Lease glossary

Cure-or-quit notice

A cure-or-quit notice tells a tenant who has broken a lease rule, other than paying rent, to fix the problem within a set time or move out. Typical reasons are an unauthorized pet, an extra occupant or repeated noise, and a tenant who fixes the problem in time keeps the tenancy.

Also called perform-or-quit notice · notice to comply or vacate

Example

A lease bans dogs, and a landlord in Washington finds one living in the unit. The landlord serves a 10-day notice to comply or vacate on October 1, 2026. If the dog is rehomed, or the landlord approves it with a pet addendum, by October 11, the matter is closed. If not, the landlord can file for eviction on the violation.

In a lease it looks like…

If Tenant breaks any term of this Lease other than payment of rent, Landlord may give Tenant written notice describing the violation and requiring that it be corrected within the period allowed by law, failing which Tenant shall vacate.

By state

Cure periods differ by state, from 3 days in California to 30 in Maryland, and some violations, such as serious illegal activity, can skip the chance to cure altogether.

Plain English, not legal advice. Last reviewed September 29, 2026.