How do I send a pay or quit notice to my tenant?

If you use Eviction Shield, you can create, sign, and send a pay or quit notice directly in Hemlane. Hemlane fills in the notice with your lease and rent details. Once you sign it, the notice goes to our Eviction Shield team, who arrange for a process server to deliver it.

Step 1: Start the notice

Go to Services > Eviction Shield. You can start a notice in either of these ways:

• When our team marks a case as Notice needed, select Create notice on that case.
• On any case, select Manage case > Create pay or quit notice.

Step 2: Review the notice details

Hemlane fills in the notice using the tenancy's details. Review each section and select Edit to change anything:

• Tenants: include every adult tenant on the lease. Remove anyone under 18, even if they're listed as a tenant.
• Property Details: the lease start date and property address.
• Rent Details: the rental period when rent was late and the amount of rent past due. Include rent only. Fees and other charges are handled separately.
• Notice Date: the issue date updates to today's date. The process server fills in the compliance deadline.
• Owner or Authorized Agent: the person who will sign the notice.

Choose who signs the notice

Tenants don't need to sign a pay or quit notice. Only the owner or authorized agent signs it. To change who signs:

1. Select Edit in the Owner or Authorized Agent section.
2. Choose a person from the Owner or agent list and update their contact details if needed.
3. Select Save changes, then Continue.

Changes here apply only to this notice. They don't update that person's profile in Hemlane.

If you choose someone other than yourself, Hemlane sends them an email and a task to sign the notice. If you choose yourself, you'll sign it at the end of this flow.

Step 3: Complete your state's requirements (California and Washington, D.C.)

California and Washington, D.C. have extra notice requirements. For properties in those areas, you'll see an extra step. For example, California notices must list the payment methods you accept. Hemlane is always included. Select any others you accept, then select Continue.

Step 4: Review the notice language

Like the lease template flow, the notice is built from sections you can review and change.

1. Select Add section to add your own custom section.
2. Select Edit on any section to change its wording.
3. When you're done, select Generate notice.

Note: Notice templates may not fit every situation. We recommend having a local attorney review your notice before you send it.

Step 5: Review and sign

You'll see a preview of the finished notice.

1. Use Edit notice to make changes, Delete notice to discard it, or Download to save a copy.
2. If you're the signer, select Sign pay or quit notice.

Draw your signature on the Sign tab or type it on the Type tab, then select Insert.

Step 6: What happens next

Once the notice is signed, it's sent to our Eviction Shield team automatically, and the case status changes to Serving notice. Our team arranges service with a process server, usually within 1–2 business days. The status changes to Notice served once proof of service is filed. Our team keeps the status updated through the end of the notice period.

You can select Download Notice at any time to save a copy.

Saving a draft

You don't have to finish a notice in one go. Select Save & exit at any point to keep your progress. While a notice is saved but not sent, the case shows the Preparing notice status and a Finish notice button. Select Finish notice to continue where you left off. To discard a draft, select Delete draft.

1. A signed and sent notice: Serving notice.
2. A saved draft: Preparing notice.
3. Select Finish notice to continue the draft.