What Counts as "Just Cause" for Eviction in Palm Springs, CA (AB 1482)? - 951 Evictions

Quick answer: Once a tenant has occupied a Palm Springs rental for 12 months, AB 1482 — California’s Tenant Protection Act — requires a stated just cause to end the tenancy: either an at-fault cause such as nonpayment or nuisance, or a no-fault cause such as an owner move-in, which also obligates the landlord to pay relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent.

When just cause becomes mandatory

AB 1482, codified at Civil Code 1946.2, is a statewide law, so it applies in Palm Springs the same way it applies everywhere else in Riverside County. The trigger is time: once a tenant has 12 months of occupancy, a covered landlord can no longer simply end the tenancy with a termination notice. The notice must state a recognized just cause, and if the cause is curable — a fixable lease violation, for example — the tenant must first get a written opportunity to cure. Before the 12-month mark, AB 1482’s just-cause requirement has not yet attached, which is one reason tracking move-in dates matters so much. The law currently sunsets on January 1, 2030, but as of late 2026 it is fully in force.

At-fault just causes: the tenant did something

At-fault causes are the ones most Palm Springs landlords think of first. Under AB 1482 they include:

• Nonpayment of rent
• Material breach of the lease
• Nuisance or waste on the property
• Criminal activity
• Refusal to sign a renewal lease on like terms
• Subletting in violation of the lease
• Denying the landlord lawful entry

An at-fault cause does not owe the tenant anything — no relocation assistance — but the paperwork still has to be right. Nonpayment requires a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit, counted in court days, stating the exact rent owed with no late fees. Curable violations require a 3-day notice to perform covenants or quit before any notice to terminate.

No-fault just causes and relocation assistance

No-fault causes are reasons that have nothing to do with the tenant’s conduct: the owner or a close family member moving in, withdrawing the unit from the rental market, a substantial remodel, or a government order to vacate. Every no-fault termination comes with a price tag — relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent, paid directly or credited as a waiver of the final month’s rent. SB 567, effective in 2024, tightened the two most-used no-fault causes: owner move-ins and substantial remodels now carry good-faith requirements and documentation rules, with real enforcement penalties for landlords who fake a remodel or never actually move in. A no-fault termination for a tenant of a year or more also requires a 60-day notice under Civil Code 1946.1.

Which Palm Springs rentals are exempt

Not every rental is covered. The most common AB 1482 exemptions are:

• Housing built within the last 15 years — a rolling window, so properties age into coverage
• Single-family homes and condos owned by individuals — not corporations, REITs, or LLCs with a corporate member — but only if the lease contains the required exemption notice
• Owner-occupied duplexes

The single-family exemption trips up more Palm Springs landlords than any other rule. Owning the house in your own name is not enough; without the statutory exemption language in the lease, the property is treated as covered, just cause applies, and a termination notice that states no cause is defective.

The seasonal-rental wrinkle in the Coachella Valley

Palm Springs runs on a seasonal rhythm — snowbirds, festival visitors, and furnished winter rentals. True short-term vacation rentals are generally outside AB 1482, because transient occupancy is not the kind of residential tenancy the law protects. The danger zone is the “seasonal” guest who keeps extending. A furnished winter rental that rolls month to month and crosses 12 months of occupancy can acquire just-cause protection like any other tenancy, and furniture does not change the analysis. Landlords who alternate between vacation use and longer stays should keep precise occupancy records and get advice before assuming a departing long-stay guest can simply be told to leave.

Where Palm Springs just-cause disputes end up

If a tenant ignores a valid just-cause termination notice, the next step is an unlawful detainer in Riverside County Superior Court. Palm Springs cases are handled at the Palm Springs Courthouse, 3255 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs 92262, which serves Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, and the Palm Desert area — though venue assignments change, so confirm at riverside.courts.ca.gov. Riverside County requires electronic filing, and under the fee schedule effective January 1, 2026, the complaint fee starts at $270 for demands of $10,000 or less. Our flat-fee eviction services in Palm Springs prepare AB 1482-compliant notices and handle the filing from start to finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does AB 1482 also limit rent increases in Palm Springs?

Yes. Covered properties face a rent cap of 5% plus regional CPI per 12-month period, never more than 10% total. The same exemptions apply, so a newer building or a properly noticed individually owned single-family home escapes both the rent cap and the just-cause requirement.

When does AB 1482 expire?

The Tenant Protection Act is currently set to sunset on January 1, 2030, unless the legislature extends it. As of late 2026 it remains fully in force, strengthened by SB 567’s 2024 amendments, so Palm Springs landlords should plan every termination around it rather than waiting for it to lapse.

How much relocation assistance do I owe for a no-fault eviction?

One month’s rent. A Palm Springs landlord ending a covered tenancy for a no-fault cause — owner move-in, market withdrawal, substantial remodel, or government order — must either pay the tenant one month’s rent directly or waive the final month’s rent in writing. At-fault terminations owe no relocation assistance.

Is my single-family rental in Palm Springs exempt from AB 1482?

Possibly. The home must be owned by an individual — not a corporation, REIT, or LLC with a corporate member — and the lease must contain the required exemption notice. Miss the lease language and the property is treated as covered, meaning just cause and relocation rules apply despite the ownership structure.

Get help with a Palm Springs eviction

951 Evictions helps landlords across Riverside and San Bernardino counties handle just-cause notices, filings, and the full unlawful detainer process start to finish. If you are unsure whether AB 1482 covers your Palm Springs rental, contact us for a quote before serving a notice that could be defective.

This article is general information for California landlords, not legal advice. For advice on a specific situation, consult a California landlord-tenant attorney.