Ohio eviction laws
Notices, deadlines, court and tenant rights in Ohio — in plain English.
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Overview
- The court case
- Forcible entry and detainer (FED) action
- Court
- Municipal Court or County Court for the area where the property is located
- Main laws
- Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1923 (forcible entry and detainer) and Chapter 5321 (Landlords and Tenants)
Just-cause protection
No statewide law
Ohio has no just-cause eviction law. A landlord may end a month-to-month or week-to-week tenancy without a reason with proper notice, or decline to renew a lease, as long as it is not retaliation or discrimination. (R.C. 5321.17, 5321.02)
Notices before filing, by reason
What a landlord must serve before filing — and what a tenant should expect to receive.
Unpaid rent — 3-Day Notice to Leave the Premises
Before filing, the landlord must serve a written 3-day notice to leave the premises containing required statutory wording. Ohio law does not require the notice to offer the tenant a chance to pay, and the landlord can refuse late rent after serving it.
3-Day Notice to Leave the Premises
- Notice period
- 3 days
- Counting
- Give at least 3 days before filing. Do not count the day of service. Double-check with the court: Some Ohio courts exclude weekends and legal holidays from the 3 days (Civ.R. 6 / R.C. 1.14); to be safe, give 3 business days, and if the last day falls on a weekend or holiday, file after the next business day.
- Tenant can fix it?
- No
- Must include
- Tenant name(s) and rental address
- Reason for the notice (nonpayment of rent) and the date by which the tenant must leave
- This exact statement, printed conspicuously: "You are being asked to leave the premises. If you do not leave, an eviction action may be initiated against you. If you are in doubt regarding your legal rights and obligations as a tenant, it is recommended that you seek legal assistance."
- Date and landlord signature
- How to serve
- Hand it to the tenant in person; Leave it with an adult who lives there (and mail a copy if required); Certified mail (return receipt). Hand it to the tenant in person, OR leave it at the tenant's home or at the rental premises (for example, at the door), OR send it by certified mail, return receipt requested (allow for delivery time).
- Law
- R.C. 1923.04
- Accepting rent after serving the 3-day notice may waive the notice unless the landlord makes clear in writing the payment is accepted without waiving the eviction; if in doubt, serve a new notice.
- Some cities (e.g., Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo, Dayton, Cleveland Heights, Akron) have 'pay-to-stay' ordinances letting the tenant stop a nonpayment eviction by paying all rent and reasonable late fees before the hearing.
- Cleveland and several other cities give income-eligible tenants a right to counsel.
The tenant broke the lease or rules — 30-Day Notice to Remedy (Health and Safety Violation) → 3-Day Notice to Leave the Premises
If the tenant breaks a tenant duty that materially affects health and safety (R.C. 5321.05), the landlord first gives a 30-day notice describing the problem; if the tenant does not fix it, the tenancy ends and the landlord then serves the 3-day notice to leave. For other lease violations that the lease says end the tenancy, the landlord serves the 3-day notice.
30-Day Notice to Remedy (Health and Safety Violation)
- Notice period
- 30 days
- Counting
- Termination date at least 30 days after the tenant receives the notice. Day of receipt not counted.
- Tenant can fix it?
- Yes, within the notice period
- Must include
- Tenant name(s) and rental address
- The act or omission that violates R.C. 5321.05 and how it materially affects health and safety
- Statement that the rental agreement will terminate on a stated date (at least 30 days after receipt) unless the tenant remedies the breach
- Date and landlord signature
- How to serve
- Hand it to the tenant in person; Leave it with an adult who lives there (and mail a copy if required); Certified mail (return receipt). Deliver in writing; hand delivery or certified mail gives the best proof of receipt.
- Law
- R.C. 5321.11
3-Day Notice to Leave the Premises
- Notice period
- 3 days
- Counting
- Served after the 30-day period expires without cure (or directly, for lease breaches that end the tenancy under the lease). Do not count the day of service; VERIFY local practice on weekends/holidays.
- Tenant can fix it?
- No
- Must include
- Tenant name(s) and rental address
- Reason for the notice
- Required statement: "You are being asked to leave the premises. If you do not leave, an eviction action may be initiated against you. If you are in doubt regarding your legal rights and obligations as a tenant, it is recommended that you seek legal assistance."
- Date and landlord signature
- How to serve
- Hand it to the tenant in person; Leave it with an adult who lives there (and mail a copy if required); Certified mail (return receipt). Hand it to the tenant, leave it at the tenant's home or the premises, or send by certified mail, return receipt requested.
- Law
- R.C. 1923.04
- Double-check with the court: For a lease violation that does not involve health and safety, Ohio courts generally allow eviction on a 3-day notice only if the written lease makes the breach a ground to terminate.
The lease ended and the tenant stayed — 3-Day Notice to Leave the Premises
When a fixed-term lease ends and the tenant stays, no advance termination notice is needed (unless the lease requires one), but the landlord must still serve the 3-day notice to leave before filing.
3-Day Notice to Leave the Premises
- Notice period
- 3 days
- Counting
- Serve on or after the day after the lease ends; file after 3 full days, not counting the day of service. VERIFY local practice on weekends/holidays.
- Tenant can fix it?
- No
- Must include
- Tenant name(s) and rental address
- Statement that the lease term ended on a specific date
- Required statement: "You are being asked to leave the premises. If you do not leave, an eviction action may be initiated against you. If you are in doubt regarding your legal rights and obligations as a tenant, it is recommended that you seek legal assistance."
- Date and landlord signature
- How to serve
- Hand it to the tenant in person; Leave it with an adult who lives there (and mail a copy if required); Certified mail (return receipt). Hand it to the tenant, leave it at the tenant's home or the premises, or send by certified mail, return receipt requested.
- Law
- R.C. 1923.02(A)(1), 1923.04
- Many leases automatically renew month-to-month unless notice of non-renewal is given; check the lease.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy (no fault) — 30-Day Notice of Termination (Month-to-Month) → 3-Day Notice to Leave the Premises
A month-to-month tenancy is ended by written notice at least 30 days before the next rent due date (7 days for week-to-week). If the tenant stays after that date, the landlord serves the 3-day notice to leave and then files.
30-Day Notice of Termination (Month-to-Month)
- Notice period
- 30 days (week-to-week: 7 days, month-to-month: 30 days)
- Counting
- Must be given at least 30 days before the periodic rental date (the day rent is due) on which the tenancy ends; 7 days before for week-to-week. Day of service not counted.
- Tenant can fix it?
- No
- Must include
- Tenant name(s) and rental address
- Statement that the tenancy is terminated and the termination date (a rent due date)
- Date and landlord signature
- How to serve
- Hand it to the tenant in person; Leave it with an adult who lives there (and mail a copy if required); Certified mail (return receipt); First-class mail. R.C. 5321.17 does not specify a method; hand delivery or certified mail gives the best proof.
- Law
- R.C. 5321.17(A), (B)
3-Day Notice to Leave the Premises
- Notice period
- 3 days
- Counting
- Serve after the termination date passes; day of service not counted. VERIFY local practice on weekends/holidays.
- Tenant can fix it?
- No
- Must include
- Tenant name(s) and rental address
- Statement that the tenancy terminated on a specific date
- Required statement: "You are being asked to leave the premises. If you do not leave, an eviction action may be initiated against you. If you are in doubt regarding your legal rights and obligations as a tenant, it is recommended that you seek legal assistance."
- Date and landlord signature
- How to serve
- Hand it to the tenant in person; Leave it with an adult who lives there (and mail a copy if required); Certified mail (return receipt). Hand it to the tenant, leave it at the tenant's home or the premises, or send by certified mail, return receipt requested.
- Law
- R.C. 1923.04
- Termination in retaliation for a tenant's code complaint or organizing is not allowed (R.C. 5321.02).
Illegal activity, violence or serious damage — 3-Day Notice of Termination (Drug Activity)
If the landlord has actual knowledge or reasonable cause to believe the tenant, a household member or guest is involved in drug activity on or near the premises, the landlord must terminate the tenancy with a 3-day notice; a conviction is not required. This notice also satisfies the 3-day notice to leave.
3-Day Notice of Termination (Drug Activity)
- Notice period
- 3 days
- Counting
- Tenancy terminates 3 days after the notice is given; day of service not counted.
- Tenant can fix it?
- No
- Must include
- Tenant name(s) and rental address
- Statement that the tenancy is terminated under R.C. 5321.17(C) because of drug-related activity, with facts
- Termination date (3 days after notice)
- Required statement: "You are being asked to leave the premises. If you do not leave, an eviction action may be initiated against you. If you are in doubt regarding your legal rights and obligations as a tenant, it is recommended that you seek legal assistance."
- Date and landlord signature
- How to serve
- Hand it to the tenant in person; Leave it with an adult who lives there (and mail a copy if required); Certified mail (return receipt). Hand it to the tenant, leave it at the tenant's home or the premises, or send by certified mail, return receipt requested.
- Law
- R.C. 5321.17(C), 1923.04
- Other serious conduct (violence, major damage) generally follows the violation path (30-day notice for health/safety duties, then 3-day notice) unless the lease allows immediate termination.
How a tenant responds
The summons sets a hearing on possession, usually at least 7 days after service. No written answer is required for the possession claim; the tenant should appear at the hearing (or it will likely be lost by default). If the complaint also asks for money, the tenant has 28 days after service to file a written answer to that money claim.
Deadline: at the hearing (no fixed written-answer deadline) · R.C. 1923.06, 1923.061; Ohio Civ.R. 12(A)
City and local rules
- Pay-to-stay ordinances in several cities (e.g., Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo, Dayton, Akron, Cleveland Heights) let tenants stop a nonpayment eviction by paying rent and fees before the hearing.
- Cleveland, Toledo, Cincinnati and some other cities provide right to counsel for eligible tenants; Cleveland requires landlords to be registered and current on taxes (Certificate of Disclosure) before filing.
Official court forms
Sources
Checked 2026-09. General information, not legal advice; laws change and courts differ. We strive for accuracy but don’t guarantee it.