Novato, CA Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)
Just cause eviction rules in Novato, CA, sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances, list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Key Facts
- Cause required
- At-fault or no-fault just cause under section 4-17.5
- Unpaid rent
- Failure to pay within three days of written demand
- Owner move-in
- Move in within 90 days; occupy 12 consecutive months
- No-fault notice
- At least 30 days; copy to city within ten days
- Short displacement
- $250 per tenant household per day for 30 days or fewer
- Willful violation
- Up to three times actual damages
- Notice language
- English and Spanish
Summary
Landlords in the City of Novato are prohibited from terminating a covered tenancy unless the reason is an at-fault or no-fault just cause listed in section 4-17.5. Before terminating, a landlord must give a notice of tenant rights and a written termination notice, and no-fault terminations carry relocation payments. Ordinance No. 1731, adopted 4-28-2026, enacted the current section.
4-17.5 Just Cause Requirements for Termination of Tenancy. Landlords are prohibited from terminating tenancies to which this section applies unless the termination is for an "at-fault" or "no-fault" just cause in accordance with this section, and unless and until the landlord first satisfies the termination prerequisites specified in this section. ... c.No-Fault Just Cause. The following circumstances with respect to a tenancy to which this section applies qualify as no-fault just causes for termination of the tenancy as permitted by this section.1.Temporarily Vacate in Order to Undertake Substantial Renovation. The temporary vacation of a rental unit to perform substantial renovation work on a rental unit or the building or structure containing the rental unit, provided that the landlord has obtained all necessary permits from the city and complies with all other applicable requirements of this section.2.Owner Move-In. The repossession of a rental unit so it may be occupied by the landlord or the landlord's spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents, or grandparents as a primary residence, provided that the landlord has complied with all other applicable requirements of this section.
Full Breakdown
Section 4-17.5 closes off any termination that does not rest on a listed cause. Three steps come first: a current notice of tenant rights under section 4-17.4, a written termination notice with the content required by section 4-17.6, and, for no-fault cases, compliance with sections 4-17.7 through 4-17.9. A landlord who skips the tenant-rights notice makes any rent increase, change in terms, or termination notice invalid and unenforceable until cured (section 4-17.4(c)).
The at-fault causes are failure to pay rent within three days of a written demand under Code of Civil Procedure Section 1161, breach of a material term after written notice to correct, nuisance, refusing reasonable access, committing waste, prohibited assignment or subletting, refusing to sign a lease renewal, failure to vacate after ending employment, criminal activity, unlawful purpose, and failure to deliver possession after giving notice. The no-fault causes are temporary vacation for substantial renovation, owner move-in, and withdrawal from the rental market. An owner move-in landlord must be a natural person holding at least a 51 percent recorded ownership interest, and the landlord or qualifying relative must move in within 90 days and occupy the unit as a primary residence for at least 12 consecutive months (section 4-17.7(b)).
Coverage reaches rental units with a separate bathroom, kitchen, and living area, single room occupancy structures, and any structure used for residential uses whether or not the zoning ordinance allows it (section 4-17.3). Exemptions include hospitals, dormitories, on-site manager units, temporary tenancies, an owner-occupied single-family residence renting no more than two units or bedrooms, and certain owner-occupied duplex units.
A no-fault notice must be served at least 30 days before termination, in English and Spanish, with a copy to the city's community development department within ten days of service (section 4-17.6). Displacement of 30 days or fewer carries a per diem of $250 per tenant household. Permanent relocation is one month of the HUD FMR rent for owner move-in and two months for withdrawal from the rental market, each not less than one month's rent, plus documented moving expenses, paid in certified funds within 15 calendar days of service of the notice (sections 4-17.8 and 4-17.9).
Violations & Fines
A landlord's failure to comply with section 4-17 is an affirmative defense to an unlawful detainer action. Tenants, tenant households, or the city can sue for damages or an injunction: actual damages, attorney's fees and costs in the court's discretion, and up to three times actual damages for willful or malicious conduct, with a three-year limitation period (section 4-17.12). A landlord who fails to pay required permanent relocation assistance faces a civil action for two times the amount owed, costs, and reasonable attorney's fees (section 4-17.9(f)).
Frequently Asked Questions
What reasons can a Novato landlord use to end a tenancy?
How much relocation assistance does a displaced tenant get?
What if the owner's relative never moves in?
Does the landlord have to tell the city about a termination?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Novato
California rules heatmap·Compare Novato to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Just Cause Eviction in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Marin County handle just cause eviction.