EVERY DEADLINE
34 periods California law measures, gathered out of the file and put in order, shortest first. Each one says what starts it, whose period it is, and what the law attaches to it. The shortest here is 24 hours. The longest is 3 years.
Every period on this page is stated by a section of the file and carries that section's own authority. None of it is a calculation: a period that turns on facts, on service, or on a court's discretion is described the way the section describes it and no further.
34 deadlines
Traffic stops2
24 hours
Reporting an injury crash to the police
- From
- A crash causing injury or death
- Whose
- The driver
A written report goes to the Highway Patrol or, inside a city, the Highway Patrol or the city police, within this period.
10 days
Reporting a crash to the Department of Motor Vehicles
- From
- The crash
- Whose
- The driver
A crash the section covers is reported to the department within this period, by the driver or an insurance agent, broker or legal representative.
Impaired driving1
30 days
The temporary license after a DUI arrest
- From
- The date of arrest
- Whose
- The driver
The suspension notice served at arrest is itself a temporary license, valid for this period.
Court and money27
24 hours
The landlord's notice before entering
- From
- Written notice of the intended entry
- Whose
- The landlord
Twenty four hours of written notice is presumed reasonable before a landlord enters for the purposes the section allows.
72 hours
Final pay after quitting without notice
- From
- Quitting
- Whose
- The employer
An employee who quits without at least 72 hours' notice is paid not later than this, by mail if the employee asks and gives an address.
3 court days
The notice to pay rent or give up possession
- From
- Service of the written notice
- Whose
- The tenant
The notice gives three days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays, to pay the rent or give up possession before an unlawful detainer case may be filed.
5 days
Leaving after a writ of possession is served
- From
- Service of the writ of possession
- Whose
- The occupants
If the occupants have not left within this period, the levying officer removes them and puts the landlord in possession.
10 court days
Responding to an unlawful detainer complaint
- From
- Being served with the complaint
- Whose
- The tenant
The response is due within ten days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays, after service.
10 days
The agency's answer to a public records request
- From
- The agency receiving the request
- Whose
- The agency
Within this period the agency determines whether it holds disclosable records and says when they will be available, extendable by written notice in unusual circumstances for no more than 14 days.
10 days
The seller's refund after a home sale is cancelled
- From
- The cancellation
- Whose
- The seller
The seller returns any payments and any note or other evidence of debt, and any goods traded in, within this period.
14 calendar days
Asking for the receipts behind the deductions
- From
- Receiving the itemized statement
- Whose
- The tenant
A tenant who asks within this period is still owed the documents supporting the deductions, even where the landlord was not otherwise required to include them.
14 days
The first temporary disability payment
- From
- The employer's knowledge of the injury and disability
- Whose
- The employer
The first payment is due not later than this, unless liability for the claim is denied first.
15 calendar days
Relocation assistance for a no fault termination
- From
- Service of the notice of termination
- Whose
- The owner
Relocation assistance equal to one month's rent is paid within this period, unless the owner instead waives the final month's rent.
21 calendar days
Inspecting or copying payroll records
- From
- The employee's request
- Whose
- The employer
A current or former employee who asks to inspect or copy payroll records is given access within this period.
21 calendar days
The landlord's itemized deposit statement
- From
- The tenant vacating
- Whose
- The landlord
By then the landlord furnishes an itemized statement of the basis for and amount of any security received and what was done with it, and returns the rest.
30 days
Appealing a small claims judgment
- From
- The clerk delivering or mailing notice of the judgment
- Whose
- The party appealing
A notice of appeal filed later than this is ineffective for any purpose.
30 days
Appealing an unemployment determination
- From
- Service of the notice of determination
- Whose
- The claimant
An appeal to an administrative law judge is filed within this period, which may be extended for good cause.
30 days
Appealing to the unemployment appeals board
- From
- The mailing of the administrative law judge's decision
- Whose
- The claimant
An appeal of the administrative law judge's decision to the appeals board is filed within this period, which may be extended for good cause.
At least 30 days before
The consumer's written demand before a damages suit
- From
- Filing a suit for damages
- Whose
- The consumer
The written notice of the violations and demand to correct them is sent by certified or registered mail at least this long before a damages suit, and no damages suit may be kept up if an appropriate remedy is given within the period.
At least 30 days
The owner's notice ending a tenancy of under a year
- From
- Service of the owner's written notice
- Whose
- The owner
A month to month tenancy where the tenant has lived there less than one year ends no sooner than this after the owner's written notice.
30 days
The wait before repair and deduct is presumed reasonable
- From
- Notice to the landlord of the needed repair
- Whose
- The tenant
A tenant who repairs and deducts after the 30th day following notice is presumed to have waited a reasonable time for the landlord to act.
30 days
Written notice of a work injury
- From
- The injury
- Whose
- The injured worker
A compensation claim is maintained only if written notice is served on the employer within this period, except as other sections provide.
35 days
Repairs after a housing inspector's notice
- From
- The inspector's written notice to the landlord
- Whose
- The landlord
If the substandard conditions remain past this period without good cause, the landlord may not demand or collect rent or raise it while they last.
At least 60 days
The owner's notice ending a tenancy of a year or more
- From
- Service of the owner's written notice
- Whose
- The owner
A month to month tenancy where the tenant has lived there a year or more ends no sooner than this after the owner's written notice.
180 days
The window in which retaliation is barred
- From
- The tenant's repair notice, complaint or case
- Whose
- The landlord
Within this period the landlord may not evict, raise the rent or cut services in retaliation, unless a lawful ground is stated in good faith in the notice.
1 year
Petitioning over discrimination for a work injury claim
- From
- The discriminatory act or the termination
- Whose
- The worker
A petition over being discriminated against for filing a claim is filed with the appeals board within this period.
1 year
Starting workers' compensation proceedings
- From
- The injury, or the last benefit payment
- Whose
- The injured worker
Proceedings for compensation are started within this period from the injury or from the last payment of benefits.
1 year
Suing a debt collector
- From
- The violation
- Whose
- The debtor
A suit under the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is brought individually within this period.
1 year
Suing after a right to sue notice
- From
- The date of the right to sue notice
- Whose
- The employee
A civil action may be brought within this period from the notice, a period tolled while a charge filed at the same time with the federal commission is pending.
3 years
Filing a discrimination complaint with the Civil Rights Department
- From
- The unlawful employment practice
- Whose
- The employee
A complaint of an unlawful employment practice is filed with the department within this period.
Your home1
10 days
Executing a search warrant
- From
- The warrant's issue
- Whose
- The officers
A search warrant not executed within this period after it issues is void.
Charges and penalties2
48 hours
Being taken before a magistrate after arrest
- From
- The arrest
- Whose
- The arresting agency
A person arrested is taken before a magistrate without unnecessary delay, and in any event within this period, not counting Sundays and holidays.
1 year
Asking for dismissal of a misdemeanor without probation
- From
- The judgment
- Whose
- The person convicted
After this period, a person convicted of a misdemeanor without probation, or of an infraction, may ask for relief where the sentence is fully performed and the other conditions are met.
How you carry yourself1
21 days
The hearing on a civil harassment restraining order
- From
- The ruling on the temporary order
- Whose
- The court
The hearing is held within this period, or within 25 days for good cause.
MyRightz is legal education, not legal advice. Nothing here creates an attorney client relationship. Applying the law to a particular situation is the work of a licensed California attorney.