Montana · Evictions · Updated Oct 2026

Montana eviction rules for tenants

The notices a landlord in Montana 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

Written 3-day notice to pay rent or the lease will end (MCA 70-24-422(2)).

Notice for unpaid rent
3 days
Time to respond in court
Not confirmed
Lockouts
Banned

If you get an eviction notice

  1. Read it closely: the kind of notice, the amount, the dates and how it was delivered. Use the timeline below.
  2. 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.
  3. Get free legal help now. Legal aid and the court's self-help center can check whether the notice is valid.
  4. If you are served with court papers, respond by the deadline and go to every hearing. Missing one can mean losing by default.
  5. Keep copies of the notice, your lease, rent receipts, texts and photos.

Eviction in Montana

Notice for unpaid rent
Written 3-day notice to pay rent or the lease will end (MCA 70-24-422(2)). If the notice is mailed with a certificate of mailing or by certified mail, it counts as served 3 days after mailing (MCA 70-24-108).
Notice for a lease violation
Written 14-day notice for most lease violations; you can avoid termination by fixing the problem before the date. 3 days for an unauthorized pet or unauthorized occupants (you can still fix it in time), and 3 days for verbal abuse of the landlord (ends only if not remedied). 3 days with no cure for damaging the property or creating a danger to the property or neighbors. A repeat of the same violation within 6 months: 5 days, no chance to cure (MCA 70-24-422).
Ending a month-to-month tenancy
At least 30 days' written notice from either side; week-to-week, 7 days (MCA 70-24-441).
Lockouts and utility shutoffs
Yes. If the landlord unlawfully removes or locks you out, or purposely cuts heat, water, hot water, electricity, gas or other essential services, you can get back in or end the lease and recover up to 3 months' rent or treble damages, whichever is greater (MCA 70-24-411).
Court self-help
The court's eviction self-help page
Law
MCA 70-24-411, 70-24-422, 70-24-441

Eviction notice timeline for Montana

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.

Enter the date you got the noticeThe timeline appears when you pick a date.

Dates are estimates from the rule in our data. We skip weekends only where the rule counts business or court days, and we don't skip holidays.

Where to get free help in Montana

Retaliation in Montana

A landlord may not raise rent, cut services, or file or threaten eviction because you complained to a code agency, complained to the landlord in writing about repairs, or joined a tenants' union. A complaint within 6 months before the landlord's action creates a presumption of retaliation (not if you complained after notice of a rent increase). Remedies: as for lockouts, up to 3 months' rent or treble damages, and a defense to eviction (MCA 70-24-431).

Rent increases and rent control in Montana

Notice of a rent increase
no statute setting a rent-increase notice; for month-to-month, the landlord can change terms by giving 30 days' written notice to end the tenancy. A rent increase in retaliation is banned (MCA 70-24-431).
Rent control
No statewide rent control or rent cap.

Questions about eviction in Montana

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

Written 3-day notice to pay rent or the lease will end (MCA 70-24-422(2)). If the notice is mailed with a certificate of mailing or by certified mail, it counts as served 3 days after mailing (MCA 70-24-108).

How much notice for a lease violation in Montana?

Written 14-day notice for most lease violations; you can avoid termination by fixing the problem before the date. 3 days for an unauthorized pet or unauthorized occupants (you can still fix it in time), and 3 days for verbal abuse of the landlord (ends only if not remedied). 3 days with no cure for damaging the property or creating a danger to the property or neighbors. A repeat of the same violation within 6 months: 5 days, no chance to cure (MCA 70-24-422).

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

At least 30 days' written notice from either side; week-to-week, 7 days (MCA 70-24-441).

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

Yes. If the landlord unlawfully removes or locks you out, or purposely cuts heat, water, hot water, electricity, gas or other essential services, you can get back in or end the lease and recover up to 3 months' rent or treble damages, whichever is greater (MCA 70-24-411).

More for Montana renters

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Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.