19). After a fixed-term lease ends, the landlord may give a 3-day notice before filing (§89-8-17).

How long do I have to respond to an eviction lawsuit in Mississippi?

The summons names a hearing date; go to the hearing and present any defense. If the landlord wins, you usually get at least 7 days to move out. In a nonpayment case, you do not have to move if you pay everything owed before the hearing or by the court-ordered move-out date (Miss. Code §§89-8-35, 89-8-39).

Can my landlord lock me out or shut off utilities in Mississippi?

The Act sets out a court process: removal only by warrant executed by the sheriff or constable after a judgment (Miss. Code §§89-8-31 to 89-8-39). After removal you get 72 hours of reasonable access to get your belongings. No statute sets a specific penalty for lockouts or utility shutoffs. Since March 25, 2026 (HB 1404), it is a crime for a landlord who collected utility money under a lease to knowingly fail to pay the utility bill within 60 days of receiving it.

More for Mississippi renters

Eviction in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.