Georgia Eviction Notice for Nonpayment of Rent: The Three-Business-Day Notice
Under Georgia’s Safe at Home Act a landlord must give three business days to pay or vacate before filing for unpaid rent. Here is what the notice covers, how it is posted and how to count the days.
What is the Georgia notice for unpaid rent?
When a tenant fails to pay rent, late fees, utilities or other charges when due, the landlord must first provide a notice to vacate or pay all past-due rent, late fees, utilities and other charges within three business days. Only if the tenant then refuses to pay or fails to deliver possession may the owner or its agent or attorney go before the court and make an affidavit (O.C.G.A. 44-7-50(c)). The Georgia eviction notice calculator counts the three days.
Which leases does it cover?
The Safe at Home Act, which added the three-business-day notice, applies to residential lease agreements entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024 (HB 404). For an older lease that has not been renewed, the demand for possession in 44-7-50(a) is the rule, with no fixed waiting period.
How must the notice be delivered?
The notice must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property and delivered by any additional method or methods agreed upon in the rental agreement (44-7-50(d)). Keep a photograph with the date and a copy of the notice.
How are the three business days counted?
The statute says “three business days” without defining them. The calculator skips Saturdays, Sundays and the days the Governor closes state offices (Georgia state holidays), and treats the day after the third business day as the earliest filing day. A notice posted on a Wednesday has its three business days on Thursday, Friday and Monday, so the landlord can file on Tuesday.
What does the notice have to demand?
All past-due rent, late fees, utilities and other charges owed to the landlord, or possession, within the three business days. A notice that demands only a part of what is owed, or that gives a shorter time, can be challenged. Ask a licensed Georgia attorney or legal aid how to read yours.
What happens after the three days?
The landlord can file a dispossessory affidavit. The tenant is served and has seven days to answer, and may be able to defeat a nonpayment case by tendering what is due in the cases the Code allows (44-7-52). See the Georgia eviction timeline calculator and self-help evictions in Georgia. A federal 30-day notice may apply to a covered dwelling (15 U.S.C. 9058(c)).
A worked example of the three business days
A notice posted on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 gives three business days: Thursday, Friday and Monday, October 19. The landlord can file on Tuesday, October 20. If a state holiday falls in the period, the count skips it. The eviction notice calculator does the count for your dates.
What to keep
Keep a copy of the notice, a dated photograph of it posted in its sealed envelope on the door, proof of any other delivery method the lease requires, a ledger of the rent, late fees, utilities and other charges demanded, and any proof of payment. A tenant who pays should pay in a way that leaves a record and keep it, and a landlord who accepts payment should say in writing what it applies to.
Why the details matter
The notice has to ask for the past-due amounts or possession within three business days, be posted correctly and be followed by a refusal before the affidavit can be filed. If any step is missing, the tenant can raise it in the answer, so landlords should follow each one and tenants should read the notice closely.
Frequently asked questions
How long is an eviction notice for nonpayment in Georgia?
Three business days to pay or vacate, on leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024.
Where must the notice be posted?
In a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property.
Does it include late fees and utilities?
Yes. It covers past-due rent, late fees, utilities and other charges owed to the landlord.
Do weekends count in the three days?
No. They are business days, so Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays are not counted.
Can I stay by paying?
Paying within the three business days satisfies the notice, and the Code lets a tenant tender payment as a defense in the cases it describes.
Official sources
- O.C.G.A. 44-7-50: demand for possession; notice to vacate or pay
- Georgia HB 404, the Safe at Home Act (2024)
- Georgia state holidays 2026
A local landlord-tenant attorney can review your situation — many offer a free consultation.
This is general information, not legal advice. It is based on the cited Georgia statutes, rules and court opinions, and every case turns on its own facts. Confirm how the law applies to your situation with a licensed Georgia attorney.