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Late Rent Notice Requirements in Connecticut 2025

Grace period, late fee cap, and pay-or-quit notice rules , C.G.S. § 47a-15a

9 days Grace period before late fee / notice
3 days Pay-or-quit notice period
$5/day after grace expires Late fee cap
$1,727/mo Statewide median gross rent (ACS 2023)
Connecticut Quick Rule: 9-day grace period from the due date. After day 9, landlord may charge $5/day in late fees and serve a 3-day notice.
Authority: C.G.S. § 47a-15a

Connecticut does not use a combined "pay or quit" notice the way many states do. Instead, unpaid rent runs through two separate mechanisms: a statutory grace period under CGS 47a-15a, and then a notice to quit under CGS 47a-23. The important practical point for landlords is that nonpayment of rent is carved out of the usual pretermination notice requirement in CGS 47a-15, so you move directly from the grace period to the notice to quit without an intermediate cure notice.

Rent that is unpaid when due is not immediately actionable. The tenant must be given a nine-day grace period to pay before the rental agreement can be terminated for nonpayment. Only after that window closes may you serve the notice to quit that starts the summary process (eviction) clock.

The nine-day grace period comes first

Under CGS 47a-15a, if rent is unpaid when due and the tenant fails to pay within nine days thereafter, the landlord may terminate the rental agreement for nonpayment. For a one-week tenancy, the grace period is shortened to four days. This grace period is statutory and cannot be shortened by lease language.

The nine-day clock is why a notice to quit served too early is defective. Rent due on the first is not "late" for eviction purposes until the grace period expires. Serving the notice to quit before day ten (for a standard tenancy) risks having the summary process case dismissed and forces you to start over.

A valid written late-fee clause can still apply. Connecticut caps late charges at the lesser of five dollars per day up to a maximum of fifty dollars, or five percent of the delinquent rent payment, and the charge may only be assessed after the grace period ends (CGS 47a-15a and 47a-4a).

No pretermination notice for nonpayment

For most lease violations, Connecticut requires a pretermination notice under CGS 47a-15 giving the tenant fifteen days to cure. Nonpayment of rent is the major exception. The statute expressly excludes cases where the landlord elects to proceed under CGS 47a-23 to 47a-23b to evict for nonpayment.

In plain terms: you do not send a separate cure notice for unpaid rent. Once the nine-day grace period has run, the next document is the notice to quit itself. This makes the Connecticut nonpayment path shorter on paper than its lease-violation path, but the service and content rules for the notice to quit are strict and unforgiving.

What the notice to quit must contain

The notice to quit under CGS 47a-23 must be in writing and must give the tenant at least three days to move out before you file the summary process complaint. The three days exclude both the date service is made and the stated quit date, so count generously.

The notice must identify the specific property, including apartment or unit designation, and must state the reason for the notice to quit using the statutory language or words of similar import. For unpaid rent, that reason is nonpayment of rent. Connecticut publishes a sample form beginning "I (or we) hereby give you notice that you are to quit possession or occupancy of..." that landlords should track closely.

Getting the reason wrong, naming the wrong parties, or misstating the address are common grounds for dismissal. Every adult occupant and named lessee should be listed and served.

How the notice must be served

Connecticut does not permit landlords to serve the notice to quit themselves. Service must be made by a state marshal, proper officer, or indifferent person (a neutral third party). In practice, landlords use a state marshal so there is a sworn return of service for the court file.

The server may deliver the notice in person to the tenant or occupant, or leave it at the tenant's place of residence. Service may be made on any day of the week. Keep the marshal's return of service; it is your proof of the start date for the three-day period and is a routine target for tenant defenses.

After the notice: summary process

Once the three-day notice period expires and the tenant has not vacated or resolved the balance, you may file a summary process complaint under CGS 47a-23 to 47a-23b. For a month-to-month or week-to-week dwelling, the notice to quit terminates the rental agreement and converts the tenancy to a tenancy at sufferance, which is the legal footing for the eviction.

Note that accepting rent after the notice to quit can waive it and require you to start over, so decide before you serve whether you intend to accept a late cure. Separately, at the summary process stage Connecticut requires landlords to provide tenants written notice of protected rights on a form from the Commissioner of Housing, available in English and Spanish as of January 1, 2024, with five additional language translations required by 2028 (CGS 47a-23c(e)).

The Pay-or-Quit Notice Process in Connecticut

Once rent is late and the 9-day grace period has expired, the landlord must serve a formal 3-day pay-or-quit notice (C.G.S. § 47a-23) before filing for eviction. This notice must state the total amount owed and give the tenant the option to either pay in full or vacate. If the tenant does neither, the landlord may file an unlawful detainer action in Connecticut court.

Fill-In Notice Template, Connecticut

NOTICE TO PAY RENT OR QUIT CONNECTICUT TO: [Tenant Full Name(s)] PROPERTY ADDRESS: [Street Address, City, CT ZIP] NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that rent is past due for the following period: Rental Period: [Month and Year] Monthly Rent: $[RENT AMOUNT] Balance Due: $[TOTAL OWED] The 9-day grace period under C.G.S. § 47a-15a has expired. YOU HAVE 3 DAYS from the date this notice is served to either: (1) Pay the full balance of $[TOTAL OWED] to: [Landlord name and payment address or method] OR (2) Vacate and surrender possession of the premises. FAILURE to comply within 3 days will result in eviction proceedings being filed in Connecticut court pursuant to C.G.S. § 47a-23. Date Served: [Date] Landlord: [Printed Name] Signature: ___________________________ Phone: [Contact Number]

This page reflects Connecticut General Statutes Title 47a, chapters 830 and 832, including CGS 47a-15a (nonpayment grace period), CGS 47a-15 (pretermination notice and its nonpayment exclusion), CGS 47a-23 (notice to quit), CGS 47a-4a and 47a-15a (late-fee caps), and CGS 47a-23c (protected-rights notice). Summary process timelines and service rules are strictly enforced by Connecticut housing courts, and a defective notice to quit is a frequent basis for dismissal. This is general information for landlords, not legal advice; confirm current statutory text and consult a Connecticut attorney or state marshal before serving notice or filing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days is the grace period for late rent in Connecticut?

Nine days. Under CGS 47a-15a, rent unpaid when due does not become grounds for termination until the tenant fails to pay within nine days thereafter. For a one-week tenancy the grace period is four days. The landlord cannot serve a notice to quit for nonpayment until this period expires.

Do I have to send a pretermination notice before evicting for unpaid rent?

No. Nonpayment of rent is expressly excluded from the CGS 47a-15 pretermination (cure) notice requirement. After the nine-day grace period ends, you proceed directly to the notice to quit under CGS 47a-23. The cure notice applies to other lease violations, not to unpaid rent.

How much notice does the Connecticut notice to quit give?

At least three days. The notice to quit under CGS 47a-23 must give the tenant at least three full days to move out before you file the summary process case, and those three days exclude the date of service and the stated quit date.

Can I serve the notice to quit myself?

No. In Connecticut the notice to quit must be served by a state marshal, proper officer, or indifferent person. It can be delivered in person or left at the tenant's residence, on any day of the week. Most landlords use a state marshal to get a sworn return of service for the court.

How much can I charge in late fees on unpaid rent in Connecticut?

If your lease has a valid written late-fee clause, the charge is capped at the lesser of five dollars per day up to a maximum of fifty dollars, or five percent of the delinquent rent (CGS 47a-15a and 47a-4a). The fee can only be assessed after the grace period ends.

What happens if I accept rent after serving the notice to quit?

Accepting rent after the notice to quit can waive the notice and require you to start the process over. Decide before serving whether you will accept a late payment, because a late cure can undo the termination and reset the tenancy.

Related Guides for Connecticut Landlords

← Connecticut Eviction Risk Overview Connecticut Eviction Notice Templates Connecticut Security Deposit Limits Connecticut Rent Increase Calculator Late Rent Rules, All States

Data sourced from Connecticut published statutes (C.G.S. § 47a-23), U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2023 5-Year Estimates. Last updated August 28, 2026. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney for your specific situation.