California Just Cause Eviction Rules: AB 1482 Explained

Rent caps get most of the attention when people talk about AB 1482, but the just-cause eviction rules are just as important—and just as easy to get wrong. Once a tenant qualifies for these protections, you can't simply decline to renew or ask them to leave without a legally recognized reason. Here's how the rules actually work.

When Just Cause Protection Kicks In

Under Civil Code §1946.2, just-cause protection applies once:

• All tenants named on the lease have occupied the unit for 12 months or more, OR
• At least one tenant has occupied the unit for 24 months or more

Before that threshold is met, and for exempt properties, a landlord can generally decline to renew a tenancy with standard notice (30 days for tenants under a year, 60 days for a year or more) without stating a reason.

Two Categories of Just Cause

Once the threshold applies, every termination must fall into one of two categories: at-fault or no-fault.

At-Fault Just Cause

At-fault causes apply when the tenant has done something that justifies termination. The recognized grounds include:

1. Non-payment of rent
2. Material breach of the lease (after an opportunity to cure, where applicable)
3. Nuisance or waste on the property
4. Criminal activity on the premises
5. Refusal to allow lawful entry
6. Refusal to sign a similar lease renewal
7. Subletting in violation of the lease

Important procedural detail: for non-payment and lease violations specifically, the tenant generally must be given an opportunity to cure the problem before you serve a termination notice. Skipping that cure step is a common procedural defect that can invalidate the entire eviction.

At-fault terminations generally do not require relocation assistance.

No-Fault Just Cause

No-fault causes apply when the tenant hasn't done anything wrong, but the landlord has a legitimate reason to reclaim the unit:

• Owner or close relative move-in
• Withdrawal of the unit from the rental market
• Demolition or substantial remodel
• Compliance with a government order to vacate

No-fault terminations do require relocation assistance—this is the category where landlords most often get tripped up.

Relocation Assistance Requirements

For any no-fault termination, you must do one of the following:

• Pay the tenant one month's rent in relocation assistance, generally within 15 days of serving the termination notice, or
• Waive the tenant's final month's rent in writing instead

One month's rent is the state minimum. Some cities layer on stricter local ordinances requiring significantly more—Los Angeles's Rent Stabilization Ordinance, for example, can require multiple months of relocation assistance, with higher amounts for elderly tenants, low-income households, and tenants with disabilities. Where a local ordinance and AB 1482 both apply, the stricter rule wins.

Owner Move-In Rules

If you're terminating a tenancy so you or a close relative can move in, there's an added requirement: the new occupant must use the unit as their primary residence for at least 12 continuous months. The termination notice must also name the person moving in and their relationship to the owner. If the new resident doesn't actually occupy the unit as required, you can face liability for a bad-faith eviction.

Which Properties Are Exempt from Just Cause?

Just-cause protection doesn't apply to every rental. Common exemptions:

• Housing built within the last 15 years—a rolling exemption. A building that was 14 years old this year becomes covered next year.
• Single-family homes, if owned by a natural person (not a corporation, REIT, or LLC with a corporate member) and the required statutory notice was included in the lease
• Condos, if owner-occupied for part of the year and the same statutory notice was given
• Owner-occupied duplexes, where the owner lives in one of the two units
• Government-subsidized housing with HUD restrictions

Missing the statutory notice requirement for single-family homes or condos is one of the most common ways landlords accidentally lose an exemption they thought they had.

What Happens If You Get This Wrong

A tenant removed without valid just cause, or through a procedurally defective notice, can pursue:

• Actual damages, including the cost of replacement housing
• Punitive damages if the court finds bad faith
• Attorney's fees, which in these cases can exceed the underlying damages

Most landlords who face serious penalties here aren't the ones who knowingly broke the law—they're the ones who missed a procedural step, like the cure period or the relocation payment timeline.

Quick Reference

1. Confirm the threshold is met: all tenants at 12 months, or one tenant at 24 months
2. Confirm the unit isn't exempt (age, ownership type, statutory notice given)
3. Identify the correct category: at-fault (no relocation pay) or no-fault (relocation pay required)
4. For non-payment/lease violations: give the cure opportunity before terminating
5. For no-fault terminations: pay one month's rent or waive the final month's rent, in writing, within the statutory timeframe
6. Check local ordinances—cities like Los Angeles can require more than the state minimum

This article is for general informational purposes and isn't legal advice. For guidance on a specific eviction situation, consult a California landlord-tenant attorney.