"Notice to vacate" and "eviction notice" are often used interchangeably, but depending on your state and the situation, they can refer to different documents with different legal effects — a distinction worth understanding before you send either one.
Eviction notice: the first step in a legal eviction
An eviction notice (pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or unconditional quit, depending on the violation) is the formal notice required before a landlord can file an eviction lawsuit — it's tied to a specific lease violation and a specific legal process.
Notice to vacate: often about ending a tenancy, not violations
A notice to vacate is commonly used to end a month-to-month tenancy or decline to renew a lease — not necessarily tied to any wrongdoing by the tenant. In some states, it's also used by tenants to notify landlords they're moving out.
Why the distinction affects your legal position
Using a generic notice to vacate when your state requires a specific type of eviction notice — with statutorily required language about curing a violation — can result in a case being dismissed, since the notice didn't actually satisfy what the eviction statute requires.
Confirming which one your situation actually calls for
Whether you need a violation-specific eviction notice or a general notice to vacate depends on your state's law and the specific reason the tenancy is ending — worth confirming before sending either one, since sending the wrong document can cost weeks in a contested case.