New York Lease Violation Notice: Two-Step Process (2026)

The first notice gives the tenant an opportunity to fix the violation. Under New York law, a Notice to Cure must:

• Describe the specific lease violation in detail
• State what the tenant must do to cure it
• Give the tenant 10 days to cure
• Reference the specific lease provision being violated

If the tenant cures within 10 days, the eviction process ends.

If the tenant fails to cure within 10 days, you serve a second notice — a Notice of Termination. The termination notice period depends on tenancy length under RPL § 226-c:

Both notices must be properly served before you can file a holdover petition in court.

For severe violations — illegal activity on the premises, substantial property damage, chronic nuisance — New York permits serving an unconditional Notice of Termination without a prior cure notice. The same tenancy-length termination periods apply.

For properties covered by RPL § 216 (Good Cause), the violation must constitute legitimate just cause. Courts will scrutinize whether the violation is genuine or pretextual — particularly in cases where a rent increase was recently served.

Same as the 14-day pay-or-quit notice: must be served by a non-party aged 18+. Personal delivery, substituted service, or nail-and-mail after two failed attempts.