Breaking a Lease in California
California rules on breaking a lease for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: A tenant may end a lease if the tenant, a household member, or an immediate family member was the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, elder or dependent-adult abuse, or a crime that caused bodily injury or death or involved a deadly weapon or force… Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.7 (as amended by SB 1017, Stats. 2022, ch. 558)
The rules in California
| Ending a lease: domestic violence | A tenant may end a lease if the tenant, a household member, or an immediate family member was the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, elder or dependent-adult abuse, or a crime that caused bodily injury or death or involved a deadly weapon or force or the threat of force. The tenant gives written notice with one of these attached: a protective or restraining order, a police report, a qualified third-party statement (from a counselor, advocate, or licensed health practitioner, in the form set out in the statute), or other documentation that reasonably verifies the act. Notice must be given within 180 days of the order, report, or incident. The tenant owes rent for no more than 14 days after giving notice (prorated if the unit is re-rented sooner) and is not treated as having breached the lease. The deposit may not be forfeited because of the termination. If the victim is a family member who did not live with the tenant and the act did not happen within 1,000 feet of the unit, the tenant must also attach a statement explaining the relocation. Landlords must keep the information confidential and may not refuse to rent to someone because the person used this right. Violations carry actual damages plus $100 to $5,000 in statutory damages. Related: since Jan. 1, 2025, Civ. Code § 1946.9 (SB 1051) bars adverse screening decisions based on a prior lease breach caused by abuse against the tenant, on being a victim, or on having summoned emergency help. Other co-tenants remain bound by the lease (§ 1946.7(g)). Text verified via the Legislative Counsel pubinfo database. |
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Related questions
- Can I break my lease because of domestic violence?
- Can I break my lease for military orders, medical reasons or a death?
California vs. neighboring states
| State | Ending a lease: domestic violence | Ending a lease: military, medical, death |
|---|---|---|
| California | A tenant may end a lease if the tenant, a household member, or an immediate family member was the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, elder or dependent-adult abuse, or a crime that caused bodily injury or death or involved a deadly weapon or force or the threat of force. The tenant gives written notice with one of these attached: a protective or restraining order, a police report, a qualified third-party statement (from a counselor, advocate, or licensed health practitioner, in the form set out in the statute), or other documentation that reasonably verifies the act. Notice must be given within 180 days of the order, report, or incident. The tenant owes rent for no more than 14 days after giving notice (prorated if the unit is re-rented sooner) and is not treated as having breached the lease. The deposit may not be forfeited because of the termination. If the victim is a family member who did not live with the tenant and the act did not happen within 1,000 feet of the unit, the tenant must also attach a statement explaining the relocation. Landlords must keep the information confidential and may not refuse to rent to someone because the person used this right. Violations carry actual damages plus $100 to $5,000 in statutory damages. Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.7 (as amended by SB 1017, Stats. 2022, ch. 558) | Not verified yet |
| Arizona | A victim of domestic violence, or of sexual assault in the dwelling, may end the lease by giving the landlord written notice requesting release, with a mutually agreed release date within the next 30 days. The notice must include either a copy of a protective order or a law enforcement departmental report stating that the tenant reported being a victim. The incident must have occurred within the 30 days before the notice, unless the landlord waives this. The tenant owes rent only through the termination date, plus earlier obligations, paid by move-out. The landlord may keep prepaid rent for the final month. No early-termination penalties or fees may be charged, and the deposit may not be withheld for the early termination, only for damages. Co-tenants' tenancy also ends. The victim may have the locks changed at the victim's own cost. The abuser can be civilly liable to the landlord for the landlord's losses. A tenant convicted of falsely filing the report or order owes treble damages. A.R.S. § 33-1318 | Law enforcement officers protected by an injunction against harassment issued within the previous 30 days may terminate the lease the same way as under § 33-1318. They must repay any lease concessions received (§ 33-1318.01). A tenant may also terminate the lease for the landlord's unlawful or harassing entry (§ 33-1376(B)). The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act has no state-law early-termination right for military service (federal SCRA applies), medical or disability reasons, seniors moving to care, or the tenant's death. For a deceased or incapacitated tenant, § 33-1314(E)-(G) only governs retrieval of property by a person the tenant authorized. A.R.S. §§ 33-1318.01, 33-1376(B), 33-1314(E)-(G); Title 33, Ch. 10 section list checked |
| Nevada | Yes. If a tenant, co-tenant or household member is a victim of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking, the tenant or any co-tenant may end the lease by written notice effective at the end of the current rental period or 30 days after notice, whichever is sooner. The notice must state the reason and include: for domestic violence, a protection order, a police report, or an affidavit in the statutory form signed by a qualified third party; for harassment, sexual assault or stalking, a police report or a court order under NRS 200.378 or 200.591. The incident must have occurred within the 90 days before the notice. The tenant owes rent only through the termination date (prepaid rent for that period may be kept), and the deposit may not be withheld for the early termination. The abuser can be liable to the landlord for the landlord's losses. The tenant may require a lock change at their cost, the landlord may not give the abuser a key or disclose the victim's whereabouts, and the termination may not be reported to a future landlord as an early termination. NRS 118A.345, 118A.347 | Medical/senior: a tenant who is 60 or older or has a physical or mental disability and must relocate for care or treatment that cannot be provided in the unit may end the lease with 30 days' written notice given within 60 days after relocating (certain co-tenants may too), with reasonable verification of the condition and need to relocate. Death: when the spouse or co-tenant of a tenant who is 60 or older or disabled dies, that tenant may end the lease with 60 days' written notice given within 3 months after the death. The notice must state the facts showing eligibility. No separate state military lease-termination provision was found in NRS 118A; the federal SCRA applies. NRS 118A.340 |
| Oregon | A tenant who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, bias crime or stalking may be released (with listed immediate family members) by giving at least 14 days' written notice specifying the release date, accompanied by verification: a protective order, a police report, a conviction, or a statutory-form statement signed by a qualified third party (law enforcement, attorney, licensed health professional, DOJ victim services employee or victim's advocate); the incident must be within the past 90 days (excluding time the perpetrator was incarcerated or lived 100+ miles away) unless a valid protective order is in place. The released tenant is not liable for rent or damages after the release date and owes no termination fee; other tenants remain bound. Landlord must keep the information confidential. ORS 90.453 | Military: a tenant may terminate on written notice with proof of orders when enlisting, ordered to active service outside the area for more than 90 days, terminating active service (also Public Health Service detailed to Army/Navy and NOAA corps) - generally effective the later of 30 days after notice or other listed dates; a state service member called up by the Governor for 90+ days may terminate effective the earlier of 30 days after the next rent due date or the last day of the following month, without fees or loss of deposit. No statewide medical/disability, senior-care or tenant-death termination right found in ORS ch. 90 (ORS 90.425(20) covers only property of a deceased sole tenant). Natural disaster (since June 5, 2026): if a natural disaster destroys the dwelling unit, the tenancy ends immediately; the landlord must return the deposit and prepaid rent (prorated from the date of the disaster), the tenant is not responsible for cleanup unless the tenant caused the disaster, and no rent is owed while the unit is inaccessible (for example, posted unsafe by a government agency). Does not apply to manufactured-dwelling or floating-home space rentals. ORS 90.472; ORS 90.475; 2026 Or. Laws c.108 (HB 4037) § 21 |
City rules that may add to state law
- Anaheim
- Bakersfield
- Berkeley
- Fresno
- Glendale
- Long Beach
- Los Angeles
- Mountain View
- Oakland
- Pasadena
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Santa Ana
- Santa Monica
- West Hollywood
More California rental law
- California Security Deposit Law
- California Eviction Laws
- California Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in California
- California Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- California Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Squatters' Rights in California
- California Rental Fee Rules
- California Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- California Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- California Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- California Landlord Selling the House
- California Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- California Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All California landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in California
Compare breaking a lease in all 50 states and DC →
Breaking a Lease in California FAQ
Can a domestic violence survivor break a lease in California?
A tenant may end a lease if the tenant, a household member, or an immediate family member was the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, elder or dependent-adult abuse, or a crime that caused bodily injury or death or involved a deadly weapon or force or the threat of force. The tenant gives written notice with one of these attached: a protective or restraining order, a police report, a qualified third-party statement (from a counselor, advocate, or licensed health practitioner, in the form set out in the statute), or other documentation that reasonably verifies the act. Notice must be given within 180 days of the order, report, or incident. The tenant owes rent for no more than 14 days after giving notice (prorated if the unit is re-rented sooner) and is not treated as having breached the lease. The deposit may not be forfeited because of the termination. If the victim is a family member who did not live with the tenant and the act did not happen within 1,000 feet of the unit, the tenant must also attach a statement explaining the relocation. Landlords must keep the information confidential and may not refuse to rent to someone because the person used this right. Violations carry actual damages plus $100 to $5,000 in statutory damages. (Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.7 (as amended by SB 1017, Stats. 2022, ch. 558))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.