3-day pay-or-quit · 3-day cure-or-quit · 30-day / 60-day no-fault, under Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12
Eviction notices in California must comply with precise statutory requirements, including the correct notice period, required content, and proper service method. A notice with a missing element, incorrect amount, or improper service is void, requiring the landlord to restart the process. Use these state-specific templates as a starting point and verify all requirements against current California law before serving.
| Notice Type | Days | Statute | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-payment of rent | 3 | CCP § 1161(2) | 3 court days. Weekends and judicial holidays do not count toward the deadline. The demand must state the exact rent owed: not late fees, not utility passthroughs, not the running balance. Any inflated number can void the notice on its face. SB-436 is pending to extend this to 14 days, but is not yet law. |
| Curable lease violation | 3 | CCP § 1161(3) | 3 court days to cure the violation or quit. The tenant chooses. If they cure within the window, the tenancy continues and the notice is spent; you cannot proceed on it. |
| Incurable violation (nuisance, illegal use, substantial damage) | 3 | CCP § 1161(4) | 3 days, unconditional quit, no cure option. California courts read "incurable" narrowly. A habitually late-paying tenant is not the same as a meth lab. Document the conduct on the notice, not your conclusion about it. |
| No-cause termination, tenancy under 1 year | 30 | Civ. Code § 1946.1 | 30 calendar days for month-to-month tenancies of less than one year. Only available if the unit is exempt from AB-1482 just-cause, and that exemption only sticks if the landlord previously gave written notice of it. |
| No-cause termination, tenancy 1 year or more | 60 | Civ. Code § 1946.1 | 60 calendar days. Same caveat: AB-1482 covers most rentals, so a no-cause notice is unavailable unless the unit is statutorily exempt AND the landlord delivered the written exemption notice. |
| Just-cause no-fault (owner move-in, withdrawal, substantial remodel) | 60 | Civ. Code § 1946.2 | 60 days, plus either one month's rent in relocation assistance OR a written waiver of the last month's rent. Forgetting the relocation step is a separate cause of action; the tenant can win damages without ever winning the underlying possession case. |
Use when rent is past due. The tenant has 3 days (excluding the day of service) to pay in full or vacate. Do not accept partial payment after serving without written documentation of your intent to reserve rights.
Use when a tenant has violated a specific lease term (unauthorized pet, occupant, nuisance, etc.). Cite the exact lease clause violated. The tenant has 3 days to cure or vacate.
Use for no-fault termination of a month-to-month tenancy. California requires 30 days for tenancies under one year and 60 days for tenancies of one year or more. In covered units, a legally permitted no-fault just-cause reason is required.
Always document service in writing: date, time, method, and who received it. Use a process server for contested evictions. Email service is not valid in California unless the tenant has separately agreed in writing.
Informational only, not legal advice. Consult a licensed California attorney before serving. Source attribution in the Sources band below.
