Cal. Civ. Code § 31
Notice to quit for nonpayment of rent
Operative Text
Section 31. (a) A notice to quit for nonpayment of rent given in writing by a landlord to a residential tenant pursuant to this chapter shall be accompanied by a form that shall include, but not be limited to: (i) documentation of any agreements between the tenant and landlord for the tenant to repay the landlord for nonpayment of rent; and (ii) information on: (1) rental assistance programs including, but not limited to, the residential assistance for families in transition program; (2) applicable trial court rules, standing orders or emergency administrative orders pertaining to actions for summary process; and (3) any relevant federal or state legal restrictions on residential evictions. The form shall also prominently display the following statement: ''THIS NOTICE TO QUIT IS NOT AN EVICTION. YOU DO NOT NEED TO IMMEDIATELY LEAVE YOUR UNIT. YOU ARE ENTITLED TO A LEGAL PROCEEDING IN WHICH YOU CAN DEFEND AGAINST THE EVICTION. ONLY A COURT ORDER CAN FORCE YOU TO LEAVE YOUR UNIT.'' (b) The executive office of housing and livable communities shall develop the form required pursuant to this section and make it publicly available on its website. The information in clause (ii) of subsection (a) shall be made available in the 5 most common languages spoken in the commonwealth in addition to English. No court having jurisdiction over an action for summary process pursuant to chapter 239, including the Boston municipal court department, shall, in an eviction for nonpayment of rent for a residential dwelling unit, accept for filing a writ, summons or complaint without proof of delivery of the form required under this section.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 31 requires that any written notice to quit for nonpayment of rent in a residential tenancy be accompanied by a specific informational form developed by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. That form must include documentation of any repayment agreements, information about rental assistance programs, relevant court rules, and applicable eviction restrictions, and it must prominently state that a notice to quit is not itself an eviction and that only a court order can compel a tenant to leave. Courts handling summary process (eviction) cases are prohibited from accepting a writ, summons, or complaint for filing unless the landlord can show the form was delivered alongside the notice to quit.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators serving a notice to quit for nonpayment of rent under Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 31 generally ensure that the official form published by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities is delivered together with the notice — not after it. Compliant operators retain proof of that delivery, because a court handling a summary process action will not accept a filing without it. Landlords also document any existing repayment agreements with the tenant, as that information is required to appear on the form.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 31, a residential tenant who receives a notice to quit for nonpayment of rent is entitled to receive the state-developed informational form at the same time, which must clearly state that the notice is not an eviction and that only a court order can require the tenant to vacate. If a landlord attempts to file an eviction case without proof that this form was delivered, the court is not permitted to accept the filing — a tenant may be able to raise this as a procedural issue in a summary process proceeding. Tenants who have questions about whether they received the required form, or about rental assistance programs listed on it, can contact a local tenant-rights organization or reach out to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities directly.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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