A sample 60-day notice to vacate in California needs to name every tenant, identify the property, state that the month-to-month tenancy ends 60 days after service, and tell the tenant about their right to a pre-move-out inspection. If the property falls under the Tenant Protection Act, the notice also has to state the just cause and, for no-fault terminations, explain the relocation payment. A template appears below, followed by the rules that decide whether a judge will treat it as valid.
Use the 60-day form when the tenant has continuously lived in the unit for one year or more. Tenants under a year get 30 days. Serving the wrong length on a long-term tenant is a defect that will get an eviction case dismissed.1California Legislative Information. California Code CIV 1946.1 – Termination of Periodic Tenancies
Sample 60-Day Notice to Vacate
Replace the bracketed text with your details. If the property is exempt from the Tenant Protection Act, delete the just cause paragraph and the relocation assistance paragraph. This version covers a no-fault termination; at-fault terminations for specific lease violations typically use a shorter 3-day or 30-day notice tied to the violation.
SIXTY-DAY NOTICE TO TERMINATE TENANCY
TO: [Tenant Full Name(s)] and all other occupants in possession.
PROPERTY ADDRESS: [Street Address, Unit Number, City, California, Zip Code]
You are notified that your month-to-month tenancy at the above address is terminated. You are required to vacate and surrender possession of the premises within sixty (60) days of service of this notice, as provided by California Civil Code Section 1946.1.
REASON FOR TERMINATION (if property is subject to Civil Code Section 1946.2): This termination is based on the following just cause: [State the specific no-fault or at-fault reason].
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE (no-fault terminations under Civil Code Section 1946.2 only): You are entitled to relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent in the amount of $[amount]. [Choose one: “A direct payment of this amount will be provided within 15 calendar days of service of this notice.” OR “The rent for your final month of tenancy in the amount of $[amount] is waived. No rent is due for that month.”]
RIGHT TO INSPECTION: Under California Civil Code Section 1950.5(f), you have the right to request an initial inspection of the unit before the end of your tenancy. This inspection allows you to identify and address any conditions that could result in deductions from your security deposit. To schedule an inspection, contact the landlord at the information below.
Date: [Date of Service] | Landlord Signature: _________________ | Phone: [Phone Number] | Address for correspondence: [Landlord Mailing Address]
What Every 60-Day Notice Must Contain
Missing any of these elements gives the tenant an opening to defeat an unlawful detainer case later. Include all of them, even when they seem obvious:
- Full names of all tenants: Every adult on the rental agreement, followed by language covering “all other occupants in possession.”
- Complete property address: Street, unit number, city, state, and zip.
- Termination date: A clear statement that the tenancy ends 60 days from service.
- Initial inspection notice: Written notice that the tenant may request a pre-move-out inspection and be present for it, as required by Civil Code Section 1950.5(f).2California Legislative Information. California Code CIV 1950.5 – Security for Rental Agreement
Landlords routinely forget the inspection line. It’s a small paragraph that costs nothing to include and blocks a common tenant defense.
Extra Language for Properties Under the Tenant Protection Act
Once a tenant has lived in a TPA-covered unit continuously for 12 months, the landlord needs just cause to terminate, and the just cause must appear in writing on the notice. Leaving it out makes the notice void.3California Legislative Information. California Code CIV 1946.2 – Just Cause for Termination of Residential Tenancy
Just cause splits into at-fault reasons (nonpayment of rent, material lease violation, nuisance, criminal activity on the property) and no-fault reasons (owner or close family move-in, withdrawal of the unit from the market, government order to vacate, substantial remodel).4California Department of Justice Office of the Attorney General. The Tenant Protection Act Your Obligations as a Landlord or Property Manager
For any no-fault termination, the notice must also inform the tenant that they are entitled to relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent, calculated at the rate in effect when the notice was served. The landlord picks the format: a direct payment delivered within 15 calendar days of serving the notice, or a written waiver of the final month’s rent. If the tenant refuses to leave and the landlord ends up in court, any relocation payment already made is recoverable as damages in the unlawful detainer action.3California Legislative Information. California Code CIV 1946.2 – Just Cause for Termination of Residential Tenancy
Not every property is covered. Civil Code Section 1946.2(e) exempts several categories, including owner-occupied single-family homes renting no more than two units or bedrooms, units where the tenant shares a bathroom or kitchen with the resident owner, housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years, small owner-occupied duplexes, and separately titled single-family homes where the owner is not a corporation, REIT, or LLC with a corporate member and has given the tenant written notice of the exemption.3California Legislative Information. California Code CIV 1946.2 – Just Cause for Termination of Residential Tenancy Exempt landlords can terminate without stating a reason, but they still owe the full 60 days to any tenant of a year or more.
The One 30-Day Exception for Long-Term Tenants
A narrow shortcut lets a landlord give only 30 days even to a long-term tenant: the owner has entered escrow to sell the property to a natural person (not a corporation or LLC) who genuinely intends to occupy the unit as their residence for at least a full year. The notice has to be served within 120 days after escrow opened, and the shortcut is available only once per tenant.1California Legislative Information. California Code CIV 1946.1 – Termination of Periodic Tenancies
How to Serve the Notice
Civil Code Section 1946.1(f) permits two paths: the methods in Code of Civil Procedure Section 1162, or certified mail.1California Legislative Information. California Code CIV 1946.1 – Termination of Periodic Tenancies Leaving the notice on a counter, sliding it under the door, texting it, or emailing it does not qualify.
Under CCP 1162, three methods exist in order of preference, and you only move down the list when the prior option is not possible:5California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 1162 – Service of Notices
- Personal delivery: Hand the notice to the tenant directly. This is the strongest method and the hardest to challenge.
- Substituted service: If the tenant is not at home or at work, leave the notice with a person of suitable age and discretion at either location, then mail a copy first-class to the tenant’s home address.
- Post and mail: If no suitable person can be found at either location, affix the notice to a conspicuous spot on the property (the front door is standard) and mail a copy to the property address.
Certified mail is the alternative and works well when personal service is impractical. As of January 2026, certified mail with return receipt runs roughly $10.48 at the post office and about $8.86 through online postage services.
Whichever method you use, fill out a proof of service immediately: date, time, method, and the name of any person who received it. That document is your evidence if the tenant later denies receiving the notice. Many landlords hire a professional process server for exactly this reason.
Counting the 60 Days
Day one is the day after service, not the day of service. Serve on March 1 and the count begins March 2. Every calendar day counts, weekends and holidays included. If day 60 lands on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the tenant has until the end of the next business day.6California Courts. If You Get a Notice
Here’s the trap. When any part of service involves mailing, California adds five extra calendar days to the notice period.7California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 1013 – Service by Mail Substituted service, post-and-mail service, and certified mail all effectively become 65-day notices. Filing an unlawful detainer on day 61 after a mailed notice is premature and the court will dismiss it. When personal hand delivery isn’t possible, plan for 65 days from the start.
If the Tenant Stays Past Day 60
The notice is not a court order. If the tenant remains after the deadline, the only lawful step is filing an unlawful detainer in superior court.8California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 1161 – Unlawful Detainer Changing the locks, cutting utilities, removing the tenant’s belongings, or forcing the tenant out are all self-help evictions and expose the landlord to significant civil liability.
Filing fees for unlawful detainer cases in California as of January 2026 range from $240 to $435 depending on the amount in dispute.9California Courts. Statewide Civil Fee Schedule Effective January 1, 2026 These cases move faster than most civil matters because California prioritizes them on the court calendar. A judgment for possession is enforced by the sheriff; the tenant typically has five days after the sheriff posts a notice of eviction before the lockout occurs.
The most common reason unlawful detainers get thrown out is a defective notice: a miscounted 60 days, a missing just cause on a TPA property, absent relocation-assistance language, or improper service. Every requirement in the template above exists because courts have dismissed cases over it. Getting the notice right the first time is the difference between a tenant out in about three months and a tenant out in six.