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California Eviction Timeline Estimator

See roughly when each step of a residential eviction could happen in Orange County or Los Angeles County, starting from the day your notice is served. The legal deadlines are calculated in court days; the time the court, the process server and the sheriff take is shown as a typical range.

What the dates are based on

• Notice period. 3 day notices count 3 court days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays (Code of Civil Procedure section 1161), using the same calendar as our 3-day notice calculator. 30, 60 and 90 day notices count calendar days (Civil Code sections 1946 and 1946.1); when a termination notice is mailed we add 5 days to be safe.
• Response period. Since January 1, 2025 (AB 2347), the tenant has 10 days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays, to respond to the summons (Code of Civil Procedure section 1167). Substituted service of the summons is complete on the 10th day after mailing (section 415.20), and service by posting under a court order on the 10th day after posting and mailing (section 415.45), so those methods add about 10 calendar days.
• Trial. When either side asks for trial, it must be held no later than 20 days after the request (Code of Civil Procedure section 1170.5(a)), although busy courts, continuances and jury demands can push it out. A demurrer or motion to strike filed by the tenant is heard 5 to 7 court days after filing (section 1170) and adds time.
• Lockout. After the writ of possession is delivered, the sheriff serves a notice to vacate. If the occupants have not left within five days, the sheriff removes them and puts you in possession (Code of Civil Procedure section 715.020).
• Typical ranges for filing, service of the summons, entry of judgment, issuance of the writ and sheriff scheduling are our estimates from ordinary cases. They are not deadlines, and every courthouse and sheriff station moves at its own pace.

Read more: how long an eviction takes in California, AB 2347 and the 10 day response, the eviction process step by step and where to file an eviction.