California Landlord Notice of Entry

California Landlord Notice of Entry

Use this form for a planned, nonemergency entry only. Document an emergency, court order, abandonment, surrender, or contemporaneous tenant consent on a separate counsel-reviewed record.

California Entry Gate

Cal. Civil Code § 1954 allows entry only for listed purposes. Ordinary notice must be reasonable and written, state the date, approximate time, and purpose, and entry must be during normal business hours; 24 hours is generally presumed reasonable and 6 days is presumed reasonable for mailing. A tenant-requested pre-move-out inspection instead requires at least 48 hours' prior written notice under § 1950.5(f)(1), unless both parties sign a written waiver. Sale showings and agreed repair/service entries have special routes. Emergency, present-tenant consent, and abandonment/surrender can remove the § 1954 notice requirement.

• Ordinary § 1954 entry: 24 hours presumed reasonable; 6 days presumed if mailed. Tenant-requested § 1950.5(f) initial inspection: at least 48 hours' prior written notice unless both parties sign a written waiver.
• Permitted entry time: Normal business hours unless tenant consents at entry
• Lease, local, subsidy, and program requirements checked: ☐ Yes
• Entry is not retaliatory, harassing, or excessive: ☐ Confirmed

1. Notice

Notice date: [__/__/____]

To tenant(s): [________________________________]

Rental premises/unit: [________________________________]

Landlord/housing provider: [________________________________]

Notice is given that the landlord or authorized representatives intend to enter the dwelling unit as follows:

• Entry date: [__/__/____]
• Approximate start time: [________]
• Expected time window/duration: [________________________________]
• Persons expected to enter and roles: [________________________________]

2. Purpose and Scope

Purpose:

• ☐ Conduct the tenant-requested initial inspection under Civil Code § 1950.5(f): [________________________________]
• ☐ Make necessary or agreed repairs/improvements: [________________________________]
• ☐ Supply necessary or agreed services: [________________________________]
• ☐ Exhibit to permitted prospective/actual persons: [________________________________]
• ☐ Enter for a purpose expressly allowed by Civil Code § 1954(a)(5) or (6); identify the applicable statute and purpose: [________________________________]

Areas to be entered and work/inspection scope:

[____________________________________________________________]

The entry will be limited to the stated purpose and scope. No emergency or no-notice authority is claimed by this form.

If the § 1950.5(f) initial-inspection box is selected: Record the tenant's request: [DATE / METHOD: ______________________________]. Schedule no earlier than two weeks before the tenancy ends. Deliver this written notice at least 48 hours before the stated inspection date and time, unless landlord and tenant both sign a written waiver of that notice: [ATTACH WAIVER, IF ANY]. This initial inspection is unavailable for tenancies terminated under Code Civ. Proc. § 1161(2), (3), or (4). The written inspection notice must include this statutory message:

State law permits former tenants to reclaim abandoned personal property left at the former address of the tenant, subject to certain conditions. You may or may not be able to reclaim property without incurring additional costs, depending on the cost of storing the property and the length of time before it is reclaimed. In general, these costs will be lower the sooner you contact your former landlord after being notified that property belonging to you was left behind after you moved out.

3. Coordination and Safeguards

• Tenant presence: ☐ Not required ☐ Requested ☐ Agreed: [________________]
• Pets, alarms, gates, accessibility, or health precautions: [________________________________]
• Contact for questions or a lawful scheduling request: [________________________________]
• Alternate date/time, if agreed: [________________________________]
• Authorized representative will carry identification: ☐ Yes
• Entry completion/condition record will be retained: ☐ Yes

4. Delivery Record

Delivered by: [NAME / ROLE]

• Method: ☐ Personal delivery ☐ Left with a person of suitable age and discretion at the premises ☐ Left on, near, or under the usual entry door where reasonably discoverable ☐ Mail ☐ Other lawful method: [________]
• Delivery date/time: [________________________________]
• Recipient/address/account: [________________________________]
• Proof, acknowledgement, photo, or tracking retained: ☐ Yes

Landlord/agent signature and date: [________________________________]

Sources and References

• Cal. Civ. Code § 1954 — California Legislative Information — https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1954.&lawCode=CIV
• Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(f) — California Legislative Information — https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1950.5.