30-Day vs 60-Day Notice to Quit in California

By Brian Johnson, Eviction Defender · Updated November 2026

If your landlord just handed you a notice saying your month-to-month tenancy is ending, the first question is simple: did they give you the right amount of time? In California, the answer usually depends on how long you have lived there. A 30-day notice is for tenants who have been there less than a year. A 60 day notice to quit in California is required once everyone on the tenancy has been there a year or more.

This guide explains the difference, how to count the days, when the landlord also needs a legal reason, and what happens if you're still in the home when the notice runs out. Read it with your notice in front of you.

The Basic Rule: How Long You've Lived There

California Civil Code §1946.1 sets the notice a landlord must give to end a month-to-month (or other periodic) tenancy:

• 30 days' notice if all tenants have lived in the unit for less than one year.
• 60 days' notice if any tenant has lived there for one year or more.

The clock is about how long you've lived in the home, not how long your current lease paperwork has been in place. If you moved in two years ago on a lease that later rolled over to month-to-month, you've been there two years, and a 30-day notice is usually the wrong notice.

There is a narrow exception. In some sales of a single-family home or condo to a buyer who plans to live there, the law lets the landlord use a 30-day notice even after a year, but only if specific conditions are met. If your notice says the home is being sold, don't assume the shorter notice is valid. Ask for details and get your situation reviewed.

Where the 90-Day Notice Fits In

Some tenants are entitled to even more time. A 90-day notice applies to certain government-subsidized tenancies, such as Section 8 housing, where the court's self-help guide says the landlord also needs a legal reason to end the tenancy. A 90-day notice also generally applies when the home you rent was sold at a foreclosure sale. We cover that situation in detail in our guide to 90-day notices after foreclosure.

If you receive a 30-day or 60-day notice and you have a housing voucher, or your landlord recently lost the property to foreclosure, check whether you should have received 90 days instead.

How to Count the Days on a 30-Day or 60-Day Notice

Counting matters, because a notice that is short by even one day can be a problem for the landlord's case. According to the California courts' self-help guide:

• Day 1 is the day after you received the notice.
• You count every calendar day, including weekends and holidays.
• The tenancy ends at the end of the last day.

This is different from a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit, where Saturdays, Sundays and court holidays are not counted. People mix these rules up all the time, so don't use the 3-day counting method on a 30-day or 60-day notice.

Also write down how and when you got the notice: handed to you, left with someone at home, posted on the door, or mailed. The delivery method can affect when the clock starts. Keep the envelope if it came by mail.

Does the Landlord Need a Reason? Just Cause Rules

A 30-day or 60-day notice used to be called a "no-fault" notice because a landlord could end a month-to-month tenancy without saying why. For many California renters, that is no longer true.

The Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482)

Under Civil Code §1946.2, once a tenant has lived in a covered unit for 12 months, the landlord needs "just cause" to end the tenancy, and the notice has to state the reason. Just cause falls into two groups:

• At-fault reasons, such as not paying rent, a serious lease violation, or a nuisance.
• No-fault reasons, such as the owner or a close family member moving in, taking the unit off the rental market, or a substantial remodel.

For a no-fault just cause, the landlord owes you relocation help equal to one month's rent, either as a payment or by waiving your final month's rent.

Not every unit is covered. Many single-family homes and condos are exempt if the owner isn't a corporation or similar entity and gave tenants a required written notice of the exemption. Newer buildings are also exempt for a period of time. Our guide to your rights under the California Tenant Protection Act walks through who is covered.

Local rent and eviction ordinances

Many cities, including Los Angeles and Oakland, have their own rules that may give you more protection than state law, such as stronger just-cause requirements, higher relocation payments, or extra notice filing rules. If you live in one of these cities, the local rules can change whether your notice is valid. See our local pages for Los Angeles and Oakland for more.

Common Problems With 30-Day and 60-Day Notices

When you look over your notice, check for these issues. Any one of them may matter later if the landlord files an eviction case:

• Wrong length. A 30-day notice given to someone who has lived there a year or more.
• No reason given when the Tenant Protection Act or a local ordinance requires one.
• No mention of relocation help for a no-fault reason in a covered unit.
• Retaliation or discrimination. A notice that arrives right after you asked for repairs, complained to a housing inspector, or took part in a tenant group may raise a retaliation issue.
• A fixed-term lease that hasn't ended. A 30-day or 60-day notice generally ends a month-to-month tenancy. If you're still inside a fixed lease term, different rules apply.
• Missing information, such as the landlord's name, the address, or the date the tenancy ends.

A defect doesn't always mean you get to stay, and courts look at each case on its own facts. But it's worth knowing about before you decide what to do. Our article on defenses that can help in a California eviction case explains more.

What Happens When the Notice Period Ends

A 30-day or 60-day notice is not an eviction order. It only ends the tenancy on paper. If you're still in the home after the last day, the landlord cannot change the locks, remove your things, or shut off utilities. To remove you, the landlord has to file an unlawful detainer (eviction) case in superior court.

If that happens, you'll be served with a Summons and Complaint. You then have 10 court days after personal service (not counting weekends and court holidays) to file a written response, usually on form UD-105. If you don't respond in time, the landlord can ask for a default judgment and you can lose without a hearing. Our guide on how to respond to an unlawful detainer in California covers that step.

For a full picture of the timeline from notice to sheriff, see how long an eviction takes in California.

What You Can Do Right Now

1. Find your move-in date. A lease, first rent receipt, or bank record can show how long you've lived there.
2. Count the days using the calendar-day method above.
3. Check for a stated reason and any relocation offer.
4. Look up whether your city has its own rent rules.
5. Keep paying rent through the notice period unless you've been told otherwise in writing. Rent you owe during the notice period is still owed.
6. Talk to someone before the deadline, not after court papers arrive. You can request a free case review any time.

For an overview of every notice type you might see, visit our eviction notice help page or read a guide to the types of California eviction notices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 30-day notice valid if I've lived here more than a year?

Usually not. Under Civil Code §1946.1, a landlord generally must give 60 days' notice to end a month-to-month tenancy once any tenant has lived there a year or more. A narrow exception applies to certain home sales, so get your specific notice reviewed.

Do weekends count on a 60-day notice?

Yes. For 30-day and 60-day notices, you count every calendar day, including weekends and holidays, starting the day after you received the notice. That is different from a 3-day notice, which skips weekends and court holidays.

Does my landlord have to give a reason on a 60-day notice?

It depends on your unit. If you've lived there at least 12 months and your unit is covered by the Tenant Protection Act, the landlord needs just cause and must state it. Many cities with local rent ordinances also require a reason. Some single-family homes and newer buildings are exempt.

Do I get relocation money with a 60-day notice?

If your unit is covered by the Tenant Protection Act and the reason is no-fault, such as an owner move-in or major remodel, the landlord owes relocation help equal to one month's rent. Some cities require more.

Can my landlord lock me out when the 60 days are up?

No. Only the sheriff can remove a tenant, and only after the landlord files an eviction case and wins a judgment. A landlord who changes the locks or shuts off utilities on their own may owe you penalties.

How much notice do I have to give if I want to move out?

For a month-to-month tenancy, a tenant generally gives notice equal to the rental period, which is usually 30 days. Check your rental agreement and give your notice in writing.

Eviction Defender is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This article is general information about California law as of 2026.