Notice of Entry for California landlords
Notify tenant of planned property access Written to CA landlord-tenant law, with the notice period counted for you.
- Pay or quit
- 3 days
- Month-to-month
- 30 days
- Tenant over 1 year
- 60 days
- Rent increase notice
- 30 days
- Max deposit
- 2 months unfurnished, 3 months furnished
- Deposit return
- 21 days
When you need a notice of entry.
- Legal property access
- Maintenance scheduling
- Inspection compliance
- Avoiding harassment claims
California rules that apply here.
Rent control applies in parts of California. Where a local ordinance is stricter than state law, the local rule governs.
- 3-day notice for nonpayment
- 60-day notice for tenants over 1 year
- Statewide rent cap (AB 1482): 5% + CPI or 10% max
- Just cause eviction required for covered properties
Rent control areas
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Berkeley, Santa Monica, West Hollywood
What landlords ask about this in California.
- How much notice before entry?
- Most states require reasonable advance notice, commonly 24 hours, for non-emergency entry at reasonable hours. Check California's specific rule and your own lease, and put the notice in writing even where verbal is allowed.
- Can I enter in an emergency?
- Yes. A genuine emergency such as fire, flood or a gas leak allows immediate entry without notice. The exception is narrow: an urgent repair is not the same as an emergency, and stretching it invites a privacy claim.
- What if the tenant refuses entry?
- Do not force it. Repeated unreasonable refusal can itself be a lease violation you address with a written notice. Entering over a refusal risks a claim for breach of quiet enjoyment, which costs more than the delay does.
- Do I need notice to show the property?
- Yes. Showings are non-emergency entry and need the same advance notice as any other visit in California. Agreeing a showing window with the tenant in writing is far easier than noticing each one separately.
This is general information about California landlord-tenant law, not legal advice. Local ordinances can be stricter than the state rule, and if a dispute is already underway it is worth an hour of a lawyer’s time.
Related CA forms
This form in other states
The document is the same; the notice period is not. Pick the state the property is in, not the one you live in.
Generate your California notice of entry.
Free, no account, and dated against CA rules. Create an account only when you want the tenant details reused next month and the copies kept.