There is no single form. The notice period comes from state or provincial law: California treats 24 hours as reasonable, British Columbia requires at least 24 hours, Washington requires one day for showings, and Ontario requires no written notice at all to show a unit to a prospective tenant once the tenancy is ending.
What Does Each Statute Require the Notice To Say?
Most templates come with no citation. These four statutes spell out the contents:
| Jurisdiction | Notice before showing an occupied unit | What the notice must contain |
|---|---|---|
| California, Civ. Code § 1954 | Written; 24 hours presumed reasonable. Normal business hours unless the tenant consents | Date, approximate time, purpose (§ 1954(d)(1)) |
| Washington, RCW 59.18.150 | One day to exhibit the unit to a prospective tenant or buyer; two days otherwise | Exact date and time, or a date with earliest and latest times, plus a phone number to object or reschedule (§ 59.18.150(6)) |
| Ontario, RTA ss. 26(3), 27 | None to show a prospective tenant once the tenancy is ending; 24 hours written for repairs, inspections and purchaser viewings | For s. 26(3), entry 8 a.m.–8 p.m. after a reasonable effort to inform the tenant. For the 24-hour notice: reason, day, time 8 a.m.–8 p.m. (s. 27(3)) |
| British Columbia, RTA s. 29 | At least 24 hours, not more than 30 days | A reasonable purpose, and a date and time between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. unless the tenant agrees (s. 29(1)(b)) |
This is information, not legal advice; rules change and vary by municipality. A city ordinance or your lease can require more notice, never less.
A Notice Template That Satisfies All Four
Write one form to the strictest union and stop maintaining four. Every field below is required somewhere above:
- Notice of entry
- To: [tenant name(s)] · [unit address]
- From: [manager name] · [phone] · [email]
- Delivered on: [date]
- Purpose of entry: to show the unit to a prospective tenant
- Date of entry: [one calendar date]
- Time of entry: [exact time, or "between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m."] — 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. clears Ontario and BC; California adds normal business hours
- To object or reschedule, call: [phone number]
- Delivered by: [handed to tenant / left at the usual entry door / mailed / emailed to the address you gave for service]
Name one date, not a range of days, and keep the delivered copy. Washington allows up to $100 per violation after one written notification; in Ontario a tenant can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for an order that the landlord entered illegally, within one year (RTA s. 29(1)6, (2)).
Does a Text or an Email Count as Written Notice?
Jurisdiction by jurisdiction — practice runs ahead of the statutes here. California's § 1954(d)(1) lists four: personal delivery, leaving it with someone of suitable age and discretion at the premises, leaving it on, near or under the usual entry door, or mail — mailing six days ahead is presumed reasonable. Texting is not among them, and the one oral option in § 1954(d)(2) is for purchaser showings. British Columbia allows email narrowly: Residential Tenancy Regulation s. 43(1) permits emailing a copy to an address given for service, and s. 44 deems an emailed record received on the third day after sending unless received earlier — so an email sent 24 hours out may not count as received in time. Ontario's RTA s. 191(1) lists hand delivery, the mailbox and mail, plus any other means the Board's Rules allow; s. 191(2) rescues a notice given another way if you can prove its contents reached the person in time. That proof is your job, so save the receipt.
Scheduling is where this gets enforced. If leasing runs in one system that auto-books showings and verifies identity before access, the booking window is where your minimum belongs — so nobody books a Tuesday tour on Monday night. See our self-showing lockbox guide, or book a demo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a text message count as written notice of a showing?
It depends on the jurisdiction, and often no. California's Civil Code § 1954(d)(1) describes personal delivery, leaving it with a suitable-age person at the premises, leaving it at the usual entry door, or mail — not texting. British Columbia permits email only to an address the tenant gave for service.
What must a notice of entry for a showing actually contain?
At minimum: the purpose, the date, and the time. Washington additionally requires either an exact time or the earliest and latest possible times, plus a telephone number for objections. Ontario requires a time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.; British Columbia between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. unless the tenant agrees otherwise.
Can a tenant refuse a properly noticed showing?
In Washington, a tenant shall not unreasonably withhold consent once the landlord gives at least one day's notice to exhibit the unit to a prospective tenant or buyer — but the same section bars unreasonably interfering with the tenant's enjoyment by excessively exhibiting the unit. Other jurisdictions vary; check yours.
Do self-showings remove the notice requirement?
No. The sections above govern entry into a unit that is subject to a tenancy, so an occupied unit needs its notice however the visitor gets in. A vacant unit is not covered by them at all. Whether a visitor's entry counts as the landlord's entry is a question for local counsel.
