Eviction: Meaning and Lease Example

Eviction

An eviction is the court process a landlord must use to remove a tenant and take back possession of a rental. It starts with a written notice, moves to a court case if the tenant does not pay, fix the problem or leave, and ends with a judgment that a sheriff or marshal carries out.

Also called unlawful detainer · summary possession · forcible entry and detainer

Example

A landlord in Florida serves a 3-day notice for $1,800 in unpaid rent on Monday, October 5, 2026. Weekends and legal holidays are excluded, so the deadline is Thursday the 8th. The landlord files on October 9, and the tenant has 5 court days to respond. If the court rules for the landlord, the sheriff posts a 24-hour notice before returning possession. Uncontested cases like this often take three to five weeks from notice to lockout.

In a lease it looks like…

If Tenant fails to pay rent when due or otherwise breaches this Lease, Landlord may end Tenant’s right to possession as permitted by law and recover possession through legal proceedings, together with unpaid rent and court costs.

By state

Notice periods, court timelines and tenant protections differ widely by state and city, and some places require a legal reason, called just cause, for any eviction.

Notice to vacate by state

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