Sonoma County · Renting & eviction
Notices in Sonoma County
Sonoma County's own rules on notices, with the code text for every value, and the state law underneath.
Each rule below links to the section of the Sonoma County Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
What Sonoma County's code says
| Filing a copy with the city |
|
|---|---|
| What a notice must say |
|
The California rule underneath
Where Sonoma County'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 Sonoma County landlord have to give?
Sonoma County's code: Yes—file a copy of any notice terminating tenancy with the county of Sonoma at the Sonoma County Tenant Protections Portal within three days after serving the notice, and concurrently complete the required landlord informational submissions (All notices terminating tenancy served on or after January 1, 2025) (§ 4-259); State the cause for the termination and any information required under the article (Termination notices under the article served on or after January 1, 2025; covered residential units in unincorporated Sonoma County, including the specified affordable housing unless superior law/contracts prohibit coverage) (§ 4-259). State law: At least 30 days' notice for an increase of 10% or less; at least 90 days for an increase of more than 10% (Civ. Code § 827(b)(2), (b)(3)(A)).
General information, not legal advice.
Ask about a specific Sonoma County property
Ask GoCodebook how Sonoma County's notices rules apply to your situation and get an answer that cites the section.
Ask your question