When is a 60-day notice required in California?

For no-fault terminations when the tenant has lived in the unit 12 months or more. Civil Code §1946.1 sets the 12-month line. For multi-tenant leases, if any single tenant has been in place 24 months, the 60-day requirement applies to the whole tenancy.

Does AB 1482 affect 60-day notices?

Yes. For AB 1482-covered units, a 60-day notice on a 12+ month tenant requires a statutory just cause. No-fault grounds require relocation assistance (one month's rent floor) tendered at or before service. A bare 60-day without just cause is unenforceable on covered units.

What must a 60-day notice include?

Tenant name(s), property address, vacate date (at least 60 days after service), termination statement, just cause if AB 1482 applies, relocation statement if no-fault, date, signature. SB 567 procedural requirements apply for OMI and substantial remodel grounds.

What if I serve a 30-day when 60 was required?

The notice is defective and the tenant has no obligation to vacate. The defect doesn't restart the clock — a new, correct 60-day notice has to be served, and the full 60 days runs from the new service date.

California 60-Day Notice to Vacate — 12+ Month Tenants and the Just-Cause Requirement

Q: How do I count 60 days?

60 calendar days from the day after service. Mailed service adds CCP §1013 days. If the 60th day falls on a weekend or holiday, the vacate date is typically extended to the next business day.

TL;DR

60-day notice = tenant in place 12+ months. AB 1482-covered units also need a stated just cause. No-fault grounds need relocation paid at or before service. SB 567 procedural requirements apply on OMI and substantial remodel.

The 12-month threshold

Civil Code §1946.1 keys the 60-day requirement to 12 months of continuous tenancy. The clock measures actual occupancy at the same unit. For multi-tenant leases, if any single tenant has been in place 24 months or more, the 60-day requirement applies to the whole tenancy.

AB 1482 overlay

At 12 months, AB 1482's just-cause framework also kicks in on covered units. So a 60-day notice on an AB 1482-covered 12+ month tenant must:

Be served at least 60 calendar days before the vacate date
State a statutory just cause
For no-fault grounds (OMI, substantial remodel, Ellis, government order): tender relocation at or before service
Meet SB 567's procedural requirements for OMI (90-day occupancy, 12-month minimum) and substantial remodel (permits + work incompatible with occupancy)

Just-cause grounds (AB 1482 / SB 567)

At-fault: nonpayment, lease violation, nuisance, waste, criminal activity, unauthorized subletting, refusal to execute equivalent renewal, unlicensed care facility use, holdover after lease end, employee tenant termination.

No-fault: owner move-in (with SB 567 compliance), substantial remodel (with permits), Ellis Act withdrawal, government-ordered vacancy, sale to owner-occupant of an SFR.

Service and counting

60 calendar days from the day after service. Personal service starts the clock immediately. Mailed service adds CCP §1013 time. Weekends and holidays don't extend the 60-day count (unlike the 3-day notice counting rule), but if the vacate date itself falls on a weekend or holiday, the effective vacate is typically the next business day.

Common questions — 60-day notice

When is 60 days required?

Tenant in place 12+ months on no-fault termination.

Does AB 1482 require just cause too?

Yes for 12+ month tenants on covered units.

What about relocation?

Required for no-fault grounds. One month's rent state floor. Local ordinances often require more. Tendered at or before service.

How do I count 60 days?

Day after service. Mailed service adds CCP §1013 time. Vacate date on weekend or holiday extends to next business day.

What if I underpay on notice period?

Defective notice. Tenant doesn't have to vacate. New 60-day notice required; the clock starts over.

The 60-Day Notice to Vacate. Long-tenured tenants need a longer notice — and a stated reason.