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How to Evict a Tenant in Riverside County (2026 Guide)
- Since August 1, 2026, Riverside County unlawful detainers are filed at five courthouses: Corona, Moreno Valley, Menifee, Palm Springs and Blythe. The property's ZIP code decides which one.
- Every new complaint must include a Certificate of Counsel (local form RI-CI032) under Local Rule 3117.
- The filing fee is $270 for claims up to $10,000 and $410 for claims over $10,000 up to $35,000. Riverside's fees are higher than the statewide amounts because of a local courthouse construction surcharge.
- The Riverside County Sheriff charges $180 for an eviction, and the tenant gets 5 days after the notice to vacate before the lockout.
Riverside County is large, and its court has changed where eviction cases go. A landlord in Temecula, Riverside or Indio may now be sent to a courthouse they did not expect. This guide covers how to evict a tenant in Riverside County: the right courthouse, the local form the court requires, filing fees, e-filing, service, and the sheriff lockout.
Step 1: Serve the right notice
Every eviction starts with a written notice. For unpaid rent, that is a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit. The 3 days do not count Saturdays, Sundays or court holidays, so use our 3-day notice calculator to find the expiration date. Other cases need a notice to cure or quit, or a 30, 60 or 90 day notice. Most Riverside County apartments are also covered by the state Tenant Protection Act. In that case the notice must state a just cause, and a no fault termination comes with relocation assistance. If the tenant simply stopped paying, start with our guide on what to do when a tenant stops paying rent.
Step 2: Find the right Riverside courthouse
The court's Administrative Order on where to file civil documents, effective August 1, 2026, sends all unlawful detainers, limited and unlimited, to these courthouses based on the ZIP code of the property:
- Corona Courthouse, 505 S. Buena Vista, Corona: Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley and Mira Loma, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, and western Riverside ZIP codes 92503, 92504, 92505 and 92509.
- Moreno Valley Courthouse, 13800 Heacock St., Moreno Valley: Moreno Valley, Perris, Nuevo, Banning, Beaumont, Cherry Valley, Calimesa, Cabazon, Idyllwild, and the remaining City of Riverside ZIP codes, including 92501, 92506, 92507 and 92508.
- Menifee Justice Center, 27401 Menifee Center Drive, Menifee: Menifee, Murrieta, Temecula, Hemet, San Jacinto, Winchester, Homeland, Anza and Aguanga.
- Palm Springs Courthouse, 3255 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs: the Coachella Valley, including Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, Coachella, Thermal and Mecca.
- Blythe Courthouse, 265 N. Broadway, Blythe: Blythe, Ripley and Vidal.
Note that the City of Riverside is split between Corona and Moreno Valley, and that the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta is not on the list. Older guides and old case numbers may point to Banning, Murrieta or Indio. Always check the current order on the court's website before you file, because a filing at the wrong courthouse can be transferred or delayed.
Step 3: Prepare the complaint packet
Most of the papers are statewide Judicial Council forms: the summons (SUM-130), the complaint (UD-100), the civil case cover sheet (CM-010), and a Prejudgment Claim of Right to Possession for any unnamed occupants. Riverside adds its own requirements:
- Certificate of Counsel (RI-CI032). Local Rule 3117 requires every original pleading to bear or be accompanied by a Certificate of Counsel that names the courthouse where the case should be heard and the reason, such as the location of the property.
- Case designation. Local Rule 3520 requires the complaint to be designated "Unlawful detainer" on its face.
- Default worksheet. If the tenant does not respond, Local Rule 3560 requires the court's Declaration and Worksheet for Default Judgment in Unlawful Detainer.
Our self-represented filing packet includes the Riverside Certificate of Counsel. See our fees.
Step 4: Pay the filing fee and file
Riverside's civil fee schedule effective January 1, 2026 lists the unlawful detainer complaint fee at $270 when the amount demanded is $10,000 or less, and $410 for more than $10,000 up to $35,000. Unlimited cases over $35,000 cost more, so check the court's current fee schedule. For a full cost picture, see how much an eviction costs in California.
Under Local Rule 3118, parties represented by an attorney must e-file in all limited and unlimited civil cases, including unlawful detainers. Self-represented landlords may e-file through an approved e-filing service provider but are not required to, and can file at the courthouse instead.
Step 5: Serve the tenant
After filing, each tenant must be served with the summons, complaint and claim of right form. An adult who is not a party, a registered process server, or the sheriff can serve. The Riverside County Sheriff's Court Services lists a $50 fee to serve a summons and complaint. If personal service fails after diligent attempts, you can ask the court for an order allowing posting and mailing. Local Rule 3530 requires proof of service on all defendants to be filed within 30 days after the complaint is filed.
After personal service, the tenant has 10 court days to respond. If service was completed by mail, as with posting and mailing, the tenant gets 5 more court days.
Step 6: Default or trial
If the tenant does not respond in time, you request entry of default and a default judgment, using the local worksheet described above. If the tenant answers, either side can file a request to set the case for trial, and the law calls for trial within 20 days after the first request. Many cases settle on the trial date with a stipulated move out date.
Step 7: Writ of possession and the Riverside County Sheriff
After judgment, the clerk issues a writ of possession for a $40 fee. You then deliver the writ to the Riverside County Sheriff's Court Services, which has three offices:
- West: 4095 Lemon Street, 4th Floor, Riverside.
- Central: 30755-D Auld Road, Murrieta.
- East: 46-200 Oasis Street, Indio.
The sheriff lists the eviction fee at $180, which matches Government Code section 26733.5: $105 to serve the writ and notice and $75 to remove the occupants and put you in possession. The sheriff does not accept personal checks; it accepts pre-printed business checks, cash, cashier's checks and money orders payable to "Riverside County Sheriff." Include the sheriff's eviction instructions with the property address, unit number, any gate code, safety information about the occupants, and a daytime contact.
A deputy serves or posts the notice to vacate. Under Code of Civil Procedure section 715.020, the occupants have 5 days to leave. If they are still there, the deputy returns on the scheduled date and puts you in possession. Be at the property on time, bring keys or a locksmith, and do not enter or contact the occupants before the deputy arrives. Our guide to the writ of possession and sheriff lockout explains lockout day in more detail, and our article on tenant belongings left behind covers what to do with property left in the unit.
Typical Riverside County timeline
- Notice period: 3 court days for nonpayment, longer for other notices.
- Filing and service: depends on how quickly the tenant can be found and served.
- Response period: 10 court days after personal service, 15 court days after posting and mailing.
- Default judgment or trial: trial within about 20 days after a request to set trial, if the tenant answers.
- Writ and lockout: depends on the sheriff's schedule, then 5 days after the notice to vacate.
Contested cases, bankruptcy filings and service problems add time. See how long an eviction takes in California.
Common Riverside County mistakes
- Filing at the old courthouse instead of the one the current order assigns to the property's ZIP code.
- Leaving out the Certificate of Counsel, or listing the wrong courthouse on it.
- Missing the 30 day deadline to file proof of service.
- Changing the locks or shutting off utilities before the sheriff lockout. Only the sheriff can remove a tenant.
If you own rental property in Riverside County and want the case handled correctly from notice to lockout, request a case review.
This article is general information about California and Riverside County procedures as of its date, not legal advice for your situation. Court locations, local forms and fees change, so confirm them with the court and the sheriff before you file.
Related: San Bernardino County eviction guide | Inland Empire landlord rules
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This article is general information about California law as of its date, not legal advice for your situation. Laws and local ordinances change, and court decisions can be reviewed or reversed. Reading it does not create an attorney client relationship.