Service Areas / Orange County

Eviction Lawyer for Landlords in Santa Ana, CA

Santa Ana is the one Orange County city with its own rent stabilization and just cause eviction law, which makes evictions there more technical than anywhere else in the county. A notice that would be fine in Irvine or Anaheim can be defective in Santa Ana.

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Eviction rules that apply in Santa Ana

Santa Ana has local tenant protections in addition to state law. The strictest rule that applies is the one you must follow.

  • Santa Ana's Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance covers most rental units in the city. Annual increases are limited to the lesser of 3% or 80% of inflation; the allowed increase for September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027 is 2.87%.
  • Owners must register covered rental units with the city, and a termination must be based on one of the just causes listed in the ordinance.
  • No fault terminations require relocation assistance under the ordinance, and the amount and timing rules are strict.
  • Since 2025 a 3 day notice must state the exact start and end of the notice period, exclude weekends and court holidays, give a real payment address, and say the landlord will retake possession (Eshagian v. Cepeda).
  • Tenants now have 10 court days to respond to an unlawful detainer (AB 2347), so plan on roughly an extra week compared with the old 5 day rule.

Before any notice is served in Santa Ana we confirm whether the unit is covered, check the registration and rent history, and make sure the stated reason matches the ordinance. Mistakes here are a common reason tenants win.

Santa Ana rent control rules

Santa Ana's Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance in brief:

  • Limits yearly rent increases for most apartments and other multifamily rentals built before 1995.
  • Owners of covered units must register them with the city and pay the annual fee.
  • Evictions require a just cause listed in the ordinance, and no fault evictions require relocation assistance.
  • Santa Ana is the only city in Orange County with rent control, so notices for Santa Ana units need extra care.

Rates and forms change every year. For the current allowable increase, registration rules and the full ordinance, see the city's official page.

Go to the Santa Ana official rent control page

How we handle a Santa Ana eviction

  1. Review. We confirm which state and local rules cover the unit, check the lease and the rent ledger, and identify the right notice.
  2. Notice. We prepare the notice (3 day, 30, 60 or 90 day) with the exact dates and content the law requires, and arrange proper service.
  3. Lawsuit. If the tenant does not pay or move, we file the unlawful detainer in the Orange County Superior Court and have the tenant served.
  4. Default or trial. If there is no response within 10 court days we request a default judgment; if the tenant answers we request a trial date and handle settlement talks and the trial.
  5. Lockout. After judgment we obtain the writ of possession and coordinate the sheriff lockout so you get the property back.

Want the details? Read our guides to the eviction process, eviction notices and California eviction law.

Talk to an eviction attorney about your Santa Ana property. Call (714) 782-7275 (8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday) or send us a message. Consultations are free.

We also serve nearby cities

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Updated October 11, 2026. General information, not legal advice for your situation. Local ordinances change; we verify the current rules for every case.