California Landlord Notice of Nonrenewal

CALIFORNIA LANDLORD NOTICE OF NONRENEWAL

1. Classification-First Legal Gate

California Civil Code § 1946.1 generally requires an owner terminating a residential periodic tenancy to give at least 60 days' notice, reduced to 30 days when the tenant or resident has occupied for less than one year or when every element of the owner-buyer exception is met. Section 1946.2 bars termination without a stated just cause after its occupancy gate for covered property. Do not issue a no-cause nonrenewal when state or local just-cause law applies. Covered no-fault causes require the current statutory facts, notices, relocation assistance, and follow-through.

• ☐ Occupancy and all added-adult dates tested under § 1946.2(a)
• ☐ State exemption and required exemption notice documented, or lawful just cause selected
• ☐ Periodic notice tier: ☐ 60 days ☐ 30 days with supporting facts ☐ longer local/program period
• ☐ Local rent-board filing, relocation, and prescribed-language rules checked
• ☐ Exact abandoned-property advisory below included in every owner § 1946.1 notice

Required § 1946.1(h) advisory: “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.”

If property is actually left, use the companion California Former-Tenant Abandoned Personal Property Notice.

2. Tenancy and Coverage Record

If any answer is uncertain, stop and obtain legal review before serving the notice.

3. Notice-Date Calculation

• Date notice will be served: [__/__/____]
• Event that ends the tenancy: ☐ fixed-term expiration ☐ periodic termination ☐ lawful just cause ☐ other: [________]
• Proposed termination/nonrenewal date: [__/__/____]
• Date is the correct rental-period or lease-end date: ☐ Yes
• Minimum legal/lease notice expires before that date: ☐ Yes
• Mailing, posting, receipt, or service extension added: ☐ Yes ☐ Not applicable
• Prescribed notice, cause statement, relocation payment, or agency filing required: ☐ No ☐ Yes — attached/completed

Calculation record: [____________________________________________________________]

4. Notice to Tenant

Date: [__/__/____]

To tenant(s): [FULL LEGAL NAME(S)]

Premises: [STREET, UNIT, CITY, CALIFORNIA ZIP]

From landlord/authorized agent: [FULL LEGAL NAME AND NOTICE ADDRESS]

NOTICE OF NONRENEWAL AND, IF APPLICABLE, TERMINATION

You are notified that the landlord will not renew the tenancy for the Premises beyond [__/__/____]. Select the legally reviewed classification:

• ☐ Fixed-term nonrenewal. The written lease expires on [__/__/____] and will not be renewed.
• ☐ Periodic-tenancy termination. The periodic tenancy terminates on [__/__/____] under [STATUTE / LEASE / ORDINANCE].
• ☐ Just-cause or good-cause nonrenewal. The controlling cause is stated in Section 5 and every required attachment is included.
• ☐ Other lawful structure: [____________________________________________________________]

Unless the parties later sign a lawful written agreement, all occupants must surrender possession and return all access devices no later than [TIME] on [__/__/____].

This notice does not demand payment, allege a lease default, waive any right, authorize self-help, or itself permit removal of an occupant. Any possession proceeding must follow controlling law.

5. Cause, Exemption, and Required Addenda

Complete this section even when counsel concludes that no cause statement is required.

• Just-cause/good-cause law applies: ☐ No — basis: [________________] ☐ Yes
• Statutory or local exemption claimed: [________________________________]
• Required exemption disclosure was timely given: ☐ Yes ☐ Not applicable
• Lawful cause category: [________________________________]
• Specific supporting facts, dates, people, permits, or orders:

[____________________________________________________________]

[____________________________________________________________]

• Cure or pre-notice required before this notice: ☐ No ☐ Yes — completed [__/__/____]
• Relocation assistance / rent waiver required: ☐ No ☐ Yes — amount $[________], provided [__/__/____]
• Prescribed state/local notice attached: ☐ No ☐ Yes: [________________]
• Filing or copy to agency required: ☐ No ☐ Yes — completed [__/__/____]
• Re-rental, owner-occupancy, withdrawal, or follow-through duty calendared: ☐ Yes ☐ Not applicable

Do not use vague labels where the controlling law requires detailed facts or prescribed text.

6. Move-Out Logistics

• Keys/access devices returned to: [________________________________]
• Optional inspection information: [________________________________]
• Forwarding address may be sent to: [________________________________]
• Utility-transfer instructions: [________________________________]
• Property-removal instructions: [________________________________]

The security deposit and any personal property left behind will be handled under controlling law. This notice does not predetermine deductions, waive itemization requirements, or authorize disposal.

7. Fair-Housing, Retaliation, and Accommodation Review

Subject to coverage and exemptions, 42 U.S.C. § 3604 prohibits specified discrimination in rental availability, terms, statements, and disability-related accommodations. State and local law may protect additional classes and conduct.

• Decision is supported by a documented lawful, nondiscriminatory reason: ☐ Yes
• Recent repair, code, organizing, legal-aid, or rights-enforcement activity reviewed for retaliation: ☐ Yes
• Pending disability accommodation/modification request identified and handled: ☐ Yes ☐ None known
• Selective enforcement and comparator review completed: ☐ Yes
• Counsel approved service despite any retaliation or accommodation risk: ☐ Yes ☐ Not required after review

8. Service and Proof

Use only a method permitted for this notice.

• Person(s) served: [________________________________]
• Service address: [________________________________]
• Method: ☐ personal ☐ mail ☐ substituted ☐ posting plus mailing ☐ other lawful method: [________]
• Date/time served: [__/__/____] [____]
• Date legally deemed given/received: [__/__/____]
• Server/tracking/witness: [________________________________]
• Copy, attachments, proof, and calculation retained: ☐ Yes

9. Landlord / Agent Signature

I certify that I reviewed the classification and coverage record, that the factual entries are accurate to the best of my knowledge, and that all legally required attachments identified above are included.

10. Proof of Service Declaration

I declare that I served the complete notice and all listed attachments as recorded in Section 8.

Sources and References

• Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.1: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1946.1.
• Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.2: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1946.2.
• 42 U.S.C. § 3604: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2024-title42/USCODE-2024-title42-chap45-subchapI-sec3604

Have a lawyer licensed in California review the completed notice, lease, service calculation, coverage analysis, and all attachments before use.