Eviction Notice Requirements in California
In California a landlord must give a 3-day notice (not counting weekends and court holidays) to pay rent or cure a lease breach, and 30 or 60 days' notice to end a month-to-month tenancy depending on whether the tenant has lived there a year.
Last checked . General information, not legal advice.
California at a glance
- Notice for unpaid rent
- 3 days
- 3-day notice to pay rent or quit (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays)
- Notice for a lease violation
- 3 days
- 3-day notice to perform covenant or quit (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays)
- Ending a month-to-month tenancy
- 30 days
- 30 days' written notice if tenant has resided less than 1 year; 60 days if 1 year or more
The rules in California
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in California?
California rule: 3-day notice to pay rent or quit (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays).
How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in California?
California rule: 3-day notice to perform covenant or quit (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays).
How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month tenancy in California?
California rule: 30 days' written notice if tenant has resided less than 1 year; 60 days if 1 year or more.
Where do the California rules for eviction notices come from?
They come from Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 1161 and Cal. Civ. Code 1946.1. We last checked them in October 2026. Laws change, so check the current statute before you rely on it.
How California compares
For unpaid rent, California has one of the shortest notice periods in the country, and 30 jurisdictions require a longer one.
What this means in practice
A notice is usually the first step, not the eviction itself. A landlord generally needs a court order before a tenant can be removed, and changing the locks or cutting utilities to force a tenant out is not allowed in most states.
Serve the notice the way state law requires, keep a copy and proof of delivery, and count the days carefully: some states skip weekends and holidays.
Tenants who receive a notice can often stop the process by paying or fixing the problem within the notice period. Local legal aid offices can explain the options.
General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.