Certified mail is no longer required for predicate notices (pay or vacate, etc.) unless required by the terms of a lease. Note that mailing alone, even if received by the tenant, is not legally valid service of a notice. For a summary of service rules for predicate notices, see our Serving Eviction Notices page.
Drafting and service of notices was straightforward in the past, but is now nuanced. Landlords are encouraged to seek legal advice before proceeding.