Delaware 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: 7 or 60 days, depending on the grounds
• Court required: Yes — possession is recovered through court, not by self-help
• Governing statute: 25 Del. C. § 5502(a)

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers the eviction process in Delaware 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

25 Del. C. § 5502 — 欠租 7 天 notice（SB 116 后）；违约 7 天 cure（5513）；无过错 60 天（5106）；有 right of redemption（5716A）。

DE 无 just cause 要求。欠租 7 天 notice（SB 116 于 2026-09-01 生效，旧版 5 天）；违约 7 天 cure（5513）；无过错月租 60 天（5106）。

25 Del. C. § 5502(a) ↗

Notice periods by grounds

How the process runs, step by step

1. 房东送达 notice（欠租 7 天 / 违约 7 天） (from 欠租/违约). 欠租 7 天（SB 116 后）；违约 7 天 cure；无过错 60 天。
2. 房东在 Justice of the Peace Court 提起 summary possession (from 通知期届满). 通知期届满未搬，房东起诉；须先参加 eviction diversion program。
3. 租客行使 right of redemption（仅欠租） (from 驱逐执行前). 5716A：驱逐执行前付清全部欠租+费用 → 撤销判决、取消 writ；18 月内 2 次欠租判决失去赎回权。
4. 判决 + writ 由 constable/sheriff 执行 (from 判决). 仅法院判决后由 constable/sheriff 执行；房东不得自行换锁/断水电。

Can the landlord use self-help?

DE 禁止自力救济（5313）：房东仅可依法院判决由 constable/sheriff 移除；非法 ouster 租客可追偿 3 倍损害或 3 倍每日租金孰大。

25 Del. C. § 5313 ↗

Common landlord claims and how to answer them

Remedies for an illegal eviction

非法 ouster/exclusion（换锁/断水电）的租客可追偿 3 倍损害或 3 倍每日租金孰大 + 诉讼费（5313），或恢复占有。

25 Del. C. § 5313 ↗

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
25 Del. C. § 5502(a)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
25 Del. C. § 5502(a), 5716A	2026-10-16	official text ↗
25 Del. C. § 5513	2026-10-16	official text ↗
25 Del. C. § 5106	2026-10-16	official text ↗
25 Del. C. § 5502, 5513	2026-10-16	official text ↗
25 Del. C. Ch. 57	2026-10-16	official text ↗
25 Del. C. § 5716A	2026-10-16	official text ↗
25 Del. C. § 5313	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 Delaware guides

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

→ All Delaware tenant rights topics

Common questions