Free California 30 Day Notice of Lease Termination Form

California 30-day Lease Termination Notice Details

The FormsPal template is a tenant's notice of intent to vacate. It names the owner or agent, the resident, the address of the rental and the date the resident plans to move out. The table lists the basics of the document, and the card lets you build the notice online or download the PDF. For a general letter instead, see our lease termination letter. If you still need the lease itself, see our California rental lease agreement forms.

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California Notice Periods for Ending a Month-to-Month Lease

California Civil Code Section 1946.1 covers the termination of a periodic tenancy of residential real property, which includes a month-to-month tenancy. It sets a notice rule for each side. An owner of a residential dwelling, the landlord, gives notice at least 60 days before the proposed date of termination. A tenant gives notice for a period at least as long as the term of the periodic tenancy.^[1]

An owner of a residential dwelling or commercial real property hired by a qualified commercial tenant giving notice pursuant to this section shall give notice at least 60 days prior to the proposed date of termination.

A tenant giving notice pursuant to this section shall give notice for a period at least as long as the term of the periodic tenancy prior to the proposed date of termination.

Before you sign, check three things.

• Which side you are on, owner or tenant, because each side has its own rule.
• For a tenant, the term of your periodic tenancy, which is the length of one rental period in your lease.
• The gap between the day you deliver the notice and the move-out date you wrote on the form.

How to Fill Out the California 30-day Lease Termination Notice

The FormsPal template is a two-page Thirty-Day Notice of Intent to Vacate, written from the tenant's side. Page 1 covers the owner, the premises, the move-out date and the forwarding address. Page 2 covers the inspection choice, the signature and a block that the owner or agent completes. You can fill in the PDF with our online PDF editor or print it and write by hand.

The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal California 30-day lease termination notice template filled with sample entries in blue, so you can see where each answer goes. The names, addresses, dates and amounts are examples only.

1. Owner or agent, resident names, address and move-out date. On page 1, enter the owner or agent on the TO line and the resident names in the notice sentence. Add the street address, the unit if there is one, the city and the ZIP code. Then write the move-out date on the "as of" line.

   

2. Reason, forwarding address and new phone number. Still on page 1, give a reason for moving out if you want to, or leave those lines blank. Then enter your forwarding address and your new phone number.

   

3. Inspection choice and resident signature. On page 2, check one inspection option. If you ask for an inspection, enter your phone number and check whether you waive the 48-hour notice or want it. Then date the form and sign on a resident line.

   

4. Owner or agent acknowledgement. The owner or agent completes this block on page 2. It records receipt of the notice, the effective date, the termination date and the prorated rent, followed by a date and a signature.

   

How to Deliver the California 30-day Lease Termination Notice

A finished notice does nothing until the owner or agent has it. Most people hand the notice over in person or mail it to the address in the lease, then keep proof of the date. The steps below describe that common practice for delivering the notice and keeping a record.

1. Sign and copy the notice. Sign the finished notice, then make a copy for your own records.
2. Deliver it. Give the notice to the owner or agent in a way you can prove later, such as handing it over in person or mailing it to the address in your lease.
3. Keep proof of delivery. Save a dated copy, a mailing receipt or the owner's signed acknowledgement from page 2.
4. Count the days. Work out the gap between the day you delivered the notice and your move-out date, and compare it with the notice period for your side. Our deadline calculator counts the days for you.
5. Plan the move-out. The form states that the resident's possession continues until all belongings are removed and all keys are returned.

Under Civil Code Section 1946, the notice is given in the manner set out in Section 1162 of the Code of Civil Procedure or by sending a copy by certified or registered mail addressed to the other party.^[2]

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a landlord use this form?

The template is a tenant's notice of intent to vacate and speaks in the resident's voice, so it does not fit a landlord's notice. The period also differs. An owner of a residential dwelling gives notice at least 60 days before the proposed date of termination.^[1]

Does the form ask for a reason for moving out?

The form has two lines for a reason, and they are marked optional. You can leave them blank and still complete the rest of the notice.

General information, not legal or tax advice.

Other California Forms
Try our document builder to customize any form on FormsPal to your preferences. Here is a number of various other printable California forms we provide.

California Living Will California Last Will California Small Estate Affidavit California Bill of Sale California Power of Attorney California Eviction Notice California Promissory Note California Non-compete Agreement California Prenuptial Agreement California LLC Operating Agreement California Marital Settlement (Divorce) Agreement

Sources

Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the California Civil Code, published by the California Legislative Information.

1. California Legislative Information. California Civil Code § 1946.1.
2. California Legislative Information. California Civil Code § 1946.

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