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California Notice to Pay Rent or Quit

A notice to pay or quit is the formal demand a California landlord must serve before starting a nonpayment eviction. In California, a landlord must generally give 3 days' notice to pay rent or quit under Cal. Civ. Proc. Code 1161(2).

Fill in the rent owed, the rental period it covers, and the deadline, and download a California pay or quit notice ready to serve, in Word and PDF.

Create your California notice to pay rent or quitRead the full Notice to Pay Rent or Quit guide

California notice periods

California pay or quit notice period: 3 days (Cal. Civ. Proc. Code 1161(2), excluding weekends and judicial holidays).

California eviction notice periods by notice type
Notice typeMinimum noticeStatute
Nonpayment of rent (pay or quit)3 days (excluding weekends and judicial holidays)Cal. Civ. Proc. Code 1161(2)
Lease violation (cure or quit)3 days (excluding weekends and judicial holidays)Cal. Civ. Proc. Code 1161(3)
No-fault termination (month to month)30 days (60 days once every tenant has lived in the unit for a year or more; statewide just-cause rules may also apply)Cal. Civ. Code 1946.1

Verify before you rely on it

Landlord-tenant statutes change, and cities or counties can add stricter local rules. Confirm the current California requirement in the statute cited above (or with your local court's self-help resources) before serving your notice.

How this template works in California

Answer guided questions about the landlord, the tenant, and the amounts owed, then enter the California notice period from the table above. The finished notice is ready to serve and download in Word and PDF.

The form, the live preview, and the full guide live on the main Notice to Pay Rent or Quit page.

Notice to Pay Rent or Quit in other states