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Commerce · Renting & eviction

Eviction and just cause in Commerce

After 12 months of continuous, lawful occupancy, Commerce's eviction causes include unpaid rent, a material lease breach and nuisance. Commerce bars owner move-in evictions when any tenant is 60 or older, or disabled, and has lived there 5 years or more.

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Key points

  • Just cause: After 12 months of continuous, lawful occupancy, Commerce's eviction causes include unpaid rent, a material lease breach and nuisance.
  • Owner move-in: Commerce bars owner move-in evictions when any tenant is 60 or older, or disabled, and has lived there 5 years or more.

Each rule below links to the section of the Commerce Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Commerce's code says

Commerce code What Commerce's code adds
When protection starts
  • After 12 months of continuous, lawful occupancy.
    § 9.95.020 · code text
    after a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied a residential real property for twelve months, the owner of the residential real property shall not terminate the tenancy without just cause
  • When all tenants have lived there continuously and lawfully for 12 months or more.
    Applies: If adult tenants are added before an existing tenant reaches 24 months of continuous, lawful occupancy.
    § 9.95.020 · code text
    All of the tenants have continuously and lawfully occupied the residential real property for twelve months or more.
  • When 1 or more tenants have lived there continuously and lawfully for 24 months or more.
    Applies: If adult tenants are added before an existing tenant reaches 24 months of continuous, lawful occupancy.
    § 9.95.020 · code text
    One or more tenants have continuously and lawfully occupied the residential real property for twenty-four months or more.
Allowed at-fault reasons
  • Default in the payment of rent; breach of a material term of the lease; nuisance; waste; refusal to sign a written extension or renewal of similar duration and terms after a lease ending on or after January 1, 2020; criminal activity by the tenant on the property or common areas, or criminal activity or a criminal threat directed at the owner or the owner's agent; assigning or subletting in violation of the lease; refusal to allow lawful entry; unlawful use; failure of an employee, agent, or licensee to vacate after termination; failure to deliver possession after the tenant's own notice or an accepted offer to surrender
    Applies: For a curable lease violation the owner must first give a notice to cure; a home occupation allowed by zoning (with any required home occupation permit) is not a basis for eviction
    § 9.95.020 · code text
    At-fault just cause, which is any of the following:
Allowed no-fault reasons
  • Intent to occupy the residential real property by the owner or their spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents, or grandparents
    Applies: Not allowed if any tenant is 60 or older, or disabled, and has lived on the property five years or more; for leases entered into on or after July 1, 2020, only if the tenant agrees in writing or the lease lets the owner end it for owner/relative occupancy; if re-offered for rent, it must be offered at the same rent plus intervening annual general adjustments
    § 9.95.020 · code text
    Intent to occupy the residential real property by the owner or their spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents, or grandparents.
  • Taking the property off the rental market.
    § 9.95.020 · code text
    Withdrawal of the residential property from the rental market.
  • Following a habitability order or order to vacate from a government agency or court, or a local ordinance requiring move-out.
    § 9.95.020 · code text
    The owner complying with any of the following:

The California rule underneath

Where Commerce's rule above does not cover a situation, state law still applies. For the statewide rule on its own, see Just-cause eviction in California.

CA state law The statewide rule underneath
Just cause required
After 12 months of lawful occupancy, the owner may terminate only for a just cause stated in the notice
Applies: Covered units only (§ 1946.2(e) exempts, among others, housing built in the last 15 years and single-family homes or condos not owned by a corporation or REIT when the tenant got the required notice). If new adult tenants joined before anyone reached 24 months, all tenants need 12 months or one needs 24.
Civ. Code § 1946.2(a)
Chance to cure first
For a curable lease violation, the owner must first serve a notice to cure before a 3-day notice to quit
Civ. Code § 1946.2(c)
Just cause — new construction exemption
Housing with a certificate of occupancy issued within the previous 15 years is exempt (rolling)
Applies: Mobilehomes excepted.
Civ. Code § 1946.2(e)(7)
Just cause law sunset
§ 1946.2 is repealed on January 1, 2030 unless extended
Civ. Code § 1946.2(n)

Who this affects

TenantsLandlordsProperty managers

Frequently asked questions

Does a landlord in Commerce need a reason to evict?

After 12 months of continuous, lawful occupancy, Commerce's eviction causes include unpaid rent, a material lease breach and nuisance. Commerce bars owner move-in evictions when any tenant is 60 or older, or disabled, and has lived there 5 years or more.

General information, not legal advice.

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Commerce Municipal Code — full text