Evicting a Tenant in California: The 2026 Process from Start to Finish

Published March 6, 2026

California eviction requires just cause under AB 1482, proper notice periods, and often relocation payments. The process takes 2 to 6 months minimum.

Nobody gets into property management because they love evictions. In 15 years of managing over 200 units across the South Bay, I have treated eviction as the last resort every single time. But sometimes it is unavoidable, and when that happens, you need to understand exactly what the process looks like, how long it takes, and what it costs.

Here is the full picture for California in 2026.

Just Cause Requirements Under AB 1482

Before you can begin an eviction, you need a legally recognized reason. Under AB 1482, once a tenant has occupied the unit for 12 months or more, you must have "just cause" to terminate the tenancy. This applies to most residential rental properties in California with limited exceptions.

Just cause falls into two categories: at fault and no fault.

At Fault Causes

These are reasons where the tenant has done something wrong.

Nonpayment of rent is the most common. The tenant has failed to pay rent within the time specified in a written notice. Lease violations cover situations where the tenant has breached a material term of the lease and failed to correct it after receiving a notice to cure. Nuisance means the tenant is causing a substantial and ongoing disturbance to other tenants or neighbors. Criminal activity on the premises is grounds for eviction. Refusing to sign a lease renewal on substantially similar terms after being offered one is also at fault cause.

No Fault Causes

These are reasons that are not the tenant's fault but still allow termination.

Owner move in means the owner or an immediate family member intends to occupy the unit as their primary residence. Ellis Act withdrawal means the owner is removing the property entirely from the rental market. Substantial renovation covers situations where the unit requires work so extensive that the tenant cannot remain during construction, and the work is not cosmetic.

No fault evictions trigger relocation assistance requirements. More on that in a minute.

Notice Types and Timing

The type of notice you serve depends on the cause.

A 3 day notice to pay rent or quit is used for nonpayment. The tenant has three days (excluding weekends and court holidays in some jurisdictions) to pay the full amount or vacate.

A 3 day notice to cure or quit is used for lease violations. The tenant has three days to fix the problem.

A 30 day notice applies to tenants who have occupied the unit for less than one year.

A 60 day notice applies to tenants who have been in the unit for one year or more.

Every notice must be drafted correctly. Wrong language, wrong amounts, wrong service method, or wrong timelines will get your case thrown out, and you will have to start over. I have seen owners lose months because they downloaded a template from the internet that did not comply with current California requirements.

Relocation Assistance

For no fault evictions under AB 1482, you must provide relocation assistance equal to one month of rent. On a $2,600 per month unit, that is $2,600 paid directly to the tenant.

But if your property is in a city with its own tenant protection ordinance, the relocation requirements can be dramatically higher. In the City of Los Angeles, relocation assistance ranges from approximately $8,750 to $22,050 depending on the tenant's income, age, disability status, and length of tenancy. That is per unit, not per building.

Always check your local ordinance before serving a no fault notice. The relocation obligation is not optional, and failing to pay it can invalidate the entire eviction.

The Court Process: Realistic Timeline

Here is what happens after you serve the notice and the tenant does not comply.

Filing the unlawful detainer complaint costs between $385 and $435 depending on the court. You will also need to pay for service of process, which runs $75 to $150 through a registered process server.

Once the tenant is served with the complaint, they have five calendar days to respond (or 15 days if served by substituted service or posting).

If the tenant files a response and contests the eviction, you are looking at a trial date. In Los Angeles County, the wait for a trial is typically four to eight weeks, though it can stretch longer in busy courthouses.

At trial, the judge will evaluate your case. If you win, the court issues a judgment for possession. The tenant then has five calendar days to vacate. If they do not leave, you file a writ of possession with the sheriff, and the sheriff schedules a lockout. Sheriff lockouts in LA County typically take an additional two to four weeks to schedule.

Total timeline for a contested eviction: three to five months from the date you serve the initial notice to the date you regain possession. If there are continuances, appeals, or bankruptcy filings, it can stretch to six months or longer.

The Real Cost

Attorney fees for a straightforward eviction typically run $3,000 to $5,000. If the case is contested with a full trial, fees can reach $8,000 or more.

When you add up filing fees, service costs, attorney fees, lost rent during the process, unit turnover costs, and relocation assistance if applicable, the total cost of an eviction frequently lands between $15,000 and $25,000.

An eviction on a $2,600 per month unit can easily cost the equivalent of six to ten months of rent when you account for everything.

Cash for Keys: The Smarter Alternative

This is why experienced property managers almost always explore cash for keys before filing an eviction. The concept is simple: you offer the tenant a lump sum payment in exchange for voluntarily vacating the unit by an agreed upon date, signing a written agreement, and returning the keys.

Typical cash for keys payments range from $2,000 to $5,000, depending on the market, the unit, and the tenant's willingness to negotiate.

Compare that to the $15,000 to $25,000 total cost of a contested eviction, plus three to five months of stress, court appearances, and an occupied unit generating no income. Cash for keys saves money almost every time.

The key is getting a proper written agreement that includes the move out date, the payment amount and timing, a waiver of further claims, and the condition in which the unit will be returned. Have an attorney draft or review this agreement. A handshake deal is not enforceable.

Why We Try Everything First

Over the years, I have learned that most problem tenancies can be resolved without eviction. Payment plans for tenants who fell behind, mediation for noise disputes, clear communication about lease violations with a genuine opportunity to cure. The vast majority of tenants do not want to go through an eviction any more than you do.

When eviction is truly necessary, it needs to be handled with precision. The paperwork has to be exactly right and every deadline met. And write everything down, because you will need the record.

At Schofield Properties, we handle the entire eviction process when it becomes unavoidable, from initial notice through final lockout coordination. But more importantly, we work to prevent evictions from becoming necessary in the first place through proactive tenant communication and early intervention when problems arise. If you are staring down a difficult tenancy and not sure what to do next, talk to us at schofieldproperties.com before you serve any notices.

Topics: eviction, AB 1482, california law, landlord guide, unlawful detainer

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Schofield Properties is a family run property management company at 323 Richmond St, El Segundo, CA 90245. We have managed the South Bay since 1972 and personally oversee about 186 doors today. Book a call to talk about your property.