Three-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit - California
THREE-DAY NOTICE TO PAY RENT OR QUIT
California residential tenancy — Code of Civil Procedure § 1161(2)
Before use: Check any local rent or just-cause ordinance, subsidized-housing rule, and federal covered-dwelling status. Complete the service and expiration dates when service occurs; count three days after service, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and judicial holidays.
1. PARTIES, PREMISES, AND NOTICE PERIOD
Date of notice: [__/__/____]
To tenant(s): [FULL LEGAL NAME(S)]
Subtenant(s) in actual occupation, if any: [FULL LEGAL NAME(S) / NONE]
Premises: [STREET ADDRESS, UNIT, CITY, COUNTY, CALIFORNIA ZIP]
Landlord or authorized agent: [FULL LEGAL NAME]
Date served: [__/__/____] First counted day: [__/__/____] Third counted day / expiration: [__/__/____] at the end of that day (11:59 p.m.)
2. RENT DUE
Rent is due and unpaid for the premises above. The amount demanded below is rent that became due within one year before service of this notice. Credits and payments through [__/__/____] have been applied.
| Rental period | Due date | Rent charged | Paid or credited | Unpaid rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [____________] | [__/__/____] | $[____] | $[____] | $[____] |
| [____________] | [__/__/____] | $[____] | $[____] | $[____] |
| [____________] | [__/__/____] | $[____] | $[____] | $[____] |
| TOTAL RENT DEMANDED | $[____] |
This notice demands unpaid rent only. It does not demand late fees, utilities, damages, interest, service charges, attorney fees, or court costs.
3. DEMAND TO PAY OR QUIT
Within three days after service of this notice, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and other judicial holidays, you must either pay $[TOTAL RENT DEMANDED] as directed below or vacate and surrender possession of the premises. The period begins on [FIRST COUNTED DAY] and ends at the end of [EXPIRATION DATE] (11:59 p.m.).
If you do neither by that deadline, the landlord will seek possession through an unlawful detainer action. If the court grants possession, you will lose possession of the premises. Default in payment of rent is the at-fault just cause stated for any tenancy to which Civil Code § 1946.2 applies.
Federally covered dwelling: If these premises are covered by 15 U.S.C. § 9058, this three-day rent demand alone does not require you to vacate. A separate notice to vacate must give you at least 30 days before the landlord may require you to leave.
4. PAYMENT DIRECTIONS
Person authorized to receive payment: [FULL NAME]
Telephone: [NUMBER]
Payment address, separate from the rented premises: [STREET ADDRESS, CITY, CALIFORNIA ZIP]
Payee for check or money order: [NAME]
Available noncash, nonelectronic form of payment: ☐ Check ☐ Money order ☐ Cashier's check ☐ Other: [________]
Payment route (complete at least one):
☐ Pay in person at the payment address above on [USUAL DAYS] between [HOURS].
☐ Deposit to account [ACCOUNT NUMBER] at [FINANCIAL INSTITUTION NAME AND STREET ADDRESS], located within five miles of the premises.
☐ Use the electronic funds transfer procedure previously established between the parties: [EXISTING PROCEDURE AND INSTRUCTIONS]. The noncash, nonelectronic option above remains available.
Optional mailing instruction: [MAILING ADDRESS AND PAYEE, IF ACCEPTED]. If the stated payment address does not allow personal delivery, Code of Civil Procedure § 1161(2) treats rent mailed to the named recipient and address as received when posted if the tenant can prove mailing.
5. LANDLORD OR AGENT SIGNATURE
Name and capacity: [LANDLORD / AUTHORIZED AGENT]
Signature: ______________________________ Date: [__/__/____]
Mailing address and telephone: [________________________________]
6. SERVICE AND PROOF RECORD
Serve this notice on each tenant and on any subtenant in actual occupation. Complete one method for each recipient under Code of Civil Procedure § 1162(a).
| Recipient | Method | Date and time | Place / details |
|---|---|---|---|
| [TENANT OR SUBTENANT] | [PERSONAL / SUBSTITUTE / POST AND MAIL] | [__/__/____] [TIME] | [____________] |
| [TENANT OR SUBTENANT] | [PERSONAL / SUBSTITUTE / POST AND MAIL] | [__/__/____] [TIME] | [____________] |
☐ Personal: I delivered a copy directly to the recipient.
☐ Substituted: The recipient was absent from the residence and usual place of business. I left a copy with [NAME], a person of suitable age and discretion, at [RESIDENCE OR BUSINESS ADDRESS] on [__/__/____] and mailed a copy addressed to the recipient at the residence on [__/__/____].
☐ Post and mail: The residence and business could not be ascertained, or no suitable person could be found there. I posted a copy conspicuously at [PROPERTY LOCATION] on [__/__/____], delivered a copy to [RESIDENT NAME / NO RESIDENT FOUND], and mailed a copy addressed to the recipient at the premises on [__/__/____].
Server name and address: [________________________________]
I declare under penalty of perjury under California law that the service facts recorded above are true and correct.
Server signature: ______________________________ Executed on: [__/__/____] at [CITY, STATE]
SOURCES AND REFERENCES
About this template
- Last updated
- October 23, 2026
- Citations checked
- October 22, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- California
- Category
- Real Estate
Legal authority
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161(2) (three-day rent demand and payment directions)
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1162(a) (residential notice service)
- Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.2(a), (b)(1)(A) (just cause where applicable)
- Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.3(a)(1) (noncash, nonelectronic payment option)
- 15 U.S.C. § 9058(c) (covered-dwelling notice to vacate)
- Eshagian v. Cepeda, B340941 (Cal. Ct. App. June 26, 2025) (notice clarity)
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Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on October 22, 2026.
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1162(a)(2) (checked October 7, 2026): "If he or she is absent from his or her place of residence, and from his or her usual place of business, by leaving a copy with some person of suitable age and discretion at either place, and sending a copy through the mail addressed to the tenant at his or her place of residence."
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1162(a)(3) (checked October 7, 2026): "If such place of residence and business cannot be ascertained, or a person of suitable age or discretion there can not be found, then by affixing a copy in a conspicuous place on the property, and also delivering a copy to a person there residing, if such person can be found; and also sending a copy through the mail addressed to the tenant at the place where the property is situated."
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161(2) (checked October 23, 2026): "three days’ notice, excluding Saturdays and Sundays and other judicial holidays, in writing, requiring its payment, stating the amount that is due, the name, telephone number, and address of the person to whom the rent payment shall be made"
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161(2) — payment directions (checked October 22, 2026): "if payment may be made personally, the usual days and hours that person will be available to receive the payment"
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