Landlord-tenant
Cure or quit notice
By Justin Winter · Updated August 20, 2026
The short answer
A cure-or-quit notice sets a deadline to fix a violation, so the date the tenant received it matters. Send it Certified with electronic Return Receipt, $14.99 all-in: USPS records when it was mailed and when it was signed for. Preview the exact pages free. Notice rules vary by state; this template is not legal advice.
The math
The math on one certified letter.
| Option | Cost | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| paperplane, Certified + Return Receipt | $14.99, all in | About two minutes |
| At the counter | USPS fees, plus printing, an envelope and the trip | About ten minutes at the counter, plus the drive and the line |
USPS charges the same fees whoever hands the letter over. The difference is the trip, the form and the slip you keep for a year.
Not every lease violation is about rent. A cure-or-quit notice covers a fixable problem — an unauthorized pet, damage, a noise complaint — and gives the tenant a set number of days to fix it before you can move toward eviction. For unpaid rent specifically, use a late rent notice instead.
How long is the cure period?
Set entirely by your state — often somewhere between 3 and 30 days depending on the violation. Confirm your state's requirement before setting the deadline in this letter.
How it works
- Open the template, describe the specific violation and the required fix.
- Pay $14.99 (Certified + Return Receipt) — mailed the next business day.
- Keep the delivery record for your file.
This template is a tool, not legal advice — confirm your state and local notice requirements before sending.
Questions before you send
Why not go to the post office myself?
You can, and if your time is free it costs less. USPS charges the same fees whoever hands the letter over; paperplane does not replace the post office, it replaces the trip. The mailing record comes from USPS, not from us. $12.99 covers the printing, the envelope, PS Form 3800, a USPS address check before you pay and a handoff the next business day. For a letter you already know how to send, the counter is a fine choice.
What if they refuse the letter?
USPS tracking records what happened to it, including refused or unclaimed. You still have the mailing record. Rules on what that means vary, so check with your court or an attorney if a deadline depends on it.
If something goes wrong, do I pay?
If we cannot mail the letter, the hold on your card is released and you are not charged. If a letter fails after your card is charged, you are refunded automatically and in full.
How is this different from a pay-or-quit or late rent notice?
A cure-or-quit notice is for a fixable lease violation that is not about unpaid rent — an unauthorized pet, damage, or a noise issue. A pay-or-quit notice is specifically for unpaid rent.
How many days does the tenant get to cure?
It is set by state law and varies — often somewhere between 3 and 30 days depending on the state and the violation. Confirm your state's requirement before setting the deadline in this letter.
Is this legal advice?
No — it is a template, not legal advice. Landlord-tenant notice law is state- and sometimes city-specific; confirm the required notice period and language for your jurisdiction.