Housing & Tenant · Landlord Entry
Landlord Entry Notice in California
How much warning a landlord must give before entering your home in California, the hours entry is allowed, and what to do if they walk in unannounced, cited to the statute.
The rules and your rights in California
The notice, the allowed hours, the reasons a landlord may enter, and what to do about an unlawful entry.
| Advance notice | 24 hours before entry (the figure a court treats as reasonable) |
| Allowed entry hours | Normal business hours |
| Reasons a landlord may enter | To make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, or improvements; to supply agreed services; to show the unit to prospective buyers, tenants, workers, or contractors; to do an agreed move-out inspection; or by court order. |
| Emergency entry | A landlord may enter without notice in a genuine emergency, such as a fire or a burst pipe, or when the tenant has moved out and left the unit empty. |
| Local ordinance | Some California cities with strong tenant protections add their own entry or harassment rules on top of §1954. Check your local rent board or tenant ordinance. |
| If the landlord enters unlawfully | A tenant can recover damages for an unlawful entry, and a court can order the landlord to stop repeated illegal entries. A landlord may not abuse the right of access or use it to harass the tenant. |
| Statute | Cal. Civ. Code §1954 |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if a landlord keeps entering your California home without proper notice. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Put your objection in writing
If a landlord entered without proper notice, send a short written notice (email or letter) stating what happened and asking them to follow §1954 going forward. Keep a copy.
- Keep a log
Write down every entry: the date, the time, who came in, and whether you got written notice. A clear log is your best evidence if the problem continues.
- Cite the statute
In your written notice, point to California Civil Code §1954: reasonable written notice (24 hours presumed reasonable), entry during normal business hours, and only for the reasons the law allows.
- Get local help
Contact a local tenant-rights group, your city rent board, or a legal aid office. They can explain your options and, if entries keep happening, help you take next steps.
If a landlord keeps entering without proper notice, you do not have to sort it out alone. This resource explains your rights and how to raise the issue.
→ California Courts Self-Help (Housing)This is general legal information, not legal advice. Read your own lease and check for a local ordinance, since either can change what applies to your home.
What California renters get wrong
California does not put a hard number in its entry law. Under Civil Code §1954, a landlord must give reasonable written notice before entering, and the statute says 24 hours is presumed reasonable unless there is evidence to the contrary. The notice has to state the date, an approximate time, and the purpose of the entry, and the landlord can only come in during normal business hours unless you agree otherwise. Entry is limited to set reasons: repairs and agreed work, showing the unit to buyers, new tenants, or workers, an agreed move-out inspection, or a court order. A real emergency needs no notice at all. If a landlord shows up outside those rules, you can refuse the entry, and the law bars a landlord from abusing access or using it to harass you.
Common questions
How much notice does a California landlord have to give before entering?
California Civil Code §1954 requires reasonable written notice, and the statute presumes 24 hours is reasonable unless there is evidence to the contrary. The notice must state the date, approximate time, and purpose of the entry.
What hours can my landlord enter in California?
Only during normal business hours, unless you agree to a different time. The law does not let a landlord enter at other hours without your consent, except in an emergency.
What reasons let a California landlord enter my unit?
To make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, or improvements; to supply agreed services; to show the unit to prospective buyers, tenants, workers, or contractors; to do an agreed move-out inspection; or under a court order. A landlord may also enter without notice in a genuine emergency.
Can I refuse to let my California landlord in?
Yes, if the entry does not follow §1954. If there is no proper written notice, the visit is outside normal business hours without your consent, or the reason is not one the law allows, you can refuse. A landlord may not abuse access or use it to harass you.
What can I do if my landlord keeps entering without notice in California?
Object in writing, keep a dated log of each entry, and cite §1954. You can recover damages for unlawful entry, and a court can order a landlord to stop repeated illegal entries. A local tenant-rights group or legal aid office can help.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.