If you own a rental in California, your right to enter the unit is real but narrow, and the 24-hour notice to enter is the rule that governs almost every visit. Landlords in Los Angeles County get this wrong more often than they expect. One missed notice can turn a repair visit into a harassment claim, and a pattern of them ends up in a tenant’s complaint. Borna Houman Law represents landlords and property owners only, from our office at 2530 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica, and this guide explains exactly how to enter lawfully.
Key Takeaway: Under California Civil Code section 1954, a landlord must give a residential tenant reasonable written notice before entering, and 24 hours is presumed reasonable. Six days is presumed reasonable for mailed notice. The notice must state the date, approximate time, and purpose, and entry must fall within normal business hours for a permitted reason.
Planning an inspection, a sale showing, or a repair that a tenant is resisting? We draft entry notices and access letters for owners, and we step in when a tenant refuses lawful access or threatens a harassment claim. Call (888) 42-BORNA to schedule a confidential consultation.
What does a 24-hour notice to enter require in California?
A valid 24-hour notice to enter is a written notice that tells the tenant the date of entry, the approximate time, and the purpose of the visit. Civil Code section 1954(d)(1) sets those three content requirements and presumes that 24 hours of written notice is reasonable.
The statute gives you four ways to deliver the notice. You can hand it to the tenant, leave it with a person of suitable age and discretion at the unit, leave it on or under the usual entry door where a reasonable person would find it, or mail it. Mail changes the math: a mailed notice is presumed reasonable only if it is mailed at least six days before the entry.
Spell out the time. “Sometime Tuesday” is weak. “Tuesday, November 3, between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., to repair the kitchen faucet” holds up when a tenant later says you showed up without warning. In our experience representing Westside owners, a two-hour window is the practical standard, and the purpose line should be specific enough that the tenant could not reasonably misread it.
When can a California landlord legally enter a rental unit?
A California landlord may enter a residential unit only for a reason the statute lists. Civil Code section 1954(a) permits entry in an emergency; to make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, or improvements; to supply necessary or agreed services; to show the unit to prospective or actual buyers, lenders, tenants, workers, or contractors; after the tenant has abandoned or surrendered the unit; under a court order; and for several statutory inspections.
The inspection category covers the pre-move-out inspection under Civil Code section 1950.5(f), which the tenant can request so they have a chance to fix problems before you make deposit deductions. It also includes the water-conserving fixture work governed by Civil Code section 1954.201 and the related sections.
The list has no general walk-through “to see how things are going.” A landlord who wants to check the condition of a unit has to tie the visit to a listed purpose, such as inspecting for a specific repair, servicing equipment, or showing the unit. Owner-drafted notices miss this more than anything else we review.
What reasons for entry are allowed, and what notice does each need?
The notice you owe depends on the reason for entry, and some entries need no notice at all. The table below summarizes the rules an owner works with day to day.
| Reason for entry | Notice required | Business hours only? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Necessary or agreed repairs and services | 24 hours written (6 days if mailed) | Yes | Civ. Code 1954(a)(2), (d)(1) |
| Repairs or services the tenant orally agreed to, within one week | No written notice | Yes | Civ. Code 1954(d)(3) |
| Showing to a buyer, after a written 120-day “for sale” notice | 24 hours, may be oral | Yes | Civ. Code 1954(d)(2) |
| Showing to prospective tenants, lenders, contractors | 24 hours written | Yes | Civ. Code 1954(a)(2), (d)(1) |
| Pre-move-out inspection requested by tenant | 48 hours written | Yes | Civ. Code 1950.5(f) |
| Emergency | None | No | Civ. Code 1954(a)(1), (e)(1) |
| Tenant present and consents at the time | None | No | Civ. Code 1954(e)(2) |
| After abandonment or surrender | None | No | Civ. Code 1954(e)(3) |
| Court order | As the order provides | As the order provides | Civ. Code 1954(a)(4) |
Two rows need a closer read. The oral-agreement rule in subdivision (d)(3) only covers entry for agreed repairs or services, and only if the date and approximate time fall within one week of the agreement. The sale-showing rule in subdivision (d)(2) lets you give oral notice only after you have served written notice within the prior 120 days that the property is for sale, and you must leave written evidence of the entry inside the unit when you go in.
Can a landlord enter without notice in an emergency?
Yes, a California landlord may enter without any notice to respond to an emergency. Civil Code section 1954(e)(1) removes the notice requirement for emergencies, and section 1954(b) removes the business-hours limit for them.
The statute does not define “emergency,” so the owner carries the risk of the label. A burst pipe flooding the unit below, an active gas smell, smoke, or a fire alarm that will not stop are emergencies. A tenant who has not answered the phone for two days is usually not, unless there is a genuine welfare concern, and in that case calling the police for a welfare check is often the better first move.
Document every emergency entry the same day: the time, what you saw, who was with you, and what you did. Leave a written note inside the unit explaining why you entered. In our experience, a same-day email to the tenant with two or three photos ends most of these disputes, because it shows the entry was about the building.
What happens if a landlord enters without proper notice?
A landlord who enters without proper notice risks a harassment claim, statutory penalties, and a weakened eviction case. California treats repeated improper entry seriously, and the City of Los Angeles adds its own rules on top of state law.
Civil Code section 1954(c) bars a landlord from abusing the right of access or using it to harass the tenant. Under Civil Code section 1940.2, a landlord who significantly and intentionally violates section 1954 for the purpose of influencing a tenant to vacate is liable for a civil penalty of up to $2,000 for each violation. That penalty is in addition to the tenant’s actual damages, and tenant lawyers lead with it in demand letters.
In the City of Los Angeles, the Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance treats abuse of the right of access as a form of harassment. The Los Angeles Housing Department’s 24-hour notice guidance explains the city’s position on notice and entry, and an owner who ignores it invites a complaint to LAHD. Improper entry also hands the tenant a retaliation or harassment narrative to raise in any later unlawful detainer, which complicates an otherwise clean case.
Can a tenant refuse entry after receiving a 24-hour notice?
A tenant who receives a proper notice for a lawful purpose generally cannot refuse reasonable entry. Section 1954 grants the landlord the right to enter for the listed purposes, and an unreasonable refusal can breach the lease and, in a serious case, support a three-day notice to perform covenants or quit.
Do not force the door. Even when the tenant is plainly wrong, entering over an express refusal outside an emergency hands the tenant the better story. Do this instead: serve a second written notice that cites the lease access clause and section 1954, offer two alternative windows, and confirm in writing. If the refusal continues and the access is necessary, such as a repair the city has cited or a required inspection, the remedy is a notice under Code of Civil Procedure section 1161(3) or a court order, not a locksmith.
We cover the breach-of-covenant path in detail in our guide to breach of lease evictions under CCP 1161(3). Where the building is under AB 1482 or a local rent ordinance, the refusal also has to fit a just-cause ground, which a documented, repeated denial of lawful access usually does.
How does the 2026 balcony inspection deadline affect entry?
Owners of buildings with three or more multifamily units must have exterior elevated elements, such as balconies, decks, and walkways, inspected under Health and Safety Code section 17973, with the first inspection due by January 1, 2026 and repeat inspections every six years. Many of those inspections require access through a tenant’s unit.
That access is a section 1954 entry. Serve a written 24-hour notice for each unit that names the inspection, the inspector or company, the window, and what areas the inspector needs to reach. If the inspection needs a follow-up visit, serve a fresh notice. One blanket notice for “inspections this month” invites the access dispute the statute is meant to prevent.
A worked example: one building, three entries
Consider a 12-unit building in West Los Angeles that the owner plans to sell. This is how the owner should handle three entries in one month.
First, the owner serves every tenant a written notice that the building is for sale and that agents may contact them orally to schedule showings. That notice starts the 120-day window under section 1954(d)(2). For the next 120 days, the agent can give 24 hours of oral notice for buyer showings and must leave a card or note inside each unit after each showing.
Second, the elevated-element inspector needs access to four balconies. The owner serves four separate written notices at least 24 hours ahead, each naming the inspection and a two-hour window. Mailing would require six days, so the owner posts them on the doors instead.
Third, a tenant in unit 7 calls about a leaking dishwasher and agrees on the phone to a plumber visit two days later. Under section 1954(d)(3), no written notice is needed because the tenant agreed and the visit is within one week. The owner still sends a short confirming text or email, because the statute allows the oral agreement and the written record proves it happened.
Frequently asked questions about entry notices
Does a California landlord have to give 24 hours notice?
Yes, for most non-emergency entries. Civil Code section 1954 requires reasonable written notice and presumes 24 hours is reasonable, or six days if the notice is mailed. Emergencies, entry with the tenant present and consenting, and entry after abandonment need no notice.
Can a landlord enter on a weekend in California?
Generally no, unless the tenant agrees or there is an emergency. Section 1954(b) limits entry to normal business hours. If a tenant asks for a Saturday repair, get that consent in writing before the visit.
Can a landlord enter when the tenant is not home?
Yes, if the landlord served a proper notice for a lawful purpose. The tenant does not have to be present. Leave a short note inside the unit describing what was done, and keep a copy.
Does a text message count as written notice?
Section 1954 lists personal delivery, leaving the notice with a suitable person, leaving it at the entry door, and mail. Text and email are not listed methods unless the tenant has agreed to them in the lease or in writing. Use them to confirm, not to replace, a delivered paper notice.
Can a landlord do routine inspections in California?
Not as a general walk-through. Every entry must fit a purpose listed in section 1954(a), such as repairs, services, a showing, or a statutory inspection. Tie each inspection to a specific maintenance or safety purpose and state it in the notice.
Can I show an occupied unit to prospective tenants?
Yes. Section 1954(a)(2) allows entry to exhibit the unit to prospective tenants, with a written 24-hour notice. The oral-notice shortcut applies only to showings for a sale.
Protect your access rights before a dispute starts
Most entry disputes are decided by the paperwork before anyone knocks. A clean notice with a specific purpose and a written record usually ends a harassment claim before it starts. If you want an owner-side review of your notice forms, your lease access clause, or a tenant who is refusing lawful entry, see how we represent owners as a Los Angeles landlord attorney. Owners facing a damages demand should also read our guide to wrongful eviction damages in California, and owners using cameras in common areas should review our landlord security camera guide.
Borna Houman Law represents landlords and property owners only. Call (888) 42-BORNA to schedule a confidential consultation.
Written by Borna Houman, Esq., California State Bar No. 352339, Borna Houman Law, 2530 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about California law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Rules change and local ordinances vary, so consult a licensed California attorney about your specific property.
