Connecticut Eviction Process: Notice Periods, Timeline & Tenant Defenses (2026)

How eviction works step by step, and what defenses you have at each stage

At a glance

• Notice required before filing: 3 or 15 days, depending on the grounds
• Court required: Yes — possession is recovered through court, not by self-help
• Governing statute: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers the eviction process in Connecticut for a residential tenancy — the notices a landlord must serve, the timeline, and what you can do at each stage.

It does not cover commercial leases, or mobile home parks where a separate statute applies. Where a city has its own rules, those may differ from the state statute below.

What the statute actually says

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23 — Notice to Quit 至少 3 天；欠租 9 天 grace period（47a-15a）；违约 15 天 cure（47a-15）。全州适用。

康涅狄格驱逐是 summary process（仅法院判决由法警执行）。Notice to Quit 至少 3 天（全国最短之一）；月租欠租 Notice to Quit 须在到期后第 10 天才能送达；月租无过错终止至少 3 天 + 到租期结束。

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23 ↗

Notice periods by grounds

How the process runs, step by step

1. 房东送达 Notice to Quit（3 天；欠租含 9 天 grace） (from 欠租/违约). Notice to Quit 至少 3 天；欠租 9 天 grace period；违约 15 天 cure。
2. 房东向 Superior Court 提起 summary process 诉讼 (from 通知期届满). Notice to Quit 期届满未搬离，房东提起 summary process（47a-23a）。
3. 判决 + 法警执行（含 5 天 stay） (from 判决). 判决后 5 天 stay（上诉期）；仅法警依 execution 执行。

Can the landlord use self-help?

康涅狄格禁止自力救济：房东不得自行换锁或搬物；非法 lockout 是犯罪（§53a-214），租客可依 47a-43/47a-46 追偿双倍损害。

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-43, 53a-214 ↗

Common landlord claims and how to answer them

Remedies for an illegal eviction

非法 lockout（47a-43/47a-46）的租客可追偿双倍损害 + 费用，并请求恢复占有；刑事 lockout 是 C 类轻罪（§53a-214）。

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-46, 53a-214 ↗

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text or a state court opinion, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked.

Statute	Last verified	Source
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23, 47a-15a	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23a	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-35	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-43, 53a-214	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-46, 53a-214	2026-10-16	official text ↗

Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Where a provision admits of more than one reading, that is flagged rather than smoothed over.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help guide is the right starting point for understanding your position. Get legal help if:

• You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
• The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
• Your landlord has filed anything in court already
• You are unsure whether a local ordinance changes the state rule

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Connecticut guides

Connecticut Security Deposit Return · Connecticut Security Deposit Rules · Connecticut Rent Increase Rules · Connecticut Repairs & Habitability · Connecticut Landlord Retaliation

→ All Connecticut tenant rights topics

Common questions