Landlord guide, Georgia (GA)
Georgia eviction process: the landlord’s steps from notice to removal
The eviction process in Georgia starts with the notice to vacate or pay: 3 business days for unpaid rent (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c); O.C.G.A. § 44-7-52). Then the landlord files in the magistrate court (also state, superior or some municipal courts), where the case is called dispossessory proceeding; the court hears it, and after judgment a court officer carries out the removal.
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- Notice for unpaid rent
- 3 business days
- O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c); O.C.G.A. § 44-7-52
- Court
- magistrate court (also state, superior or some municipal courts)
- O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 to 44-7-59; § 44-7-51 (answer); § 44-7-55(a) (writ); § 44-7-56 (appeal)
- Time to appeal
- 7 days
- O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 to 44-7-59; § 44-7-51 (answer); § 44-7-55(a) (writ); § 44-7-56 (appeal)
- Checked against the statutes
- 1 November 2026
Step by step
The eviction process Georgia landlords follow, step by step
Notice and court names are given as they read on Georgia’s own forms, and timing details are quoted from the statute.
- 1
Step 1
Serve the notice
Unpaid rent: the notice to vacate or pay, 3 business days (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c); O.C.G.A. § 44-7-52).
Paying everything owed inside the period ends the case, by statute.
Another breach of the lease: the demand for possession, with no fixed period in the statute (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(a)).
No reason, month to month: 60 days’ notice (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-7).
What the statute adds, in English
Since the Safe at Home Act (2024), the landlord must give written notice to vacate or pay all past due rent, late fees, utilities and other charges within three business days before filing. After filing, the tenant may also tender everything owed plus court costs within seven days of service, a defense usable once in 12 months.
- 2
Step 2
File the eviction in court
File in the magistrate court (also state, superior or some municipal courts), where the case is called dispossessory proceeding (O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 to 44-7-59; § 44-7-51 (answer); § 44-7-55(a) (writ); § 44-7-56 (appeal)).
- 3
Step 3
Go to the hearing
The tenant has 7 days to answer the complaint.
The statute sets no timetable for the hearing that we could confirm; the court schedules it.
- 4
Step 4
Judgment and appeal
If the court rules for you, the tenant has 7 days to appeal.
- 5
Step 5
Removal by a court officer
An officer of the court carries out the removal, on the court’s order.
In the statute, in English
writ of possession effective 7 days after judgment is entered
Georgia eviction process timeline
- Notice before filing
- 3 business days
- Time to answer
- 7 days
- Hearing
- Not confirmed
- Time to appeal
- 7 days
- Removal
- Quoted in step 5
Only some steps have a number in the statute, so no honest total exists: after filing, the court sets the pace.
Can you change the locks yourself?
No. Georgia bans self-help eviction (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-14.1; O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50), so only the court process can remove a tenant.
A landlord may not knowingly and willfully cut heat, cooling, light or water until a dispossessory case is finally decided. Lockouts and removal without the court process are barred because the dispossessory procedure is exclusive, a rule that rests largely on case law.
The court process is the safe course in every state.
Write the Georgia eviction notice
Fill in the notice for Georgia in the generator, then read the rest of the state’s landlord law before you serve it.
Where Dardaris comes in
Most evictions start as one late payment. Dardaris sees it on day one.
It notices the missed rent the day it is due, sends the tenant a reminder, and if nothing comes, drafts the Georgia notice with its 3 business days. You read it and sign; nothing goes out without you.
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Dardaris
The statutes
Georgia eviction laws, with the statute behind each step
| Step | What the law says | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Notice for unpaid rent | notice to vacate or pay3 business daysPaying in full within the period stops itSince the Safe at Home Act (2024), the landlord must give written notice to vacate or pay all past due rent, late fees, utilities and other charges within three business days before filing. After filing, the tenant may also tender everything owed plus court costs within seven days of service, a defense usable once in 12 months. | O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c); O.C.G.A. § 44-7-52 |
| Notice for a lease breach | demand for possessionNo fixed periodThe landlord must demand possession before filing, but no statute sets a minimum number of days or a right to cure for a breach other than rent. The lease's own notice terms apply. | O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(a) |
| Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy | 60 days | O.C.G.A. § 44-7-7 |
| How a notice is served | posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the propertyand delivered by any additional method agreed in the rental agreement | O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(d) |
| Court and action | magistrate court (also state, superior or some municipal courts)dispossessory proceeding | O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 to 44-7-59; § 44-7-51 (answer); § 44-7-55(a) (writ); § 44-7-56 (appeal) |
| Time to answer | 7 days | O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 to 44-7-59; § 44-7-51 (answer); § 44-7-55(a) (writ); § 44-7-56 (appeal) |
| Hearing | Not confirmed from the statute | Not confirmed from the statute |
| Time to appeal | 7 days | O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 to 44-7-59; § 44-7-51 (answer); § 44-7-55(a) (writ); § 44-7-56 (appeal) |
| Removal | writ of possession effective 7 days after judgment is entered | O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 to 44-7-59; § 44-7-51 (answer); § 44-7-55(a) (writ); § 44-7-56 (appeal) |
| Self-help (lockouts, utilities) | BannedA landlord may not knowingly and willfully cut heat, cooling, light or water until a dispossessory case is finally decided. Lockouts and removal without the court process are barred because the dispossessory procedure is exclusive, a rule that rests largely on case law. | O.C.G.A. § 44-7-14.1; O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50 |
Read against the official texts below on 1 November 2026. The month-to-month period was checked on 29 September 2026.
- https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20232024/229083
- https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20232024/226739
- https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/243295
- https://dca.georgia.gov/document/publications/georgia-landlord-tenant-handbook-pdf/download
- https://consumer.georgia.gov/document/document/galandlordtenanthandbookpdf/download
Questions landlords ask about eviction in Georgia
How long does an eviction take in Georgia?
The notice for unpaid rent runs 3 business days before you can file. After that the court sets the pace, so there is no honest total: the hearing, the judgment and the removal follow the court’s calendar and the timing rules quoted on this page.
What notice does a Georgia landlord serve for unpaid rent?
The notice to vacate or pay, which gives the tenant 3 business days (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c); O.C.G.A. § 44-7-52). Paying everything owed inside the period ends the case, by statute.
Can a landlord change the locks in Georgia?
No. Georgia bans self-help eviction (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-14.1; O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50), so only the court process can remove a tenant. The exact limits are quoted on this page.
Where is an eviction filed in Georgia?
In the magistrate court (also state, superior or some municipal courts), where the case is called dispossessory proceeding (O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 to 44-7-59; § 44-7-51 (answer); § 44-7-55(a) (writ); § 44-7-56 (appeal)).
How does a landlord end a month-to-month tenancy in Georgia?
With 60 days’ notice (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-7). If the tenant stays on after that, the eviction process on this page applies.
Can the tenant appeal an eviction in Georgia?
Yes. The tenant has 7 days after the judgment to appeal.
The eviction process in other states
- Colorado: 10 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Connecticut: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Delaware: 7 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Florida: 3 court days for unpaid rent
- Hawaii: 10 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Idaho: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Illinois: 5 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Indiana: 10 calendar days for unpaid rent
General information, not legal adviceEviction law changes, and a court can read a statute differently from this summary. Check the current text and your local court’s rules, or ask a lawyer licensed in the state, before you serve a notice or file.
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