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Eviction timeline in Tennessee

Tennessee Eviction Timeline

Uncontested: 21–45 days  ·  Contested: 45–120 days  ·  Under T.C.A. § 66-28 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act)

The Tennessee eviction process requires a court-ordered judgment before a landlord can remove a tenant. Timeline figures below begin after the pre-filing notice period expires and the landlord files the complaint with the court. Add 3–60+ days for the applicable pre-filing notice period (pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or no-fault) depending on the eviction reason.

Tennessee Eviction Timeline at a Glance1

21–45 days Uncontested
45–120 days Contested
$200–$300 Court filing fee
$500–$2,500 Attorney fees (est.)
#4 of 51 Fastest nationally
Uncontested eviction (after filing) 21–45 days T.C.A. § 66-28 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act)
Contested eviction (after filing) 45–120 days T.C.A. § 66-28 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act)
Pre-filing notice: Nonpayment of rent (URLTA counties) 7 days TCA § 66-28-505 (as amended by SB-1088)
Pre-filing notice: Material breach (URLTA counties) 14 days TCA § 66-28-505
Pre-filing notice: Non-curable breach 3 days TCA § 66-28-517
Pre-filing notice: Non-URLTA county (population under 75,000) 30 days TCA Title 29 Chapter 18
Court filing fee $200–$300 T.C.A. § 66-28 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act)

Step-by-step Tennessee eviction process

Day-by-day, every stage.

Each row's day-label is the cumulative start of that stage on the worst-case clock.
Pre-filing Notice File Court Lockout
  1. 3–14d
    1
    Stage 1 · Gate

    Serve the notice

    Day 1

    7 days for nonpayment in URLTA counties (SB-1088, effective 2025-07-01). 14 days for material breach. 3 days unconditional for non-curable breach.

  2. 1–3d
    2
    Stage 2 · Serve

    File detainer warrant in General Sessions Court

    Day 15

    General Sessions Court for the county where the property sits. Filing fee $50-$90.

  3. 5–14d
    3
    Stage 3 · File

    Service and 14-day trial

    Day 18

    Sheriff serves detainer warrant. Trial within 14 days of filing under TCA § 29-18-117.

  4. Same day
    4
    Stage 4 · Court

    Trial and judgment

    Day 32

    Bench trial. Same-day judgment common. No jury.

  5. 0–1d
    5
    Stage 5 · Court

    Writ of possession within 24 hours

    Day 32

    Writ must be issued within 24 hours of judgment on nonpayment cases (SB-1088). Tenant has 7 days from issuance to vacate.

  6. 7d
    6
    Stage 6 · Lockout

    Sheriff lockout

    Day 33

    Sheriff executes after the 7-day vacate window expires. Among the fastest back-end execution windows in the country.

  7. Day 40
    ✓
    Possession recovered
    Worst case · Day 40
Timelines begin at court filing, not notice service. The Tennessee timelines above start when the landlord files the eviction complaint with the court. Add pre-filing notice periods (3–60 days depending on eviction reason) to get the full end-to-end timeline. Self-help eviction, changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities, is illegal in Tennessee and exposes the landlord to significant damages.

Other Guides for Tennessee

← Tennessee Eviction Risk OverviewEviction Costs: TennesseeEviction Process: TennesseeRent Control Guide: TennesseeTenant Screening: TennesseeTenant Protections: TennesseeTenant Rights: TennesseeNotice Templates: Tennessee

Eviction Timeline in Other States

Kentucky District of Columbia South Carolina Mississippi ← All States Compared

Informational only, not legal advice. Consult a licensed Tennessee attorney. Source attribution in the Sources band below.