Eviction in Connecticut

Legally removing a tenant from a property is rarely ever ideal, but it’s often necessary. Eviction in Connecticut requires landlords to follow a strict set of laws and regulations that may vary depending on their business’s locality. Understanding and adhering to these rules is the key to ensuring the eviction process proceeds without a hitch.

Rental laws are often subject to change, so it’s also important to stay in the legislative loop. Keep an eye out for any news of potential changes to eviction so that you’re best prepared for them if/when the time comes. In 2023, for example, Connecticut lawmakers made sweeping changes to the state’s policies on fees, grace periods, eviction record sealing, and more, reforming a number of processes. Changes can, and often do, happen.

If you own and rent properties in the state of Connecticut, you are responsible for complying with Connecticut eviction laws. If possible, consult a real estate attorney who can guide you through eviction legally and fairly for everyone. In this article, we break down each step of the legal eviction process in Connecticut, reasons for eviction, types of notices, squatters’ rights, and more.

Innago does not provide legal advice. The content and materials provided in this article are for general informational purposes only and may not be the most up-to-date information. Connecticut’s eviction laws can be found at CS § 47a-43-49.

Reasons for Eviction in Connecticut

In Connecticut, tenants can be evicted for violating the lease agreement, failing to pay rent, and illegal activity. In this section, we’ll briefly cover each reason and its legal stipulations.

Nonpayment of Rent

Failure to pay rent is one of the most common reasons for eviction in every state. The state of Connecticut requires that landlords offer their tenants a 9-day grace period for rental payments (or a 4-day grace period for tenants who rent week-to-week). Late fees cannot be imposed, and eviction proceedings cannot begin, until after the 9 days (CS § 21-83).

Following the grace period, landlords can begin the legal eviction process with a 3-day notice to the tenant to pay or quit. If the tenant fails to pay, the landlord may file an eviction lawsuit with the court.

It’s important to note that accepting the rent during the eviction process does not interfere with the legal action, so long as the landlord includes a disclaimer informing the tenant of this fact in the termination notice (CS § 47a-23(e)). If no disclaimer is included, acceptance of overdue rent during the eviction process constitutes a waiver of the landlord’s right to terminate the lease for that reason (CS § 47a-19).

Lease Violations

Noncompliance with the lease is another common reason for eviction, as it can include a variety of problems. Violations vary by lease, but common ones may include:

• Unauthorized tenants or animals living on the property
• Failing to comply with their responsibilities as listed in CS § 47a-11
• Holding over after the lease expires
• Causing a public or serious nuisance

Depending on the lease violation, landlords can issue either a conditional or unconditional notice to quit. Conditional notices give tenants the opportunity to avoid eviction by fixing the violation in a certain period (15 days in Connecticut), whereas unconditional notices do not. Unconditional notices, which are reserved for more serious violations, give the tenants 3 days to vacate before the landlord can file a lawsuit in eviction court.

In the event of repeat violations, landlords may also issue a 3-day unconditional notice to vacate. In Connecticut, repeat violations are defined as “substantially the same act or omission for which notice was given recurs within six months” (CS § 47a-15).

Illegal Activity

Any participation in or willful knowledge of illegal activity on the property allows the landlord to evict a tenant. Illegal activity in Connecticut may include:

• Inflicting bodily harm to another tenant or the landlord
• Threatening to inflict real harm
• Substantially and willfully destroying part of the property
• Using the premises or allowing the premises to be used for prostitution or the illegal sale of drugs

If illegal activity is discovered, landlords may issue a 3-day unconditional notice to the tenant to quit the premises. Failure to vacate allows the landlord to begin legal eviction proceedings in eviction court.

Additional Reading: Connecticut Landlord Tenant Rental Laws & Rights [2025]

Eviction Process in Connecticut

1. Landlord serves a three- or 15-day eviction notice.
2. Landlord files an eviction lawsuit with the court.
3. Court serves tenant the summons.
4. Tenant files an appearance and answer.
5. Landlord and tenant attend court hearing and receive judgment.
6. Tenant gets 24 hours to move out.
7. State marshal arrives to forcibly remove the tenant.

1. Landlord Serves a Three- or 15-Day Eviction Notice

If the tenant commits any of the above lease violations, the landlord’s first step is to serve a Connecticut eviction notice. There are four possible eviction notices a landlord may send in Connecticut:

• Rent Demand Notice: 3 days to pay or quit. If rent is unpaid when due, the landlord must deliver this notice stating the amount of unpaid rent and late fees required to remedy the breach and the date on which the lease will terminate if they are not paid (not less than three days after receipt of the notice) (CS § 47a-23(a)).
• Lease Violation Notice: 15 days to cure or quit. If a tenant commits a material noncompliance that affects the health and safety of other tenants, threatens the physical condition of the premises, or breaches any other condition of the lease or the law, the landlord may deliver this notice. The notice should describe the breach, what is required to remedy it, and the date on which the lease will terminate if the tenant does not cure the breach (not less than 15 days after receipt of the notice) (CS § 47a-15).
• Repeat Violation Notice: 3 days to quit. If the tenant commits substantially the same violation as a previous one within six months, the landlord may send a three-day quit notice with no opportunity to cure or fix the violation (CS § 47a-15).
• Unconditional Notice to Quit: 3 days to quit. This notice gives no opportunity to “cure” the violation and applies if the tenant commits “serious nuisances” on the leased premises as per CS § 47a-15 and § 47a-23a.

All notices should be served to the tenant in writing or left at the rental unit by a state marshal, but they can be delivered any day of the week (CS § 47a-23(c)).

2. Landlord Files an Eviction Lawsuit with the Court

If the tenant has not cured the breach by the end of the notice period (or if the violation is uncurable and the notice period expires), the landlord can then file an eviction complaint at the Connecticut Superior Court in the judicial district where the rental property is located (CS § 47a-43).

The form required is Summary Possession (Eviction) Complaint (downloadable here and here). This complaint includes:

• The landlord and tenant’s names
• The judicial district, town/city, and return date
• The lease start date, type (oral or written), and term
• The rental property address
• The rental rate and date due
• The date the tenant failed to pay rent (for nonpayment cases)
• The date the landlord served a Notice to Quit (End) Possession
• The landlord’s signature and the date

The landlord should attach a copy of the Notice to Quit to the complaint and submit a copy of the written lease to the court separately as an Exhibit. The landlord will also need to pay a filing fee of $175 at this time.

3. Court Serves Tenant the Summons

After the landlord files a claim, the judge of the court will issue a summons and direct it to a state officer to be served. The Summons—Summary Process (Eviction) form (downloadable here) will ask the tenant to appear in court at a specified time and place. The summons also provides directions for the tenant regarding how to properly respond to the summons (see next section).

The summons, together with a copy of the complaint, must be served to the tenant by a state marshal, a constable, or another authorized officer (CS § 52-50). The officer must serve it via personal delivery to the tenant or by leaving a copy at the rental property. This must be done at least six days prior to the eviction hearing (CS § 47a-43(c)).

4. Tenant Files an Appearance/Answer

After receiving the summons, the tenant must file two documents: an Appearance form (downloadable here) and an Answer to Complaint form (found here). Failing to file either will result in a default judgment against the tenant.

The appearance is an acknowledgement that the tenant received the complaint and the hearing information. If the tenant does not file an appearance within two days after the return date on the summons, the landlord can request a default judgment against the tenant, meaning no court hearing will be held and the landlord will automatically get possession of the property back (CS § 47a-26).

If the tenant wants to contest the eviction and have a chance of winning the case, they must also “plead,” or file a written answer. The answer explains why the tenant believes they should not be evicted or why the case against them is invalid. The tenant must file the answer within the same two-day period or else the landlord can pursue a default judgment. If the tenant still hasn’t filed a plead within three days after this motion, the court will enter a default judgment against the tenant (CS § 47a-26a).

5. Landlord and Tenant Attend Court Hearing and Receive Judgment

The eviction hearing will be scheduled for no more than eight days after the filing date.

On the day of the eviction hearing, the landlord should bring copies of the lease agreement, the eviction notice with proof of service, the complaint, and any evidence of the lease violation. Both the landlord and tenant will present their cases and any evidence to the judge, who will afterwards issue a judgment. If the judgment is in the landlord’s favor, the Superior Court will issue an order for the landlord’s restitution of the property. A second, separate hearing will be held to determine any monetary judgments (CS § 47a-26f).

The issuance of the writ of restitution (aka Order of Restitution, downloadable here) will be automatically stayed (delayed) for five days, excluding Sundays and legal holidays. The tenant must move out within that five-day period (CS § 47a-35(a)). If they do not, the sheriff will post the writ, stating that the tenant must leave or be forcibly removed.

The tenant may file a motion for a stay of execution with the court if they need additional time to move out. To do so, the tenant must file an application in triplicate with the clerk of the Superior Court, and the execution of the judgment will be postponed until a decision is made on the application. After the motion is filed, the court will either grant the motion, deny it, or schedule a hearing on it within one court day after (CS § 47a-26i). The tenant can also appeal the judgment, but they must do so within the five days immediately following the judgment (CS § 47a-35(b)).

6. Tenant Gets 24 Hours to Move Out

If the tenant does not move out within the five days before the writ issues, the landlord may request a state marshal to forcibly remove the tenant (CS § 47a-42(a)). To do so, the landlord will need to obtain a Summary Process Execution for Possession (Eviction) form (downloadable here) from the clerk’s office, complete the form, pay a fee, and give it to a state marshal for service to the tenant.

The state marshal will then serve the execution form upon the tenant or post a copy on the rental premises. Once it is served/posted, the tenant gets at least 24 hours’ final notice to vacate the property or else be forcibly removed.

7. State Marshal Arrives to Forcibly Remove the Tenant and Their Property

If the tenant remains in the rental unit once the 24 hours are up, the state marshal will return to execute the writ, forcibly remove the tenant, and restore possession of the property to the landlord.

Storage Rules

Upon execution, the marshal will also deliver the tenant’s personal property to a storage place designated by the chief executive officer after first making a reasonable effort to locate the tenant and serve them notice of the eviction/removal of their property. The landlord will have to pay a fee to the state marshal to remove the belongings, but the costs of removal and storage are at the tenant’s expense (the landlord can recover costs).

If the tenant does not reclaim their property and pay the chief executive officer for the cost of storage within fifteen days after the eviction, their belongings may be sold at a public auction. The chief executive officer will deliver the net proceeds of the sale to the tenant (after deducting reasonable storage costs), unless the tenant does not demand the net proceeds within thirty days, after which they should be turned over to the town treasury (CS § 47a-42(c)).

Evicting a Squatter in Connecticut

A squatter is a person who moves into a vacant or abandoned property without getting permission from the owner or paying rent. Squatters can usually be charged as criminal trespassers and be evicted like any other tenant. However, some squatters can receive the right to possession by meeting certain state-determined criteria. According to squatters’ rights in Connecticut, squatters must have lived in the property for 15 consecutive years to invoke Connecticut squatters’ rights and claim right of possession (CS § 52-575). Their possession must also be:

• Hostile/Adverse—The squatter must not have a valid lease with the owner.
• Actual—The squatter must be actively residing on the property.
• Open and Notorious—The squatter is openly and obviously living there.
• Exclusive—The squatter does not share possession of the property with anyone else.
• Continuous—The squatter must hold continuous and uninterrupted possession.

While relatively rare, if a squatter meets all these criteria, they have “color of title”: the right of legal ownership without having a written deed to the property. They can file an action for adverse possession in Connecticut to legally obtain the title to the property. However, in most cases, a squatter will not meet the criteria and can be removed. If you think a squatter is living in your vacant property in Connecticut, you should:

1. Call local law enforcement.
2. Determine whether the person is a trespasser or a squatter.
3. If the person is a trespasser, they can be removed immediately by a police officer.
4. If the person is a squatter, you must contact the sheriff’s office.
5. Send the squatter an eviction notice as per Connecticut eviction law.
6. If the squatter does not vacate the premises by the end of the 7-day period, file for eviction and follow the typical eviction process.
7. Only the sheriff can physically remove a squatter from your property. You cannot do so, and neither can a police officer.

Additional Reading: Connecticut Squatters’ Rights & Adverse Possession Laws [2025]

How Much Does an Eviction Cost in Connecticut?

How much does the eviction process cost in Connecticut? This chart shows estimates of the costs of a Connecticut eviction, according to civil procedure in the state and iPropertyManagement. A highly accurate estimate of an eviction is impossible to provide, as cases and circumstances vary so widely. Remember to factor in other losses due to an eviction as well, such as lost rent, time, and stress.

How Long Does an Eviction Take in Connecticut?

The chart below shows an estimate of the duration of each part of the eviction process. Keep in mind that the length of eviction cases varies widely depending on the complexity of the eviction, the court’s current caseload, and whether or not the tenant contests or appeals the lawsuit.

Eviction Tips for Landlords

Eviction can be a costly, stress-inducing process, so it’s best to avoid it altogether whenever possible. Here are a few preventative steps you can take to decrease the odds of evicting a tenant:

• Carefully screen applicants with credit, criminal, and eviction background checks to avoid problematic tenants from the start.
• Inspect the property regularly to make sure that the unit and lease are both properly kept.
• Use plain language leases that are free of technical jargon, as this will make your terms and expectations crystal clear for tenants.
• Keep communication open with your tenants so that they’ll be more likely to talk to you about issues as they come up.
• Avoid rushing to eviction, as sometimes a lease addendum or a formalized payment plan can solve issues without court involvement.

Additional Reading: Connecticut Background Checks & Screening Online

Sometimes, eviction is inevitable. It’s never ideal, so you’ll want to make sure you’re as prepared as possible. Make sure that you:

• Closely follow all court procedures and deadlines to avoid your case being dismissed, delayed, or weakened.
• Keep detailed documentation of all tenant communications, payments, notices, and anything else that may be needed in court.
• Never attempt an illegal self-help eviction, which includes evicting a tenant by changing locks, cutting utilities, or removing belongings.
• Use property management software, which can track payments, automate notices, and simplify record storage—all of which can be printed and presented in court if need be.

Conclusion

The eviction process in any state can be long and complex, so hiring an eviction attorney is advised in most cases. It’s also important to note that municipalities and local governments often have stricter laws and requirements for landlords, so be sure to check local statutes as well as state ones. However, by reviewing the legal procedures and Connecticut laws on eviction, you can feel more confident pursuing an eviction in this state.

FAQs

What is the grace period for rent payment in Connecticut?

Connecticut requires a 9-day grace period for monthly rental payments and a 4-day period for weekly rentals.

How is a tenant officially served with an eviction notice?

Notices in Connecticut must be personally delivered or left at the rental unit by a Connecticut state marshal.

What happens if a tenant violates the lease repeatedly in Connecticut?

If the violation happens repeatedly in a span of six months, landlords can issue a 3-day unconditional notice to vacate without an opportunity to cure, even if the violation has been cured in the past.

What happens to a tenant's belongings if they are forcibly removed?

Belongings should be moved to a designated storage place, and costs can be recovered by the landlord. If the belongings are unclaimed after fifteen days, they may be sold at a public auction.

Is it legal for a landlord to change locks or cut utilities to evict a tenant?

No, self-help eviction methods like changing locks are illegal in Connecticut and will likely result in legal penalties.

Court Forms

• Notice to Quit (End) Possession
• Summary Process (Eviction) Complaint—Nonpayment of Rent
• Summary Process (Eviction Complaint)—Termination of Lease by Lapse of Time
• Summons—Summary Process (Eviction)
• Appearance
• Summary Process (Eviction) Answer to Complaint
• Order of Restitution
• Summary Process Execution for Possession (Eviction)

Additional Resources

• Connecticut Superior Court Filing Fees – This site includes information about how much it costs to file various documents with the Superior Court in Connecticut.
• A Landlord’s Guide to Summary Process (Eviction) – This handbook is a guide to the eviction process for landlords in Connecticut.
• A Tenant’s Guide to Summary Process (Steps in an Eviction Action) – This handbook is a guide to the eviction process for tenants in Connecticut.
• Connecticut Judiciary Court Forms – This page has downloadable copies of all the court forms required for evictions in Connecticut.