Notices and eviction
Tenant abandoned property laws by state
The rule in every state and DC, with the statute and how well each answer is verified. Click a state for its full page.
When a tenant leaves belongings behind after moving out or after an eviction, state law decides how long you must store them, what notice you must send, and whether you can sell or dispose of them.
What to check in your state
- How to tell abandonment from a tenant who is simply away.
- The required notice and storage period.
- Whether sale proceeds must be held for the tenant or turned over to the state.
Common mistakes
- Throwing items away the day of move-out.
- Not photographing and listing what was left.
Related: Move-out and turnover checklist
| State | Rule | Details | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Property left more than 14 days after termination may be disposed of. | The landlord has no duty to store or protect it after that point. A unit is presumed abandoned if electric service has been off for 7 consecutive days. During a tenant absence of more than 14 days, the landlord may enter as reasonably needed. | Ala. Code § 35-9A-423 Checked against the official source |
| Alaska | Give notice allowing at least 15 days to remove property, then sell or dispose. | After notice, store the items with reasonable care. Property worth more than the cost of storage and sale is sold at public sale. Low-value items may be destroyed after the notice period. Perishables may be disposed of right away. | AS 34.03.260 Checked against the official source |
| Arizona | Hold the tenant's property for 14 calendar days after retaking the unit. | A unit is abandoned after 7 days' absence with rent 10 days unpaid, or 5 days' absence with rent 5 days unpaid and no belongings left. Post the abandonment notice on the door and send it by certified mail, then wait 5 days. Inventory and store the property. Tenants may collect clothing, work tools, and identity or financial documents without paying storage. The same rules apply after a writ is executed. | A.R.S. §§ 33-1370, 33-1368(E) Checked against the official source |
| Arkansas | Property left after the lease ends is treated as abandoned. | The landlord may dispose of property left in or around the premises after the lease ends, with no set waiting period in the statute. Property on the premises is also subject to a landlord lien for unpaid sums. | Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-108 Secondary source |
| California | Send a notice giving 15 days (18 days if mailed) to reclaim property. | If unclaimed, property worth $700 or more must be sold at public sale after published notice. If the landlord reasonably believes it is worth less than $700, the landlord may keep or dispose of it. | Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1983, 1984, 1988 Checked against the official source |
| Colorado | After a writ, no duty to store. Otherwise follow the landlord lien and 15-day notice rules. | Property removed during a writ need not be stored, and the landlord is immune for loss but may charge reasonable storage if it stores. A landlord has a lien for unpaid rent on most household goods left on the premises (not beds, clothing, records or personal effects). Property is presumed abandoned after 30 days without contact, and sale requires 15 days' certified mail notice. | C.R.S. § 13-40-122(3), (4); C.R.S. §§ 38-20-102(3), 38-20-116 Checked against the official source |
| Connecticut | Mail notices giving 10 days to respond and 30 days to reclaim belongings. | Abandonment means the occupants left without notice and do not intend to return, shown by removing most belongings plus either two months of unpaid rent or a statement they are leaving. Send the notice by regular and certified mail. After an eviction, the marshal moves belongings to town storage, and the town may sell unclaimed items. | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-11b, 47a-42 Checked against the official source |
| Delaware | After an eviction, store the tenant's property 7 days, then it is deemed abandoned. | The landlord may remove and store the property at the tenant's expense. If the tenant does not claim it and pay reasonable removal and storage costs within 7 days, you may dispose of it. Manufactured homes follow a 30-day rule. | 25 Del. C. §§ 5507, 5715 Checked against the official source |
| District of Columbia | Tenant gets 7 days after eviction to retrieve property at no storage cost. Then it is abandoned. | During those 7 days (excluding Sundays and federal holidays) give access at agreed times, including a Saturday if the tenant asks. After that you may dispose of it, but not by leaving it outdoors except at a licensed disposal facility or lawful receptacle, or briefly while hauling it away. | D.C. Code § 42-3505.01a Checked against the official source |
| Florida | Use the lease clause in § 83.67(5) or follow the Chapter 715 notice process (10 days hand delivered, 15 days mailed). | If the lease has the required conspicuous clause, you are not liable for storing or disposing of property after surrender, abandonment, the last tenant's death, or eviction. At a writ, property may be removed to the property line and neither the sheriff nor landlord is liable afterward. Self-help such as lockouts or utility shutoffs costs 3 months' rent or actual damages, whichever is greater. | Fla. Stat. §§ 83.62, 83.67, 715.104 Checked against the official source |
| Georgia | At eviction, belongings may be placed on the landlord's property or other property the officer approves. They are then treated as abandoned. | The writ authorizes removing the tenant and their belongings. The landlord is not a bailee and owes the tenant no duty for the property after removal. Apply to execute the writ within 30 days of issuance unless you show good cause. | O.C.G.A. § 44-7-55(c)-(d) Checked against the official source |
| Hawaii | Mail a notice, wait 15 days, and advertise 3 days before selling. Hold sale proceeds 30 days. | You may sell items of value in a commercially reasonable way, store them at the tenant's expense, or donate them. Mail notice to the forwarding or last known address first. After rent and costs, hold proceeds in trust for 30 days. Items of no value may be thrown out. If a tenant dies, a separate notice process applies (§ 521-85). | HRS §§ 521-56, 521-85 Checked against the official source |
| Idaho | After an eviction judgment, the tenant has 72 hours to remove belongings, then the landlord may remove and dispose of them. | Disposal is subject to any security interests, and vehicles follow the towing statute. A court may award reasonable removal and restoration costs for good cause. No statute covers belongings left after a voluntary move-out, so get legal advice before disposing of them. | Idaho Code § 6-316(2) Checked against the official source |
| Illinois | No statewide procedure confirmed. | After the sheriff completes the eviction, the owner may change the locks. We could not confirm a statewide rule on storing or disposing of belongings left behind, and local ordinances may add rules. Get legal advice before disposing of property. | Not yet verified |
| Indiana | No liability for abandoned property; after an eviction, follow the court's removal order. | Property is abandoned when a reasonable person would conclude the tenant left and gave it up. After winning possession you can ask the court for an order to remove belongings and deliver them to a warehouse or court-approved storage after personally serving notice. Exempt items such as medical needs, work tools, a week of clothing and children's school items must be released without payment. Since 2025, unclaimed stored property may be sold after 45 days (it was 90). | IC 32-31-4-1 to 32-31-4-5 Checked against the official source |
| Iowa | No chapter 562A procedure for belongings left in an apartment; not confirmed. | Chapter 562A covers abandonment of the unit itself: you must make reasonable efforts to re-rent at a fair rental. Chapter 555B covers abandoned mobile and manufactured homes. A specific statewide procedure for other personal property left behind was not found; use a court order and written notice before disposing of belongings. | Not yet verified |
| Kansas | Store for 30 days, publish notice at least 15 days before sale, then sell or dispose. | Abandonment can be presumed when rent is 10 days late and most belongings are gone, unless the tenant says otherwise. Store property at the tenant's expense. Publish a notice once in a county newspaper at least 15 days before disposal and mail a copy to the tenant within 7 days of publication. Proceeds go first to storage and sale costs, then to amounts the tenant owes. | K.S.A. 58-2565 Checked against the official source |
| Kentucky | No statewide statute on belongings left behind. | KRS chapter 383 has no procedure for storing or disposing of a tenant's personal property. In URLTA areas, KRS 383.670 covers an abandoned unit: make reasonable efforts to re-rent it. Get a judgment and warrant before removing property, and give written notice before disposal. | KRS chapter 383 (table of contents); KRS 383.670 Checked against the official source |
| Louisiana | After the notice to vacate, you may retake an abandoned unit without court, but not just because a tenant evacuated after a declared disaster. | Signs of abandonment include residential occupancy stopping, keys returned, and furnishings removed. For 30 days after a federal disaster declaration in the parish, leaving the unit does not count as abandonment. Violations let a residential tenant recover the greater of $500 or twice the monthly rent. | La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4731(B), (C) Checked against the official source |
| Maine | Store safely, mail an itemized notice, wait 7 days for a claim. | Mail notice (with an itemized list if the tenant has left) of intent to dispose. If the tenant claims within 7 days, release it without charging arrears as long as they retrieve it by day 14. Unclaimed property may be held for payment, sold at fair market value (surplus goes to the State Treasurer), or discarded if worthless. | 14 M.R.S. 6013 Checked against the official source |
| Maryland | No general state disposal procedure; leases cannot authorize taking property before the lease ends. | A lease may not let you take the tenant's property unless the lease has ended and the property was abandoned. The required eviction notice warns that belongings left behind may be lost and that local rules vary. Follow county or city rules for property left after an eviction. | Md. Code, Real Prop. 8-208(d)(6); 8-407(b)(2) Secondary source |
| Massachusetts | Belongings removed on an execution go to a licensed warehouse and can be sold after 6 months. | When an officer removes belongings on an execution, they go to a licensed, bonded public warehouse within 20 miles, or to a storage place the tenant picks in writing. The landlord pays the moving cost and can seek reimbursement. The warehouse may sell unclaimed property only after 6 months of storage. Do not remove a tenant's belongings yourself without a court execution. | G.L. c. 239, §§ 3, 4 Checked against the official source |
| Michigan | No storage or sale procedure. Without a court order, removing belongings is unlawful unless you believe in good faith the tenant abandoned the unit. | Removing or keeping a tenant's property, changing locks or cutting essential services without a court order is unlawful interference, with damages of at least $200 per occurrence. An owner may retake possession if, after diligent inquiry, it believes in good faith that the tenant has abandoned the premises, does not intend to return, and current rent is unpaid. Separate steps apply after a tenant's death. Property is usually removed when a court officer executes an order of eviction. | MCL 600.2918(2), (3) Checked against the official source |
| Minnesota | Store it; may sell after 28 days with 14 days' notice of sale. | If a tenant abandons the unit, take possession of remaining property and store it with care. You may sell or dispose of it 28 days after you learn of or reasonably conclude abandonment. Give at least 14 days' notice of a sale by personal service or first-class and certified mail, and post notice on the premises. Return property within 24 hours of a written demand (48 hours if stored off site) or face penalties. | Minn. Stat. § 504B.271 Checked against the official source |
| Mississippi | Items left by the court move-out date may be discarded; after removal, 72 hours of access first. | If the tenant leaves by the court-ordered date and leaves belongings, you may dispose of them without further notice. If law enforcement removes the tenant, allow reasonable access for 72 hours to collect belongings, then you may move what is left to the curb, a garbage area, or another agreed spot. | Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-39(1), (3) (as amended by 2025 SB 2328) Checked against the official source |
| Missouri | 30 days unpaid rent plus a posted and mailed notice and 10 days with no reply. | A unit is abandoned only if you reasonably believe the tenant left for good, rent is 30 days unpaid, you post the statutory notice and mail it by first-class and certified mail, and the tenant does not pay or reply in writing within 10 days. You may then remove and dispose of belongings without liability. Removing a tenant or their property any other way without a court order is forcible entry and detainer. | RSMo §§ 441.065, 441.233 Checked against the official source |
| Montana | Store valuables and give at least 10 days' mailed notice before disposal. | After a court-ordered termination, property left behind is considered abandoned and may be disposed of as the law allows. Otherwise, with clear evidence of abandonment and 48 hours passed, you may remove items and discard trash and hazardous, perishable, or valueless items. Inventory and store items of value, then mail notice (certified or with a certificate of mailing) giving at least 10 days to claim them before sale or disposal. | MCA 70-24-430 Checked against the official source |
| Nebraska | Written notice giving 7 days (personal delivery) or 14 days (mail) to claim. | Give written notice describing the property, any storage costs, where to claim it, and the deadline: at least 7 days after personal delivery or 14 days after mailing. Unclaimed property must be sold at a public sale after published notice, unless you reasonably believe it is worth less than $2,000, in which case you may keep or dispose of it. Unclaimed sale proceeds go to the State Treasurer. | Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 69-2303, 69-2308 Checked against the official source |
| Nevada | Store for 30 days, then mail a 14-day notice before disposing. | You may charge reasonable inventory, moving and storage costs before release. For 5 days after an eviction or lockout, let the former tenant retrieve essentials such as medicine, baby formula and clothing. Vehicles follow the abandoned vehicle law. | NRS 118A.460 Checked against the official source |
| New Hampshire | Store with reasonable care for 7 days after the tenant leaves, then dispose. | The tenant can recover property in those 7 days without paying rent or storage. To use abandonment as a defense, serve the written property abandonment notice (left at the unit and sent by certified mail); the 7 days start the day after service. | RSA 540-A:3, VII; 540-A:4, XII Checked against the official source |
| New Jersey | Written notice giving at least 30 days after delivery (33 days after mailing) to claim property. | Send the notice by certified mail or receipted first class mail to the last known address and any other known address, marked Please Forward. Store property with reasonable care and charge only reasonable storage costs. A residential tenant who claims property in time does not have to pay unpaid rent to get it back. Unclaimed property may be sold under the UCC or, if worth less than the cost of storage and sale, disposed of. Manufactured homes need 75 days (78 if mailed). | N.J.S.A. 2A:18-72 to 2A:18-84 Checked against the official source |
| New Mexico | Abandonment: store 30 days with written notice; surrender: 14 days; after a writ: 3 days. | For abandonment, the notice must give a disposal date at least 30 days out and contact information. Items worth under $100 may be disposed of at once. Sale proceeds above what is owed go to the resident within 15 days. You may charge reasonable storage and moving costs. | NMSA 47-8-34.1 Checked against the official source |
| New York | No statute sets a storage period after move-out or eviction. | The Attorney General's guide says evicted tenants must get a reasonable time to remove belongings and landlords may not keep them. Document notices and storage, and get legal advice before disposing of items. | No statute; NY Attorney General tenants' rights guide Secondary source |
| North Carolina | After a writ is executed, hold property 7 days, then dispose or sell with 7 days' mailed notice of sale. | Release items on request during those 7 days. If everything left is worth less than $500, it is deemed abandoned 5 days after the writ is executed and may be discarded. Property worth $750 or less can instead go to a charity that holds it 30 days. Abandonment is presumed 10 days after posting a notice of suspected abandonment inside and outside the unit. | N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-25.9(d), (e), (g), (h), 42-36.2 Checked against the official source |
| North Dakota | Property worth $2,500 or less may be disposed of 28 days after the tenant has clearly vacated. | You keep sale proceeds and may take storage and moving costs above proceeds from the deposit. After an eviction and special execution, you hold a lien for reasonable storage and moving costs. | N.D.C.C. § 47-16-30.1 Checked against the official source |
| Ohio | No statewide statute on leftover belongings. | Chapter 5321 sets no storage or notice period for property left behind after a tenant leaves. A landlord may not seize a tenant's belongings to collect rent without a court order, or use lockouts or utility shutoffs to regain possession. Follow the lease and the local court's set-out practice after a judgment. | Ohio Rev. Code ch. 5321 (no provision); § 5321.15 Checked against the official source |
| Oklahoma | Worthless items can be discarded. Items with value need a certified-mail notice and 30 days. | Store valuable property with reasonable care. Property left with the landlord 30 days or longer is conclusively abandoned and can be disposed of. The tenant who reclaims property must pay storage costs. | 41 O.S. § 130 Checked against the official source |
| Oregon | Written notice first. Tenant gets 5 days (hand delivered) or 8 days (mailed) to respond, then 15 days to remove. | Store the property safely. The notice must say the property is considered abandoned, where it is stored, how to arrange removal, and what happens if it is not claimed. After the deadlines you may sell or dispose of it as the statute allows. Manufactured homes and floating homes have longer periods. | ORS 90.425 Checked against the official source |
| Pennsylvania | Mail a notice giving the tenant 10 days to retrieve property or ask for up to 30 days of storage. | Property counts as abandoned only in listed situations, such as move-out after a written lease ends, after an eviction order is executed, or after the tenant leaves with rent more than 15 days late and you post a notice. Use the statutory notice wording and send it first class to the unit and any forwarding address. Violations carry treble damages and attorney fees. If you know of a protection from abuse order, wait 30 days. A written lease controls if it conflicts with this section, except for the abuse order rule. | 68 P.S. § 250.505a (§ 505.1) Checked against the official source |
| Rhode Island | Abandoned unit: send a certified letter giving 7 days to reply before re-renting. | The statute addresses re-renting an abandoned unit but sets no detailed storage period for belongings left behind. After a court-ordered move-out, the tenant must pay moving and prepaid storage costs before belongings are released. | R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-40, 34-18-50 Checked against the official source |
| South Carolina | 15 days' unexplained absence after a rent default is abandonment. Items worth $500 or less can be discarded. | If the tenant shut off utilities and is absent after a rent default, abandonment is immediate. Property worth more than $500 must go through the ejectment process. After an eviction, belongings placed on the street may be removed by local officials after 48 hours, and the eviction notice must say so. | S.C. Code §§ 27-40-730, 27-40-710(D) Checked against the official source |
| South Dakota | Worth $500 or less: may dispose after 10 days. Over $500: store for 30 days, then may dispose. | Property worth more than $500 must be stored, and you have a lien for handling and storage costs. | SDCL 43-32-25, 43-32-26 Checked against the official source |
| Tennessee | Store belongings at least 30 days before selling or disposing of them. | Absence of 30 days or more without rent is evidence of abandonment. If rent is 15 days late and there are signs like removed belongings or shut-off utilities, post and mail a notice giving the tenant 10 days to contact you. Sale proceeds can cover rent, damages, storage, sale costs and attorney fees; hold any surplus for six months. | Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-405 Secondary source |
| Texas | Lease controls removal of property from abandoned units; lien sales need 30 days' notice. | A landlord may remove contents of premises abandoned by the tenant. Selling seized property under the landlord's lien requires a written lease clause and 30 days' notice by first class and certified mail. | Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.0081, 54.045 Checked against the official source |
| Utah | Post and mail notice; tenant has 15 calendar days to reclaim before sale or donation. | Store the property and recover moving and storage costs. After 15 days with no reasonable effort to recover, you may sell at public sale or donate if commercially reasonable. | Utah Code § 78B-6-816 Checked against the official source |
| Vermont | Mail notice and store property for 60 days after abandonment; after eviction, 15 days after the writ is served. | For abandonment, the tenant can reclaim within 60 days by describing the property and paying reasonable storage costs; after that it becomes yours. Trash can be discarded right away. | 9 V.S.A. § 4462; 12 V.S.A. § 4854a Checked against the official source |
| Virginia | May dispose of property 24 hours after termination if the notice warned of it, or after a separate 10-day notice. | Notice options: include the warning in the termination notice, in a 7-day abandonment notice, or in a separate notice giving 10 days plus 24 hours. The tenant may retrieve items at reasonable times until disposal. | Va. Code § 55.1-1254 Checked against the official source |
| Washington | Mail notice; sell or dispose after 45 days (7 days if total value is $250 or less). | Store the property and send notice to the tenant's last known address. Personal papers, family pictures, and keepsakes need the 45-day period. Hold excess sale proceeds for one year. | RCW 59.18.310 Checked against the official source |
| West Virginia | Post and mail notice; tenant has at least 30 days (60 if on active military duty) to remove property. | For abandonment with unpaid rent, first post a notice demanding rent within one month. After an eviction order, you may dispose of property after 30 days. Property worth over $300 must be stored up to 30 more days if the tenant or a lienholder asks and pays costs. | W. Va. Code §§ 37-6-6, 55-3A-3(h) Checked against the official source |
| Wisconsin | Landlord may dispose of property left behind unless a written agreement says otherwise. | Hold prescription medicine and medical equipment for 7 days. Special notice rules apply to vehicles and manufactured homes. | Wis. Stat. § 704.05(5) Checked against the official source |
| Wyoming | Give written notice; property is abandoned if the renter does not respond within 7 days. | Trash and hazardous, perishable, or valueless items can be discarded right away. If the renter responds in writing, hold the property longer before disposal. You may charge reasonable storage costs before release. | Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1210 Checked against the official source |
Laws change. Each rule shows its source and the date it was last checked. Read the statute and talk to a local attorney before acting.
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