Landlord entry notice (notice of intent to enter)
By Justin Winter · Updated August 22, 2026
The short answer
Many states require advance notice before a landlord enters, and a dated record shows you gave it. Send it Certified, $12.99 all-in: USPS records when it was mailed and tracks it to delivery. Preview the exact pages free. Check your state's notice period; this template is not legal advice.
The math
The math on one certified letter.
| Option | Cost | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| paperplane, Certified Mail | $12.99, 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.
Landlords send an entry notice before going into an occupied unit for a repair, an inspection, an appraisal, or to show the unit to a prospective tenant or buyer. Most states require some form of advance written notice for anything short of an emergency, and a mailed letter with a delivery record is the cleanest way to show you gave it — a text or a note taped to the door is easy for a tenant to say they never saw.
How much notice do you actually need to give?
This is the part that varies by state. Many states set a minimum of 24 hours, others require 48, and a few have no statutory minimum at all but still expect "reasonable" notice. Some states also limit the hours you can enter (say, between 8am and 8pm) or require you to state a reason. Check your state's landlord-tenant statute before you set the date and time on the letter — this template does not know your state's rule for you.
What to include
A specific date and approximate time, a stated reason (repair, inspection, showing, etc.), and how the tenant can reach you if that time does not work. Vague language like "sometime this week" invites a dispute; a specific date and time does not.
How it works
- Open the template and fill in the tenant's name, the rental address, the date, time, and reason for entry.
- Pay $12.99 (Certified Mail, all-in) — the letter prints and mails the next business day.
- You get a tracking number and USPS mailing receipt as proof the notice went out.
If you want a signed proof-of-delivery record on top of that — useful if you expect this particular tenant to dispute receiving notice — Certified + electronic Return Receipt is $14.99 and adds that signed confirmation.
This template is a tool, not legal advice. Entry notice rules, permitted reasons, and allowed hours vary by state and sometimes by city — confirm yours before relying on this letter to satisfy a legal requirement.
Keep reading
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 much advance notice do I need to give before entering a rental unit?
Most states require 24 to 48 hours advance notice for non-emergency entry, though exact requirements and acceptable delivery methods vary by state. Confirm your state's specific rule before setting the date on this notice.
Do I need to mail this every time, or can I text or post it?
Many states accept verbal notice, a text, or a posted notice for routine entry — mailing is not always required. Certified Mail is most useful when entry is disputed, recurring, or you want an unambiguous dated record for your own files.
Is this legal advice?
No — it is a template. Advance-notice periods, acceptable reasons for entry, and required delivery methods vary significantly by state; confirm your local landlord-tenant law before relying on this notice.