How the City of Los Angeles Eviction Process Works

The Los Angeles eviction process requires a landlord to pick a legally recognized reason, serve a proper written notice, file that notice with the Los Angeles Housing Department within three business days, and then — if the tenant doesn’t comply — file an unlawful detainer lawsuit in Superior Court and have the Sheriff carry out any lockout. State law sets the baseline; two overlapping city ordinances add steps that most other California cities don’t require. Miss any of them and the case can be dismissed no matter how valid the underlying reason was.

First Figure Out Which Ordinance Covers the Unit

Two Los Angeles ordinances restrict evictions, and which one applies drives the forms, filings, and relocation amounts you’ll use. The Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), in Chapter XV of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, covers most residential rentals first built on or before October 1, 1978 — apartments, condos, duplexes, townhomes, long-stay rooms in hotels or boarding houses, residential units attached to commercial buildings, and accessory dwelling units.¹ Newer buildings and most single-family homes and condos exempt from the RSO generally fall under the Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance (JCO) in Chapter XVI.²

Both ordinances require a landlord to have a legally recognized reason, and both require relocation assistance for no-fault evictions. The JCO was designed to close the gap for units the RSO doesn’t reach, so almost every residential rental in the city falls under one or the other.

Pick a Legal Ground: At-Fault or No-Fault

Every eviction has to be based on a reason listed in the applicable ordinance, and those reasons split into two categories. The category controls the notice type and whether you owe the tenant relocation money.

At-Fault Grounds

These are based on something the tenant did. The most common is failure to pay rent after a written demand.³ Others include violating a material lease term, creating a nuisance that substantially interferes with other tenants, using the unit for an illegal purpose, and refusing to sign a new lease on substantially the same terms as the expiring one. No relocation assistance is owed when the ground is at-fault.

No-Fault Grounds

No-fault grounds let a landlord recover the unit for a reason unrelated to tenant behavior: owner or immediate-family move-in, removing the property from the rental market under the Ellis Act, a government order to vacate, or demolition or major renovation.² Every no-fault eviction triggers relocation assistance, and the landlord must file a Declaration of Intent to Evict with LAHD before serving the notice.⁴

The Ellis Act allows removing an entire property from the rental market, but tenants must get at least 120 days’ notice, and tenants who are 62 or older or disabled get a full year.⁵ If the units later return to the rental market, additional re-rental restrictions apply.⁶

Owner Move-In Has Its Own Rules

Owner move-in is one of the most litigated no-fault grounds, and the requirements are stricter than many landlords expect. The owner or qualifying family member must move in within three months of the tenant vacating and then live in the unit as a primary residence for at least two consecutive years.⁷

Not actually moving in, or moving out before the two-year mark, can be used as evidence of bad faith. A landlord found to have acted in bad faith is liable to the displaced tenant for three times actual damages, exemplary damages, and attorney’s fees, and the city can bring its own civil action. Failing to file the required statements under penalty of perjury carries a fine of $250 per day for each day the filing is late.⁷

Serving the Right Notice

The notice form depends on the ground. For nonpayment, use a 3-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit. For a curable lease violation, use a 3-Day Notice to Perform Covenants or Quit. Both now exclude weekends and court holidays from the count, so the real calendar time runs longer than three days.⁸

For no-fault grounds or to end a month-to-month tenancy, serve a 30-day notice if the tenant has lived there less than a year, or a 60-day notice if they’ve been there a year or more.⁸ A nonpayment notice must include the tenant’s full name, the rental address, the exact amount of rent owed, the deadline to pay or move, and details on how and where to pay. Lease-violation notices must describe the specific problem. Any error gives the tenant a ready-made defense in court.

Los Angeles also requires landlords to attach a Notice of Right to Counsel to every eviction notice, informing the tenant of their right to free legal help.⁹ Since January 2023, landlords must also post a Notice of Renters’ Protections in an accessible common area of each residential property.

File the Notice With LAHD Within Three Business Days

Every written notice to end a tenancy for a unit covered by the RSO or JCO must be filed with the Los Angeles Housing Department within three business days of being served, under LAMC Sections 151.09 and 165.05.¹⁰ This covers 3-day, 30-day, and 60-day notices alike. LAHD runs an online filing portal; landlords who can’t upload electronically must complete an Eviction Notice Filing Cover Sheet and mail a copy to LAHD.⁹

A surprising number of cases die here. A tenant can raise the landlord’s failure to file as an affirmative defense in the unlawful detainer action, and a judge may dismiss the case regardless of whether the underlying reason was valid. For no-fault grounds, the landlord has an additional step before serving the notice: filing a Declaration of Intent to Evict with LAHD, along with applicable fees and proof of relocation assistance.⁴

Pay Relocation Assistance for No-Fault Evictions

Every no-fault eviction in Los Angeles requires the landlord to pay relocation assistance. For the period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the amounts are:

Eligible tenant, less than 3 years: $10,650
Eligible tenant, 3 or more years: $13,950
Qualified tenant, less than 3 years: $22,450
Qualified tenant, 3 or more years: $26,550

A “qualified” tenant is one who is 62 or older, disabled, or lives with one or more minor dependent children.¹¹ If two or more tenants share the unit, each receives an equal share. The full amount must be given to the tenant or deposited into an approved escrow account within 15 days of serving the notice. Escrowed funds must be released within three business days of a tenant’s request.

Buyouts Are an Alternative, But They’re Regulated

Instead of filing for eviction, some landlords offer cash to persuade a tenant to leave voluntarily. These buyouts are regulated under LAMC Section 151.31. Before making any offer, the landlord must give the tenant a city-approved RSO Disclosure Notice explaining the tenant’s rights, including the right to decline and the right to consult an attorney.¹²

The agreement must be written in the tenant’s primary language and include, in at least 12-point bold type above the signature line, a notice that the tenant can cancel for any reason within 30 days of signing with no penalty. If the landlord fails to provide the disclosure or the agreement doesn’t meet the city’s format requirements, the tenant can rescind through the entire statute of limitations period. The landlord must file copies of the signed disclosure and the executed agreement with LAHD within 60 days. Violations expose the landlord to a private lawsuit and a $500 penalty per violation.¹²

Filing the Unlawful Detainer in Superior Court

If the notice period runs out and the tenant hasn’t paid, cured, or moved, the landlord files an unlawful detainer lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court. The filing packet includes a Summons, a Complaint for Unlawful Detainer, a Civil Case Cover Sheet, and a copy of the notice that was served. Filing fees depend on the amount claimed:

Up to $12,500: $240
Over $12,500 to $35,000: $385
Over $35,000: $435

¹³ Most filings go through the court’s mandatory electronic filing system, though self-represented litigants can still file in person. Unlawful detainer cases are summary proceedings and move faster than ordinary civil cases. Once the court accepts the filing and the fees, it issues the Summons for service.

Serving the Tenant and the Response Window

The Summons and Complaint must be formally delivered by a registered process server or any adult who isn’t a party to the case. Personal service — handing the papers to the tenant — is the preferred method. If personal service fails, the server can use substituted service by leaving the papers with a responsible person at the tenant’s home or workplace and mailing a copy. As a last resort, the court can authorize “post and mail” service, which involves taping the documents to the door and sending a copy by mail.

After service, the server fills out a Proof of Service that the landlord files with the court. The tenant then has 10 court days — excluding weekends and court holidays — to file a written Answer.¹⁴ AB 2347 extended that window from five days to ten days effective January 1, 2025. If the tenant doesn’t respond in time, the landlord can request a default judgment. If the tenant does respond, the case moves to trial.

Judgment, Writ of Possession, and the Sheriff Lockout

If the landlord wins at trial or gets a default judgment, the court enters a judgment for possession. The clerk then issues a Writ of Possession, which authorizes the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to carry out the physical eviction.¹⁵ The landlord delivers the writ to the Sheriff’s Civil Management Unit with an execution fee of $145.¹⁶

The Sheriff posts a five-day Notice to Vacate on the property, giving occupants five calendar days to leave voluntarily.¹⁷ If the tenant hasn’t left by then, the Sheriff returns to remove anyone remaining and hand possession to the landlord. Change the locks right away. Any personal belongings left behind have to be handled under California’s abandoned property rules, which generally require written notice to the former tenant and a waiting period before the items can be sold or discarded.

Don’t Try to Shortcut With a Self-Help Eviction

Trying to force a tenant out without going through the court process is one of the most expensive mistakes a Los Angeles landlord can make. California Civil Code Section 789.3 bars a landlord from shutting off utilities, changing locks, removing doors or windows, or taking a tenant’s belongings to drive them out. A violator is liable for actual damages plus up to $100 per day for each day the violation continues, with a minimum of $250 per incident, and the court must award attorney’s fees to a tenant who wins.¹⁸

Los Angeles stacks the Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance (TAHO) on top, as amended by Ordinance No. 188416 effective December 29, 2024. A tenant who proves harassment can recover three times compensatory damages, including emotional distress, plus civil penalties of $2,000 to $10,000 per violation. If the tenant is over 65 or disabled, an additional penalty of up to $5,000 per violation may apply. TAHO violations can also be prosecuted as misdemeanors, carrying up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine per offense.¹⁹ The arithmetic never favors skipping the process. Follow the sequence from the start and the case holds up; skip a step and it falls apart or costs far more than it would have to do it right.

1
Los Angeles Housing Department. RSO Overview
2
Los Angeles Housing Department. Just Cause For Eviction Ordinance (JCO)
3
Los Angeles Municipal Code. LAMC 151.09 – Evictions
4
Los Angeles Housing Department. RSO Units – No Fault Evictions
5
Los Angeles Municipal Code. LAMC 151.22 – Ellis Act Provisions
6
Los Angeles Housing Department. Ellis Act Information
7
Los Angeles Municipal Code. LAMC 151.30 – Evictions for Owner, Family, or Resident Manager Occupancy
8
California Courts. Types of Eviction Notices Landlords
9
Los Angeles Housing Department. Eviction Notice Filing Cover Sheet
10
Los Angeles Housing Department. Eviction Notices
11
Los Angeles Housing Department. Relocation Assistance Bulletin
12
Los Angeles Municipal Code. LAMC 151.31 – Tenant Buyout Notification Program
13
Los Angeles Superior Court. Civil Fee Schedule
14
California Courts. Fill Out an Answer Form in an Eviction Case
15
California Courts. Eviction Cases in California
16
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Statutory Fees
17
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Court Services FAQ
18
California Legislative Information. California Civil Code 789.3
19
Los Angeles Housing Department. Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance