Costa Mesa · Renting & eviction
Notices in Costa Mesa
State law: 60 days' notice to end a tenancy, or 30 days if the tenant has lived there less than 1 year. City rule: after a police notice of illegal drug activity or gang-related crime, the landlord has 30 calendar days to serve notice or appeal.
Key points
- Ending a tenancy: State law: 60 days' notice to end a tenancy, or 30 days if the tenant has lived there less than 1 year.
- Crime evictions: City rule: after a police notice of illegal drug activity or gang-related crime, the landlord has 30 calendar days to serve notice or appeal.
Each rule below links to the section of the Costa Mesa Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
What Costa Mesa's code says
| What a notice must say |
|
|---|---|
| Notice to end a tenancy |
|
The California rule underneath
Where Costa Mesa's rule above does not cover a situation, state law still applies.
| Notice of a rent increase | At least 30 days' notice for an increase of 10% or less; at least 90 days for an increase of more than 10% Applies: The 10% is measured against the rent charged at any time in the 12 months before the increase, counting all increases in that period together. |
|---|---|
| Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy (landlord) | 60 days' notice; 30 days if the tenant has lived there less than one year Applies: Where the unit is covered by just cause (Civ. Code § 1946.2) or a local ordinance, the notice must also state a qualifying cause. |
| Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy (tenant) | At least as long as the rental period (one month for a month-to-month tenancy) |
| 30-day notice when the unit is sold to an owner-occupant | 30 days' notice when a separately sellable unit is in escrow to a natural person who will live there for at least a year Applies: Notice within 120 days of opening escrow, given once, and all § 1946.1(d) conditions met. |
| Notice to pay rent or quit | 3 days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays, stating the amount due and how to pay Applies: May be served any time within one year after the rent became due. |
| Notice to cure a lease violation or quit | 3 days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays, to perform the broken lease term or leave |
| No fee for serving notices | A landlord may not charge the tenant a fee for serving or posting a notice |
Who this affects
TenantsLandlordsProperty managers
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a Costa Mesa landlord have to give?
State law: 60 days' notice to end a tenancy, or 30 days if the tenant has lived there less than 1 year. City rule: after a police notice of illegal drug activity or gang-related crime, the landlord has 30 calendar days to serve notice or appeal.
General information, not legal advice.
Ask about a specific Costa Mesa property
Ask GoCodebook how Costa Mesa's notices rules apply to your situation and get an answer that cites the section.
Ask your question