Legal notices
Legal notice in India
A legal notice is a written letter, usually sent by an advocate, that tells the other side what you claim and what you want done by a date. For most disputes no law makes one compulsory. For a few it is, and in almost every case it is the first document a judge reads.
Law checked on 9 November 2026.
- Compulsory before
- Cheque bounce case, suit against the Government
- Usual reply time
- Whatever the notice gives, unless a law fixes it
- Sent by
- You or an advocate; no law requires an advocate
- Proof of sending
- Registered Post AD or Speed Post receipt
When the law makes a notice compulsory
These are the common cases where skipping the notice, or sending it late, can stop the case itself. Each has its own time limit.
| Situation | What the law requires | Law |
|---|---|---|
| A cheque you received bounced | A written demand for the amount within 30 days of the bank telling you the cheque was returned. The drawer then has 15 days from receiving it to pay. If they do not, the complaint is filed within one month after that. | Sections 138 and 142, Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 |
| You want to sue the Central or a State Government, or a public officer for an official act | Written notice delivered to the right office, then two months of waiting before the suit is filed. A court can allow an urgent case without it. | Section 80, Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 |
| A landlord or tenant wants to end a tenancy that has no notice term in its agreement | Written, signed notice: 15 days for an ordinary month to month tenancy, six months for a lease for agriculture or manufacturing. State rent laws can add their own rules. | Section 106, Transfer of Property Act, 1882 |
| A business dispute worth Rs 3 lakh or more | Not a notice but pre-institution mediation, before the suit, unless the case needs urgent interim relief. | Section 12A, Commercial Courts Act, 2015; Patil Automation v Rakheja Engineers (Supreme Court, 2022) |
For most other disputes (unpaid money, consumer complaints, salary, defamation, family matters) a notice is not required by law, but it is the usual first step. It puts your claim on record and often settles the matter before anyone goes to court.
Received a legal notice
A notice is not a court order. Nothing happens to you automatically because one arrived, but the date it gives may matter.
- Note the date you received it and the deadline it gives. Keep the envelope: the postmark can matter later.
- Check whether a law fixes the time. A cheque bounce notice gives you 15 days to pay; after that, the sender can file a criminal complaint.
- Collect what the notice is about: the agreement, receipts, bank entries, messages.
- Reply in writing if the claim is wrong or incomplete, and keep proof that your reply reached them. A short, accurate reply is better than a long angry one: it may be read by a judge.
- If the notice threatens a case, speak to an advocate before you reply.
Sending a legal notice
A notice should say who you are, who it is addressed to, the facts in order, what you want, by when, and what you will do if it is not done. Claim only what you can prove: a notice that exaggerates can be used against you.
Send it by Registered Post with Acknowledgement Due or by Speed Post, and keep the receipt and the tracking record. Courts have accepted email and WhatsApp in particular cases, such as a Bombay High Court order of 2018 where the PDF was shown opened and read, but there is no general rule that they are enough. Use them in addition to post, not instead of it.
Legal notices by situation
Talk to an advocate about your notice Tell us what the notice is about, or what you want to claim. Sending an enquiry is free. It goes to advocates who handle this kind of matter, and your number goes only to those who open it.
Questions people ask
Is a legal notice compulsory before filing a case?
Only where a law says so. The common examples are a cheque bounce complaint (Section 138, Negotiable Instruments Act), a suit against the Government or a public officer (Section 80, Code of Civil Procedure), and ending a tenancy that has no notice term (Section 106, Transfer of Property Act). For most other disputes it is not required, though it is the usual first step.
Can I send a legal notice myself, without an advocate?
Yes. No law requires an advocate to send most notices. An advocate's notice tends to be taken more seriously and is less likely to contain a mistake that hurts you later, which matters most where a notice is compulsory or a case is likely.
What happens if I ignore a legal notice?
Nothing happens automatically, because a notice is not a court order. But the sender may go to court, and silence can count against you. For a cheque bounce notice, not paying within 15 days of receiving it lets the sender file a criminal complaint.
Can a legal notice be sent by email or WhatsApp?
Courts have accepted them in particular cases, but there is no general rule that they are enough. Send by Registered Post AD or Speed Post and keep the proof; email or WhatsApp can be added.
How much time does the other side get?
Usually the time the notice gives, often 15 or 30 days. Where a law fixes it, that period applies: 15 days to pay after a cheque bounce notice, two months after a Section 80 notice to the Government, and the Section 106 periods for a tenancy.
Does LegalFirms.in charge for an enquiry?
No. Sending an enquiry through LegalFirms.in is free. Advocates set their own fees for drafting, sending or replying to a notice; ask before you engage one.
General information on Indian law, not legal advice for your situation. Time limits and procedure can turn on facts and on State law; an advocate can tell you how they apply to you.