New York · Evictions · Updated Oct 2026

New York eviction rules for tenants

The notices a landlord in New York 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

14-day written rent demand to pay or leave, served as the law requires.

Notice for unpaid rent
14 days
Time to respond in court
Generally you answer at the first court date, orally or in writing (RPAPL 743).
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 New York

Notice for unpaid rent
14-day written rent demand to pay or leave, served as the law requires. It must include the Good Cause Eviction notice (whether your unit is covered, and if not, why). Paying the full rent before the hearing ends the case. You can't be evicted in a nonpayment case for late fees, legal fees or other added fees.
Notice for a lease violation
No general statewide cure period in Article 7; it depends on your lease. For units covered by Good Cause Eviction, the landlord must give written notice and 10 days to cure a lease violation before eviction. Rent-regulated units have their own rules.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy
Landlord, based on how long you have lived there: less than 1 year, 30 days; 1 to 2 years, 60 days; 2 years or more, 90 days. The same notice is needed to not renew a lease or raise rent by 5% or more. RPL 226-c, 232-a (NYC), 232-b (outside NYC). Tenant: no special statutory period was confirmed; follow your lease (commonly one month).
Time to respond to an eviction lawsuit
Generally you answer at the first court date, orally or in writing (RPAPL 743). In courts that use the special nonpayment procedure, you must answer within 10 days after the papers are served, or you can lose by default (RPAPL 732). Read your court papers for the exact date.
Lockouts and utility shutoffs
Yes. Once you have lived there 30 days or have a lease, it is illegal to evict you without a court order by force or threats, by changing or disabling locks, removing your door or belongings, or cutting essential services like heat or water. It is a class A misdemeanor with a civil penalty of $1,000 to $10,000 per violation, plus up to $100 a day if the landlord fails to restore you to the home. RPAPL 768.
Court self-help
The court's eviction self-help page
Law
RPAPL 711, 731, 732, 743, 768; RPL 226-c, 232-a, 232-b; RPL Article 6-A

Eviction notice timeline for New York

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 New York

Retaliation in New York

The landlord may not evict you, refuse to renew, or offer a new lease with an unreasonable rent increase because you made a good-faith complaint (to the landlord or a government agency), enforced your rights, or joined a tenant organization. If the landlord acts within 1 year after your complaint or action, retaliation is presumed and the landlord must prove a non-retaliatory reason. You can win the eviction case and sue for damages and attorney fees. Owner-occupied buildings with fewer than 4 units are exempt. RPL 223-b.

Rent increases and rent control in New York

Notice of a rent increase
Required for any increase of 5% or more (and for non-renewal): 30 days if you have lived there less than 1 year, 60 days for 1 to 2 years, 90 days for 2 years or more. If the landlord gives late notice, your current terms continue until the notice period runs out. RPL 226-c.
Rent control
No single statewide cap. Rent stabilization and rent control apply to many older buildings in NYC and some communities in Nassau, Rockland and Westchester (and others that opted in). Good Cause Eviction (2024) applies in NYC and in cities, towns and villages that opt in (such as Albany, Beacon, Ithaca, Kingston, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, White Plains). For covered units, a rent increase above the 'local rent standard' (inflation plus 5%, max 10%) is presumed unreasonable; for 2026 it is 8.38% in the NYC area and 8.15% upstate. Small landlords (10 or fewer units, or fewer if the locality says so), new buildings (certificate of occupancy after 2009, for 30 years), luxury units and others are exempt.

Questions about eviction in New York

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

14-day written rent demand to pay or leave, served as the law requires. It must include the Good Cause Eviction notice (whether your unit is covered, and if not, why). Paying the full rent before the hearing ends the case. You can't be evicted in a nonpayment case for late fees, legal fees or other added fees.

How much notice for a lease violation in New York?

No general statewide cure period in Article 7; it depends on your lease. For units covered by Good Cause Eviction, the landlord must give written notice and 10 days to cure a lease violation before eviction. Rent-regulated units have their own rules.

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

Landlord, based on how long you have lived there: less than 1 year, 30 days; 1 to 2 years, 60 days; 2 years or more, 90 days. The same notice is needed to not renew a lease or raise rent by 5% or more. RPL 226-c, 232-a (NYC), 232-b (outside NYC). Tenant: no special statutory period was confirmed; follow your lease (commonly one month).

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

Generally you answer at the first court date, orally or in writing (RPAPL 743). In courts that use the special nonpayment procedure, you must answer within 10 days after the papers are served, or you can lose by default (RPAPL 732). Read your court papers for the exact date.

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

Yes. Once you have lived there 30 days or have a lease, it is illegal to evict you without a court order by force or threats, by changing or disabling locks, removing your door or belongings, or cutting essential services like heat or water. It is a class A misdemeanor with a civil penalty of $1,000 to $10,000 per violation, plus up to $100 a day if the landlord fails to restore you to the home. RPAPL 768.

More for New York renters

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Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.