Where Can I Get Free Eviction Forms From My State Court?

The eviction‑forms hub lives on every state's official court website, usually under a 'Forms,' 'Self‑Help,' or 'Landlord‑Tenant' menu.

1. Visit the state's judicial branch portal; for example, see the New York court eviction forms page.
2. Locate the 'Self‑Help' or 'Forms Library' link in the top navigation.
3. Select the 'Landlord‑Tenant' category or type 'eviction' into the site's search box.
4. Pick the specific document that matches the case case type - notice to quit, summons and complaint, or motion to stay.
5. Download the PDF, print it, and note the citation provided for court filing; if the site requires an account, register briefly to unlock the forms.

Free eviction forms appear on state court websites because the judiciary must guarantee public access to the legal process. Legislatures and court rules often require that essential paperwork be posted at official sources to satisfy due‑process standards.

Offering the documents online cuts clerk time spent answering routine requests, letting staff focus on complex filings. Ready‑made templates also lower the risk of inaccurate entries that could delay hearings. When courts publish these resources, they demonstrate transparency and fulfill a statutory duty that varies slightly by jurisdiction.

Because the forms are publicly posted, tenants can retrieve the exact version required by their local jurisdiction without third‑party fees. The next section shows how a handful of targeted searches unlock the specific free eviction forms you need from each state court portal.

The fastest way to locate free eviction forms on a state court's website is to run a few targeted searches.

• Enter `site:statecourt.gov "eviction forms"` to pull every official PDF the court publishes (e.g., state court eviction forms page).
• Combine the state name with 'court self‑help forms' in quotes; the top result usually lands on the court's self‑help portal.
• Search `[State] + "court docket" + "eviction"` to find online docket tools that host downloadable notices and motions.
• Add `filetype:pdf` to any of the above queries; PDFs are the format most courts provide for free forms.
• Include 'legal aid' and the state abbreviation (e.g., `NY legal aid eviction forms`) to surface nonprofit sites that mirror official documents.
• Look up `[State] + "public library" + "court forms"` to discover library digital collections that archive state court PDFs.
• Use the phrase `[State] + "court clerk" + "forms"` to reach clerk‑office pages that often list eviction worksheets and templates.

Official state court portals are the sole source of trustworthy free eviction forms, and they appear on domains ending in .gov or .us that reference the state's judicial system. Look for URLs such as courts.state.ny.us or tx.gov/courts, confirm the site uses HTTPS, and match the form's title to the language used in the state's court rules (e.g., 'Petition for Possession' in New York).

As we covered above, these cues separate genuine documents from third‑party copycats.

• Verify the domain ends with .gov, .us, or follows the pattern courts.state.[abbr].us.
• Check for official court branding and a clear 'Forms' section linked from the homepage.
• Ensure the form's name mirrors the state‑specific terminology listed in the court's rules.
• Look for a downloadable PDF that bears the court's seal and a version number or date.
• Avoid sites that require registration, payment, or display intrusive ads before the form appears.

Free eviction forms in New York are available directly from the court that handles the case - NYC Housing Court for Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island, and the County Supreme Court for any location outside the five boroughs.

1. Determine the proper venue - Look up the property's address; borough addresses go to Housing Court, all others to the county's Supreme Court (e.g., Erie County).
2. Visit the official portal - NYC landlords start at the NYC Housing Court website; upstate users select their county via the State Unified Court System site.
3. Locate the 'Free eviction forms' section - Both sites list downloadable PDFs such as Notice of Petition, Summons and Verified Complaint.
4. Download and fill the forms - Follow the on‑screen instructions; attach proof of service, lease copy, and rent ledger as required.
5. File at the clerk's office - For NYC, submit to the Housing Court clerk in the appropriate borough (Manhattan Housing Court, 100 Centre St.; Queens Housing Court, 25‑27 - 37 Queens Blvd.; etc.). Outside NYC, file at the County Supreme Court clerk (e.g., Erie County Supreme Court, 120 Broadway).
6. Receive a docket number and schedule a hearing - The clerk stamps the packet, provides a case number, and sets a calendar date; serve the tenant according to the New York Rule 4‑102 guidelines.

(As we covered above, using official sources guarantees the forms are truly free and up‑to‑date.)

New Hampshire's official source for free eviction forms lives on the Judicial Branch website. The 'Landlord‑Tenant Forms' page lists every state‑court document a landlord or tenant may need, and all files download at no charge. As we noted earlier, going straight to the court's portal avoids scams and outdated PDFs.

Examples include the 'Notice to Quit' (30‑day notice to vacate), the 'Complaint for Summary Ejectment' (initiates the eviction case), the 'Answer' (tenant's response), and the 'Motion to Stay Eviction' (requests a temporary halt).

Each form appears as a fill‑in‑ready PDF linked from the page New Hampshire Landlord‑Tenant Forms. After downloading, print, sign, and file according to the court's instructions before moving on to county‑specific resources in the next section.

Hillsborough County's Clerk of Court provides a centralized hub where tenants can obtain free eviction forms and practical filing help.

• Visit the official Hillsborough County Clerk of Court self‑help site to download PDFs of the summons, complaint, answer, and related notices.
• Upload the completed PDFs through the county e‑filing portal; the first filing carries a $12 fee, with reduced charges for additional documents.
• Call the self‑help hotline at 813‑974‑1400 for real‑time guidance on form completion and filing steps.
• Grab the printable 'Tenant's Guide to Eviction' from the same site; it outlines deadlines, courtroom etiquette, and how to request a stay without counsel.
• Review the 'Recent Forms' list regularly; the clerk updates templates quarterly, preventing use of outdated paperwork.

Tenants download the state‑court 'Answer' or 'Tenant's Response' form at no cost and file it themselves.

• Visit the official state judiciary portal and locate the 'Answer to Eviction Complaint' PDF New York Court's tenant answer form.
• Complete all required fields: personal details, case number, and any defenses such as improper notice or habitability issues.
• Attach copies of supporting documents - lease, payment receipts, repair requests - then sign and date the form.
• Review the court's fee schedule; most courts levy a filing fee, though low‑income waivers or reduced fees may apply.
• Deliver the packet to the clerk's office before the deadline stamped on the summons, and obtain a receipt or stamped copy.
• Store the receipt and a copy of the filed answer for future reference.

Using free eviction forms while honoring the filing fee requirements keeps the response valid and prepares the tenant for later steps like filing a motion to stay or sealing the record.

A motion to stay the eviction asks the state court to pause the process while the tenant resolves the underlying issue.

1. Confirm the case is in a general district court, housing court, or a specialized tribunal; some jurisdictions route evictions exclusively through housing divisions.
2. Search the official state court website for a 'motion' template; many states list a blank Motion for Stay of Eviction form, while others only provide a generic motion PDF. If no specific form appears, download the court's standard motion template and title it 'Motion to Stay Eviction.'
3. Draft the motion with clear facts: tenancy details, notice dates, and the precise reason you seek a stay (e.g., medical emergency, pending repair, or a pending appeal).
4. Attach any evidence that supports the request - doctor's letter, repair invoices, or a copy of the pending appeal.
5. File the completed motion at the clerk's office, either in person, by mail, or through the court's e‑filing portal; include the filing fee unless you qualify for a waiver, which the clerk can confirm.
6. Serve the landlord according to the jurisdiction's rules - often by certified mail or personal delivery - within the timeframe the court specifies.
7. Appear at the scheduled hearing; present the motion succinctly and answer the judge's questions.

(Details on filing fees and waiver eligibility vary by state; consult the state court's fee schedule page for exact amounts.)

State courts let tenants seal eviction records by filing a motion to expunge or seal the entry. Most jurisdictions host free eviction forms for that purpose on their official websites, so the required paperwork is readily downloadable. The motion must name the original case, explain why the eviction no longer reflects the tenant's conduct, and be accompanied by supporting documentation. Filing fees are often waived for low‑income renters, but each state sets its own procedural deadlines and hearing requirements.

As we covered above, locating the correct form in the free eviction forms hub is the first practical step.

• Locate the 'motion to seal eviction' template on your state court's website (free eviction forms portal).
• Complete the form with the exact case number, landlord details, and a concise justification for sealing.
• Attach evidence such as a lease, proof of rent payments, or a court order that dismissed the eviction.
• Submit the packet to the clerk and request a fee waiver if your income qualifies (California court's free eviction motion forms exemplifies this process).
• Appear at any scheduled hearing and argue that the record impedes future housing without serving a public interest (how to expunge eviction records).
• After the judge signs the order, obtain a certified copy and send it to credit bureaus or background‑check agencies to complete the seal.

During a shutdown, most state courts publish a dedicated 'Emergency Forms' page on their main eviction‑forms hub. That page aggregates all free eviction forms that remain downloadable despite court closures.

Check the alerts banner on the court's homepage, then follow the link to the emergency portal. The portal often mirrors the standard e‑filing system, letting tenants pull PDFs directly or submit motions through a temporary online docket. If the site is offline, a quick call or email to the clerk's office usually yields a secure download link.

Subscribe to the court's email alerts or RSS feed to catch updates the moment they're posted, a tip echoed in the '7 quick searches' section above. Keeping the official source bookmarked ensures access to free eviction forms whenever normal operations pause, paving the way for the tenant‑response steps that follow.