California · Notice to Vacate Requirements
California Notice to Vacate: 3 days Pay-or-Quit, 30 days (< 1 year tenancy) / 60 days (1+ year) No-Fault
California has some of the most tenant-protective notice requirements in the country. For non-payment of rent, landlords must give 3 days to pay or quit under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161. For no-fault terminations, the notice period is 30 days if the tenant has lived there less than a year, or 60 days otherwise. Critically, California's AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act, Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.2) requires landlords of covered buildings (15+ years old) to state a legally valid 'just cause' reason in the notice, a technicality-free no-fault termination is no longer possible for most California renters.
California's AB 1482 requires just cause to evict from most rentals built before 2009, a bare 30-day notice is no longer sufficient in most cases.
Pay-or-quit notice
3 days
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161
Cure notice (violation)
3 days to cure a lease violation
No-fault / termination
30 days (< 1 year tenancy) / 60 days (1+ year)
Important: AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019) requires 'just cause' for termination of tenancies in buildings 15+ years old. Just cause must be stated in the notice. Exempt units (single-family homes where owner provided written notice, condos, etc.) follow standard 30/60-day rules.
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California Notice to Vacate FAQs
How much notice is required to vacate in California?▾
3 days for non-payment of rent or lease violations (to pay/cure or vacate). For no-fault terminations: 30 days if the tenant has rented for less than 1 year; 60 days if 1 year or more. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161; Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.1.
Does California require just cause to evict a tenant?▾
Yes, for most tenants in buildings 15+ years old under AB 1482 (Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.2). Just cause includes non-payment, lease violations, nuisance, and 'at-fault' reasons, plus a limited list of 'no-fault' reasons (owner move-in, withdrawal from market, etc.) that require relocation assistance equal to one month's rent.
Do I need a lawyer to serve a notice to vacate?▾
No to generate and serve the notice. However, given California's complex AB 1482 requirements, consulting a landlord-tenant attorney before proceeding with an eviction is strongly recommended to avoid procedural defects that will get the case thrown out.
What happens if a tenant stays after a California vacate notice?▾
If the tenant fails to vacate after the notice period, the landlord must file an Unlawful Detainer (UD) lawsuit in Superior Court. California does not allow self-help evictions, changing locks or removing belongings is illegal and grounds for a suit by the tenant.
Notice to vacate requirements by state
Eviction notice requirements change frequently. Verify current rules in your jurisdiction before serving. kweldoc is a document drafting tool, not a law firm.