3 Day Notice to Pay or Quit - What It Means and How to Respond

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake

A landlord notice requiring payment of overdue rent or relocation within three days explains the legal purpose and timing requirements. It outlines when a 3-day notice becomes effective, how to count the days after receipt, and what the notice must include under CCP provisions. Guidance covers acceptable service methods, what happens after the three-day period, when eviction requires a court judgment, and how to respond if the notice amount or service is improper or if health-related conditions justify withholding rent.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time1 min

AccessFree to download

What Is a 3 Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit?

When Will I Get a 3 Day Notice?

What Should I Do If I Get a 3 Day Notice?

Do I Have to Leave My Apartment Within 3 Days?

How Do I Count the Days on the 3 Day Notice?

What Kind of 3 Day Notice Is Legal?

Can My Landlord Just Mail the 3 Day Notice to Me?

What If My Landlord Says I Owe More Rent Than I Really Do?

What If I Am Not Paying Rent Because the Apartment Is in Bad Condition?

# 3 DAY NOTICE TOPAY OR QUIT | WHAT IS A3 DAY NOTICE TO PAY RENT OR QUIT? | | --- | | This is a written notice from your landlord saying that you owe back rent,and demanding that you pay
the rent or move within three days.A landlord must give you this kind of notice before he or she can
legally evict you for not paying rent. | | WHEN WILLIGETA3 DAY NOTICE? | | Your landlord will probably give you a 3 day notice when s(he)thinks you are behind in your rent.The
notice is not valid if served before your rent is late.1 For example:If your rent is due on a Saturday,
Sunday or holiday,it is not actually due until the next working day.So if your rent was due on the 1st day
of March,and that day is a Saturday,your rent can be paid on Monday,and is not late until Tuesday. | | WHAT SHOULD I DO IFI GETA3 DAY NOTICE? | | If you want to stay in your apartment,and the amount the notice says you owe is correct,you should pay
the rent due within the three days.Under CCP§1161 the notice should state the name,telephone
number,and address of the person to whom the rent payment should be made.Pay attention to the
notice to make sure that you are paying your rent in the way that the notice asks you to pay. | | DO I HAVE TO LEAVE MY APARTMENT WITHIN 3 DAYS ONCE IGET THE NOTICE? | | You DO NOT have to leave your house or apartment after receiving a 3 day notice.To evict you,your
landlord has to file a case in court after the three days on the notice have passed.You do not have to
move out until a judgment has been entered against you and a Sheriff proceeds with a legal lockout.In
addition,there may be reasons that you do not have to pay the rent demanded in the 3 day notice.You
have a chance to state these reasons in court. | | HOW DO I COUNT THE DAYS ON THE 3 DAY NOTICE? | | Start counting the day after you receive the notice.You have up to day 3 to pay. | | Day Notice was Received | Last Day to Pay | | --- | --- | | Sunday | Wednesday | | Monday | Thursday | | Tuesday | Friday | | Wednesday,Thursday,or Friday | Monday | | Saturday | Tuesday | | *IF THE LAST DAY IS A HOLIDAY,YOU CAN PAY ON THE NEXT WORKING DAY. | | | WHAT KIND OF 3 DAY NOTICE IS LEGAL? | | --- | | According to CCP§1161,all 3 day notices to pay rent or quit MUST have at least the following
·It must be in writing.A verbal demand to pay rent is not valid.
·It must give you the choice to pay the rent OR move.2
● It must accurately state the amount of rent you owe
The notice must also be properly served.Usually someone must personally hand the notice to you or to someone
who lives in your house orapartment. | | CAN MY LANDLORD JUST MAIL THE 3 DAY NOTICE TO ME? | | No.According to CCP§1162 your landlord must do one of the following:
1.Give you the notice in person
2.Leave it with someone at your home who is of suitable age
3.Leave it at your work,and,if it is left with someone,a copy must be mailed to you
4.If no one of suitable age is found,or your work place is not known,the notice must be taped to
your door,and a copy mailed to you.
NOTE:If you actually received the 3 day notice,the judge will probably disregard any problems in the way
you were served. | | WHAT IF MY LANDLORD SAYS IOWE MORE RENT THAN I REALLY DO? | | f the 3 day notice says you owe more rent than you really do,then the notice is not valid.3 Your landlord
cannot evict you based on an invalid notice.You may write a letter to the landlord stating that the notice
is wrong.If the notice demands less rent than you owe,however,the landlord may still be able to evict
you based upon this notice,even though it is wrong.If you think that the amount of rent being demanded
is more than can be charged under the rent control ordinance,you can file a complaint with the Housing
Department of the City of Los Angeles by calling(866)

FAQs

What is a 3 day notice to pay rent or quit?

A 3 day notice is a written demand from a landlord stating that back rent is owed and requiring payment or moving within three days. It is required before a landlord can legally proceed with eviction for nonpayment.

When does a 3 day notice become effective and how are the days counted?

Counting starts the day after the notice is received. The tenant generally has up to day 3 to pay, and if the last day is a holiday, payment can be made on the next working day.

Do I have to leave within three days after receiving the notice?

Receiving a 3 day notice does not automatically mean you must leave. The landlord must file a court case after the three days pass, and you usually do not have to move out until a judgment is entered and a legal lockout occurs.

What makes a 3 day notice legal, and what if it is served incorrectly or states the wrong amount?

A legal notice must be written, provide the choice to pay rent or move, accurately state the amount owed, and be properly served (often in person or to an appropriate person at home/work, with additional steps if not). If the notice states an incorrect amount, it is not valid for that purpose and eviction based on an invalid notice is not proper.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake