48 hoursNotice required48 hours
No noticeEmergency entryAllowed without notice
ListedPermitted reasonsInspect, repairs, show to buyers or tenants
StatuteDelaware reference25 Del. C. § 5509
When does a Delaware landlord need to give notice?
Pick the situation. The period on each card is Delaware's minimum — your lease can require more, never less.
48hours
Repairs & inspections48 hours. State the reason and a window of a few hours, at a reasonable time of day.Sent from the tenant record48hours
Showing the unitProspective tenants, buyers, appraisers or contractors — same notice as repairs; Delaware lists showings among the permitted reasons.Sent from the tenant recordNo notice
EmergencyAllowed without notice. Burst pipe, fire, gas, a threat to health or safety — enter, then tell the tenant what happened and why.ReferenceNever
Tenant refuses entryA tenant cannot refuse a proper notice for a permitted reason; repeated refusal is a lease violation. Never enter by force — document and use the violation notice.Reference
What a Delaware notice of entry must contain
✓Tenant name(s) and the unit addressName each person on the lease; the notice binds all of them.
✓The date and a time windowAt least 48 hours ahead, as Delaware requires; a window of a few hours at a reasonable time of day.25 Del. C. § 5509
✓The reason for entryDelaware permits: Inspect, repairs, show to buyers or tenants. Name the one that applies.
✓Who will enterYou, your manager, a contractor, or a prospective tenant — the tenant is entitled to know.
✓How it was deliveredWritten notice: hand delivery, posting on the door, mail, or email/text if the lease allows electronic notices. Keep the date.auto-logged
✓Your name and a contactSo the tenant can ask to reschedule; a reasonable request to move the time is usually worth granting.
How it works
1 · Open the tenant's recordResidents → the tenant → Messages. Write the notice with the date, window and reason; the address and names are already on the record.
2 · Send itDelivered by email and in the tenant portal (and by text where the tenant has opted in), time-stamped.
3 · Keep the recordThe message thread is the proof of notice if entry is ever disputed; add a note after the visit.
Delaware entry notice FAQ
How much notice must a Delaware landlord give before entering?
48 hours (25 Del. C. § 5509).
Can I enter without notice in an emergency?
Allowed without notice. Tell the tenant afterwards what happened and what was done.
What reasons allow entry?
Inspect, repairs, show to buyers or tenants.
Can the tenant refuse?
Not a proper notice for a permitted reason. Repeated refusal is a lease violation; never enter by force — document it and use the lease-violation notice.
Does a text or email count as notice?
Only if the lease allows electronic notices. The in-app message is emailed and shown in the tenant portal, time-stamped; print it for hand delivery where paper is required.
Send a Delaware notice of entry in two minutes
Date, reason and delivery record on the tenant's file. Free.
Notice periods are Delaware's statutory minimums as of 2026, reviewed against Delaware Code, Title 25, Part III (Residential Landlord-Tenant Code). General information for landlords, not legal advice; local ordinances can add requirements.
