AB 1482 Just-Cause Eviction: 14 Grounds & Coastal Compliance

Which Units Are Covered — and Which Are Exempt

AB 1482 applies to most residential tenancies in California, but not all. A unit is covered if it meets two tests: (1) the tenant has continuously occupied the property for 12 months or more, and (2) the property is not exempt under one of the statutory carve-outs. The most common exemption for coastal owners is the single-family-home exemption under Civil Code § 1946.2(e)(8). A detached single-family home or condominium is exempt only if the owner provides the tenant with written notice at the inception of the tenancy that the property is exempt from AB 1482's just-cause and rent-cap provisions. The notice must include this exact language:

Interactive Tool

AB 1482 No-Fault Relocation Assistance Calculator

Calculate the relocation payment or rent waiver you owe for a no-fault termination

Monthly rent

Enter the actual rent stated in the lease.

Property location Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, Huntington Beach (AB 1482 only) Santa Monica (local RSO — consult city ordinance) Los Angeles (RSO units — consult city ordinance) West Hollywood (local RSO — consult city ordinance) Long Beach (AB 1482 only, local ordinance sunset 2024) Malibu (AB 1482 only) Carlsbad, Oceanside, Encinitas (AB 1482 only) San Diego (city TPO — consult ordinance)

Property location: Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, Huntington Beach (AB 1482 only)

State-minimum relocation assistance (AB 1482) $11,500.00

Tenant election 0.00

This calculator provides the AB 1482 state-minimum relocation assistance and flags cities with local ordinances that may require higher payments. Always verify the local ordinance before serving a no-fault termination notice. Relocation assistance is due before the termination date if the tenant elects cash payment. Built by NextGen Coastal

This property is exempt from the rent cap and just-cause requirements of Section 1947.12 because it meets the requirements of Sections 1947.12(d)(5) and 1946.2(e)(8), and this notice is to inform you that the property is exempt and that the exemption from the rent cap pursuant to Section 1947.12 will end on January 1, 2030, for a tenancy in effect before that date.

If you forget to attach this addendum at lease signing, the exemption is lost — the unit becomes covered, and you cannot terminate without just cause. We see this failure mode frequently with coastal owners who self-manage or use generic lease templates. Other exemptions include housing built within the past 15 years, deed-restricted affordable housing, dormitories, and units owned by a real-estate investment trust (REIT). Duplexes where the owner occupies one unit are also exempt, but only if the owner moved in at the inception of the tenancy and the property has no more than two units on the parcel.

The Seven At-Fault Just-Cause Grounds

At-fault grounds allow termination when the tenant has violated the lease or engaged in conduct that harms the property, neighbors, or landlord's legal rights. For most at-fault grounds, you must first serve a three-day notice to cure or quit (or a three-day notice to pay rent or quit for nonpayment). If the tenant cures within the notice period, the tenancy continues. If they do not cure — or if the violation is uncurable — you may proceed to unlawful detainer. No relocation assistance is required for at-fault terminations.

1. Nonpayment of Rent

The tenant has failed to pay rent after a three-day notice to pay or quit. This is the most common at-fault ground. The notice must state the exact amount due, the period it covers, and the method and location for payment. Under AB 2347, if you file an unlawful-detainer complaint, the tenant now has 10 court days (not five) to respond, which extends the timeline to recover possession by roughly a week.

2. Breach of Material Lease Term

The tenant has violated a material term of the lease after receiving a three-day notice to cure. Common examples: unauthorized pet, smoking in a non-smoking unit, running a business from the premises in violation of a residential-use-only clause. The breach must be material — a one-time noise complaint or a single late-night guest typically does not qualify. If the tenant cures (removes the pet, stops the business), the tenancy continues.

3. Nuisance or Waste

The tenant is committing or permitting a nuisance (substantial interference with neighbors' quiet enjoyment) or committing waste (physical damage to the property). Nuisance is often uncurable — you may serve a three-day notice to quit without an opportunity to cure. Examples: repeated loud parties after multiple warnings, hoarding that creates a health hazard, allowing a dangerous dog to roam unleashed. Document every incident with date, time, and witness statements; a single complaint rarely suffices.

4. Criminal Activity on the Premises

The tenant is using the unit for an illegal purpose or has committed a criminal act on the property. This ground is also typically uncurable. Drug manufacturing, illegal gambling, and prostitution are classic examples. Coastal owners occasionally invoke this ground for short-term-rental violations in cities where unpermitted STR operation is a misdemeanor, but case law is mixed — consult counsel before proceeding on that theory.

5. Refusal to Sign Similar Lease Renewal

The tenant has refused to sign a lease renewal on substantially the same terms. You must offer the renewal in writing at least 30 days before the current lease expires, and the new lease cannot impose materially different terms (other than a lawful rent increase under AB 1482's 5% + CPI cap). If the tenant simply ignores the offer or says no, you may terminate. This ground is rarely used — most landlords prefer to let the tenancy convert to month-to-month and terminate under a no-fault ground if needed.

6. Refusal to Allow Lawful Access

The tenant has refused to allow the landlord reasonable access to the unit after proper notice. California Civil Code § 1954 permits entry for repairs, inspections, showings to prospective buyers or tenants, and other lawful purposes, with 24 hours' written notice (except emergencies). If the tenant repeatedly refuses entry, you may serve a three-day notice to cure. If they continue to refuse, you may terminate. Document every access request and refusal.

7. Unapproved Subtenant After Tenant Vacates

The tenant has vacated the unit but left an unauthorized subtenant or assignee in possession. This ground applies when the original tenant has effectively abandoned the lease and a third party is occupying without the landlord's consent. Serve a three-day notice to quit on the holdover occupant; if they do not leave, file unlawful detainer naming them as an unauthorized occupant.

The Seven No-Fault Just-Cause Grounds

No-fault grounds allow termination even when the tenant has done nothing wrong. Because the termination is for the landlord's benefit, you must pay relocation assistance equal to one month's rent or waive the final month's rent. The tenant chooses which option to accept. You must also provide at least 60 days' written notice (or 90 days if any tenant has lived in the unit for a year or more and local ordinance requires it). For coastal luxury rentals, the relocation-assistance amount can be substantial — a Laguna Beach home renting at $11,500/month triggers an $11,500 relocation payment.

1. Owner or Qualifying Relative Move-In

The owner (or the owner's spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling) intends to occupy the unit as a primary residence for at least 36 continuous months. AB 1399, effective April 1, 2024, added strict documentation requirements: you must provide a signed statement of intent to occupy, and the occupying party must actually move in within 90 days of the tenant's departure and remain for the full 36 months. If you terminate under this ground and then fail to move in — or move in but leave before 36 months — the tenant may sue for treble damages (three times actual damages) plus attorney fees under Civil Code § 1946.2(d)(2). Coastal second-home owners are particularly vulnerable: if you terminate to move your adult child into a Newport Beach rental, then the child takes a job in San Francisco after 18 months, you are liable. We advise clients to document the move-in with utility bills, DMV address changes, and voter registration updates, and to calendar the 36-month anniversary.

2. Withdrawal Under the Ellis Act

The owner is withdrawing the property from the rental market entirely under the Ellis Act (California Government Code § 7060 et seq.). This ground is most common in rent-controlled cities (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Monica) where owners want to exit the rental business. You must comply with local Ellis Act ordinances, which typically require 120 days' notice, higher relocation payments, and a recorded notice of intent to withdraw. In coastal Orange County, Ellis Act withdrawals are rare because few cities have rent control, but the ground remains available statewide.

3. Government-Ordered Removal

A government agency has ordered the tenant to vacate, or has ordered the property vacated for habitability violations that the tenant caused. Examples: a health department red-tag due to tenant hoarding, a fire marshal's order to vacate due to tenant-caused code violations. You must attach a copy of the government order to the termination notice. Relocation assistance is still required unless the tenant caused the violation through waste or nuisance (in which case you may also have an at-fault ground).

4. Intent to Demolish or Substantially Remodel

The owner intends to demolish the unit or perform substantial remodeling that requires the unit to be vacant and necessitates permits. AB 1418 (effective January 1, 2025) and AB 2347 tightened this ground: you must have all necessary permits in hand before serving the termination notice, and you must attach copies of the permits to the notice. "Substantial remodel" means work that requires the unit to be vacant for at least 30 days and affects at least 50% of the unit's systems or structure. Cosmetic upgrades — new paint, flooring, countertops — do not qualify. Coastal owners planning a gut renovation to capture higher post-remodel rents must pull permits first; attempting to terminate before permits are issued is a common failure mode that voids the notice and exposes you to bad-faith liability.

5. Compliance with Court Order or Local Ordinance

The owner must terminate the tenancy to comply with a court order or local ordinance requiring the unit to be vacated. This is a catch-all ground for situations not covered by the other no-fault reasons. Example: a homeowners association (HOA) adopts a new rule prohibiting rentals, and the owner must terminate to comply. (Note: many coastal HOAs have rental restrictions; see our Laguna Beach HOA rental restrictions guide for how these interact with AB 1482.)

6. Intent to Convert to Non-Residential Use

The owner intends to convert the property to a non-residential use, such as office, retail, or owner-occupied commercial. This ground is uncommon in single-family contexts but can apply to mixed-use properties or live-work units. You must demonstrate a bona fide intent to convert and comply with all zoning and permitting requirements.

7. Condominium Conversion (Withdrawn from Rental Market)

The owner is converting an apartment building to condominiums and withdrawing the unit from the rental market under a lawful subdivision map. This ground applies only to multi-unit buildings undergoing condo conversion; it does not apply to single-family homes or properties already subdivided as condos.

Relocation Assistance and Rent Waiver — The Coastal Math

For every no-fault termination, you must provide relocation assistance equal to one month's rent or waive the final month's rent. The tenant elects which option within 15 days of receiving the termination notice. Payment (if the tenant chooses cash) is due before the termination date. For coastal luxury rentals, this amount can be eye-opening. Consider a 4-bedroom single-family home in Laguna Beach renting at $11,500/month. If you terminate to move your daughter in under the owner-move-in ground, you owe $11,500 in relocation assistance — or you waive the final month's $11,500 rent. Either way, the economic cost is the same. In cities with local just-cause ordinances (Santa Monica, Los Angeles, San Diego), relocation amounts may be higher than one month's rent; always check the local overlay.

City-by-City Just-Cause Ordinance Overlays

AB 1482 is a floor, not a ceiling. Cities may — and several coastal cities do — impose stricter just-cause and relocation-assistance requirements. The table below summarizes the landscape for key coastal markets we serve:

If you own in Santa Monica, Los Angeles (including Venice, Mar Vista, Palms), West Hollywood, or San Diego, always check the local ordinance first — it will control over AB 1482 if it provides greater tenant protection.

Worked Example: Laguna Beach Owner Move-In

You own a 4-bedroom detached single-family home at 123 Ocean Vista Drive, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. The property rents for $11,500/month under a one-year lease that began March 1, 2023, and converted to month-to-month on March 1, 2024. The tenant has been in continuous occupancy for 25 months. You want to move your adult daughter into the home as her primary residence; she will live there for at least 36 months. The property is not exempt under the single-family-home exemption because you did not provide the required written notice at lease inception. Therefore, AB 1482 applies, and you must use the owner-move-in no-fault ground.

Step 1: Prepare the termination notice. You must serve a written 60-day notice (California requires 60 days for tenancies of one year or more). The notice must state the specific just-cause ground (owner's child intends to occupy as primary residence), cite Civil Code § 1946.2(b)(2)(A)(i), and include the relocation-assistance election language. Under AB 1399, you must attach a signed declaration from your daughter stating her intent to occupy the property as her primary residence for at least 36 continuous months.

Step 2: Offer relocation assistance. The notice must inform the tenant that they are entitled to relocation assistance equal to one month's rent ($11,500) or may elect to have the final month's rent waived. The tenant has 15 days to elect; if they choose cash, you must pay before the termination date.

Step 3: Serve the notice. Serve the notice by personal delivery or certified mail. If the tenant is not home, you may use substituted service (leave with another adult at the residence plus mail a copy). Keep proof of service.

Step 4: Wait out the notice period. The tenant has 60 days to vacate. If they do not leave, you may file an unlawful-detainer complaint on day 61. Under AB 2347, the tenant will have 10 court days to respond (not five), so plan for a 75–90 day total timeline from notice to possession if the case is contested.

Step 5: Document the move-in. Your daughter must move in within 90 days of the tenant's departure and remain for 36 continuous months. Collect utility bills, DMV records, and voter registration showing her address as 123 Ocean Vista Drive. If she moves out before 36 months, the former tenant may sue for treble damages — three times the relocation payment ($34,500) plus attorney fees and costs. Calendar the 36-month anniversary and do not allow your daughter to leave early.

Total cost: $11,500 relocation assistance (or waived final month's rent) + filing fees (~$435 if unlawful detainer is needed) + potential attorney fees if contested ($3,000–$8,000). Total economic outlay: $11,500–$19,935, plus the risk of treble damages if the move-in fails.

Seasonal-Vacancy Timing for Coastal Owners

Coastal owners often want to recover possession by Memorial Day to capture peak summer rental rates or convert to short-term rental (where permitted). If you serve a 60-day no-fault notice in early March, the termination date falls in early May — tight, but workable if the tenant cooperates. If the tenant does not vacate and you must file unlawful detainer, add 75–90 days (notice period + 10-day response + 30–45 days to trial and writ of possession). That pushes possession into late June or July, missing the peak season entirely. Our coastal California team advises clients planning a seasonal conversion to serve the termination notice by January 15 to ensure possession by Memorial Day weekend, assuming a contested case. For uncontested moves, a March 1 notice is usually sufficient.

Common Failure Modes and How to Avoid Them

• Forgetting the single-family-home exemption addendum. If you lease a detached SFH or condo without attaching the AB 1482 exemption notice, the property becomes covered — you cannot use a no-cause notice, and you owe relocation assistance for any no-fault termination. Fix: Use our lease template with the addendum pre-populated, or have counsel review every lease before signing.
• Serving a 30/60-day no-cause notice on a covered unit. AB 1482 prohibits no-cause terminations. If you serve one anyway, the notice is void, and the tenant may remain. If you file unlawful detainer, the court will dismiss the case and may award the tenant attorney fees. Fix: Always cite a specific just-cause ground and follow the statutory notice requirements.
• Insufficient relocation payment. If you pay less than one month's rent (or miscalculate the amount), the termination is defective. Fix: Use the actual rent stated in the lease; if the tenant is on a discounted rate, pay the discounted amount, not the market rate.
• Bad-faith owner move-in. If you terminate under the owner-move-in ground but never actually move in — or move in for only a few months — the tenant may sue for treble damages. Fix: Only use this ground when the move-in is genuine and long-term. Document the occupancy with utility bills, DMV records, and lease terminations at the prior residence.
• Attempting substantial remodel without permits. AB 1418 requires permits in hand before you serve the notice. If you serve the notice and then apply for permits, the notice is void. Fix: Pull all permits first, attach copies to the termination notice, and calendar the permit expiration dates to ensure work begins before they lapse.
• Ignoring local ordinance overlays. If you own in Santa Monica, LA, West Hollywood, or San Diego and you follow only AB 1482, you may underpay relocation assistance or use a ground that the local ordinance prohibits. Fix: Check the city's rent-control or tenant-protection ordinance before serving any termination notice in a rent-controlled jurisdiction.

AB 2347 and the New Unlawful-Detainer Timeline

AB 2347, effective January 1, 2024, extended the tenant's response window in unlawful-detainer cases from five court days to ten court days. (Court days exclude weekends and holidays, so ten court days is typically 14–16 calendar days.) This change adds roughly a week to the eviction timeline. For coastal owners trying to recover possession in time for summer season, the new timeline means you must file earlier. A typical contested unlawful-detainer case now runs 90–110 days from notice to writ of possession, versus 75–90 days under the old rule. Plan accordingly.

Pre-Termination Compliance Checklist

Before serving any termination notice on a covered unit, work through this checklist with your property manager or attorney:

• Confirm the unit is covered under AB 1482 (tenant in occupancy 12+ months, no exemption applies).
• If the unit is a single-family home or condo, verify that the exemption addendum was provided at lease inception; if not, treat the unit as covered.
• Identify the specific just-cause ground (at-fault or no-fault) and confirm it matches the facts.
• For at-fault grounds, serve the required cure notice (three-day notice to pay, cure, or quit) and document the tenant's failure to cure.
• For no-fault grounds, calculate relocation assistance (one month's rent) and prepare the election language.
• For owner-move-in, obtain a signed declaration of intent from the occupying party and calendar the 36-month occupancy requirement.
• For substantial remodel, pull all permits and attach copies to the termination notice.
• Check for local just-cause ordinance overlays (Santa Monica, LA, West Hollywood, San Diego) and comply with the stricter standard.
• Serve the notice using a legally compliant method (personal delivery, certified mail, substituted service) and retain proof of service.
• If the tenant does not vacate, file unlawful detainer on the first day after the notice period expires; do not delay or the tenant may claim waiver.
• If the case goes to trial, bring all documentation: lease, notices, proof of service, cure-period records, permits (for remodel), move-in declaration (for owner move-in), and payment records (for nonpayment).

Why Coastal Owners Trust NextGen Coastal for Just-Cause Compliance

AB 1482 compliance is not a one-time checklist — it is an ongoing discipline that touches lease drafting, tenant communication, notice preparation, and litigation strategy. Our coastal California team manages 200+ units across Orange County, San Diego, and Los Angeles coastal markets, and we have built proprietary systems to ensure every termination notice is statute-compliant before it is served. We use a multi-layer review process: the property manager drafts the notice, our compliance officer checks it against the lease and AB 1482 grounds, and our legal counsel (on retainer) reviews high-risk terminations (owner move-in, substantial remodel, Ellis Act) before service. We also maintain a city-by-city ordinance database so we never underpay relocation assistance or miss a local-overlay requirement. For single-family-home clients, we include the AB 1482 exemption addendum in every lease as a standard clause — no owner has to remember to ask for it. And when a termination does go to unlawful detainer, we coordinate with our network of eviction attorneys to ensure the case is filed correctly, served promptly, and prosecuted to judgment without procedural missteps. The result: our clients recover possession faster, pay lower legal fees, and avoid the treble-damage exposure that comes from bad-faith or defective terminations. If you are managing coastal California rentals in-house and you are not confident in your AB 1482 compliance, we should talk.