California Tenant Relocation Assistance: What You Get
If your landlord wants the unit back through no fault of yours, California law makes them help pay for your move.
When a California landlord ends a tenancy for a no-fault reason (moving in, taking the unit off the market, a demolition or major remodel, a government order), AB 1482 requires one month's rent in relocation assistance, paid within 15 days of the notice, or a written waiver of your final month's rent. Cities with their own just-cause ordinances often require much more: in some, five figures.
The statewide rule
AB 1482's just-cause law (Civil Code 1946.2) applies once you've lived in a covered unit for 12 months (24 if a new adult tenant joined before an existing tenant reached 24 months). For a no-fault termination, the owner must, at the owner's choice:
- pay you one month of the rent in effect when the notice was served, within 15 calendar days of serving it; or
- waive the final month's rent in writing, before it's due. The notice must say how much is waived and that no rent is due that month.
It applies whatever your income. The termination notice must tell you about the right, and an owner who doesn't strictly comply makes the notice void. On $2,500 rent, that's $2,500.
No-fault reasons
- The owner, or the owner's spouse, domestic partner, child, grandchild, parent or grandparent, moving in.
- Withdrawing the unit from the rental market.
- Complying with a government or court order to vacate.
- Demolishing or substantially remodeling the unit.
At-fault reasons (unpaid rent, a material lease violation, nuisance, criminal activity and others) don't require relocation assistance.
City ordinances usually pay more
If your unit is covered by a local just-cause ordinance adopted by September 1, 2019, or a later one that is more protective, the local law applies instead of AB 1482, including its relocation rules. Some examples:
| City | Relocation rule (as published by the city) |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | No-fault evictions (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027): $11,000 to $27,400 depending on tenancy length, income and whether the household includes a senior, disabled person or minor. Lower amounts apply to some small owner-occupied buildings. |
| San Francisco | Owner move-in, demolition or major rehab (March 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027): $8,245 per tenant, up to $24,733 per unit, plus $5,497 for each senior, disabled or minor-child household. Ellis Act evictions pay more. |
| Oakland | Owner move-in, Ellis Act, code-compliance and condo-conversion evictions (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027): $8,293.13 for a studio or 1 bedroom, $10,206.93 for 2 bedrooms and $12,599.18 for 3 or more, plus $2,500 when the household includes a lower-income, senior or disabled tenant or a minor child. |
| Santa Monica | Permanent relocation (from July 1, 2026): $20,500 (single) to $41,900 (2+ bedrooms with a senior, disabled person or minor). |
| Berkeley | Owner move-in and Ellis Act evictions (2026): $19,413, plus $6,471 for households with a senior, disabled person or minor. |
| Santa Ana | No-fault evictions: three months' rent in relocation assistance, or a waiver of the final three months' rent. |
| Hayward | No-fault evictions: one month's rent, paid within 14 days of the termination notice, or a waiver of the last month's rent (Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance, in effect since January 17, 2025). |
| Antioch | No-fault evictions: two times the monthly rent in effect when the termination notice is served. Tenants displaced temporarily for repairs get a per diem instead. |
Local coverage depends on the building (many exclude newer buildings and single-family homes), and amounts change each year. Our rent control pages list each city's rules and sources.
If you get a no-fault notice
- Check whether your unit is covered by AB 1482 or a local ordinance; the just-cause eviction checker lists the exemptions.
- Check that the notice states the reason and your right to relocation assistance or a rent waiver.
- Note the date: the payment is due within 15 days of service.
- If you don't move out when the notice expires, the landlord can recover the payment or waived rent as damages in an eviction case.
Run your numbers
Our Tenant Relocation Assistance Calculator shows the AB 1482 amount for your rent and, for the 22 local ordinances we track, the city's rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I entitled to relocation assistance in California?
If you've lived in a unit covered by AB 1482 for at least 12 months and your landlord ends the tenancy for a no-fault reason, yes: one month's rent, or a written waiver of your final month's rent. Local just-cause ordinances in many cities require more.
When does the landlord have to pay?
Within 15 calendar days of serving the termination notice, if the landlord pays rather than waiving the last month's rent. The notice itself must tell you about your right to the payment or waiver.
What if the landlord doesn't pay?
Under AB 1482, a landlord who doesn't strictly follow the relocation rules makes the termination notice void. Local ordinances have their own remedies. A tenant rights organization or attorney can help.
Do I get relocation money if I'm evicted for not paying rent?
No. Relocation assistance is for no-fault terminations. At-fault reasons such as unpaid rent, a serious lease violation or a nuisance don't require it.
Do I have to pay back relocation money if I don't move out?
If you don't leave when the notice expires, AB 1482 lets the landlord recover the relocation payment or waived rent as damages in the eviction case.
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Sources: Civil Code 1946.2; city rent program pages linked from our rent control pages.