California · Notice to vacate

California notice to vacate rules

In California, a landlord must give 60 days’ notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and a tenant must give 30 days’ notice. For unpaid rent, the notice period is 3 business days.

The rule

Landlord ends month-to-month
60 days
Tenant ends month-to-month
30 days
Week-to-week
7 days
Unpaid rent
3 business days
Lease violation
3 business days
Unpaid rent
3-day notice to pay or quit, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and judicial holidays.
Lease violations
3-day notice to cure or quit, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and judicial holidays.

Law: Cal. Civ. Code § 1946, § 1946.1; Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161

Last reviewed September 30, 2026

Not legal advice. Statutes change; check the linked section.