It depends on who is giving notice and where. In California a tenant gives 30 days and a landlord gives 30 or 60, with just cause required after a year in most units. In Washington a tenant gives 20 days before the end of a rental period, and a landlord needs a listed cause. In British Columbia a tenant gives one full rental month. This is information, not legal advice.
Why is the tenant's notice a different number from the landlord's?
A tenant leaving costs the owner some vacant days. A landlord ending a tenancy costs a household its home, so the law asks more of the landlord: a longer notice, a stated reason, or both.
In California, Civil Code 1946.1 sets the owner's notice at 60 days, or 30 if the tenant has lived there less than a year, while the tenant gives at least one rental period. Civil Code 1946.2 adds that after 12 months of continuous occupancy an owner may not end the tenancy without just cause stated in the notice. Some units are exempt, including housing that received its certificate of occupancy in the last 15 years.
Washington goes further. Under RCW 59.18.650 a landlord may not end a periodic tenancy except for a listed cause, each with its own notice period, from 3 days for waste or nuisance to 90 days when the owner moves in or sells a single-family home.
What are the rules in California, Washington and BC?
| Jurisdiction | Tenant's notice | Landlord's notice | Ends on |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | At least 30 days, written | 60 days, or 30 under one year; just cause after 12 months unless exempt | Any day; rent runs to that date |
| Washington | At least 20 days, written | Only for a listed cause, 3 to 90 days by cause | The end of a rental period |
| British Columbia | One full rental month, written | Only on the grounds in the Act | The day before rent is next due |
Delivery counts too. Civil Code 1946 allows service under the eviction notice rules or by certified or registered mail, requires the landlord's notice to include a statement about reclaiming abandoned property, and bars a fee for serving it. In BC, a tenant's letter must include their name, the date, the unit address, the move date and a signature.
What does the calendar do to the move-out date?
This is where most mistakes happen. Take a tenant who hands in written notice on October 15, with rent due on the 1st.
In California, 30 days at any time ends the tenancy on November 14, and rent is due up to and including that date. In Washington, RCW 59.18.200 needs 20 days before the end of a rental period. October 15 leaves only 16 days before October 31, so the tenancy ends November 30. In BC, the provincial guidance says notice must arrive before the day rent is due and is "not simply 30 days' notice but truly a complete rental month." October rent was already due, so the earliest end is also November 30.
Same letter, same day, two different move-out dates and two weeks of rent between them. Washington also lets members of the armed forces with deployment orders give less than 20 days.
What should a property manager do the day notice arrives?
Log the date it was received, not the date on the letter. Work out the legal end date and confirm it to the tenant in writing. Book the move-out inspection.
Then start marketing, because every day before the listing goes live is a day you could have been showing. For an occupied unit, check the rules in our guide to notice to enter a rental. LetHub answers rental inquiries in about 30 seconds by text, chat and phone and books showings around the times the current tenant allows. Book a demo to see it.
Month-to-month notice: FAQ
Does a 30 day notice have to end on the last day of the month?
In California, no. Civil Code 1946 lets either party give 30 days' written notice at any time, and rent is owed up to and including the termination date. In Washington and BC notice runs to the end of a rental period, so a mid-month letter usually pushes the end date to the end of the next month.
Can a tenant give notice by text or email?
Each of these rules asks for written notice, and the safest written notice is signed and delivered in a way you can prove. BC lists what the letter must contain, and California sets out personal service or certified or registered mail. Treat a text as a heads up, then ask for the written notice.
Can a landlord end a month-to-month tenancy without a reason?
Often not. Washington requires one of the causes listed in RCW 59.18.650. California requires just cause once a tenant has occupied the unit for 12 months, unless the unit is exempt. BC landlords can end a tenancy only on the grounds the Residential Tenancy Act sets out, each with its own notice.
What if the tenant gives short notice?
The tenancy usually runs to the first legal end date, and rent is owed until then. In BC the province notes that a landlord can apply for dispute resolution and the tenant may owe compensation. Start marketing the unit right away either way.
