San Francisco Eviction Court Steps 2026–27: The Notice, the 10-Court-Day Answer, Your Free Lawyer and the Sheriff's 5-Day Notice
San Francisco tenants have two important protections that most renters in California don't. Most rentals are covered by the city's Rent Ordinance, which means a landlord needs a "just cause" to evict. And under the city's Tenant Right to Counsel law, most tenants facing eviction can get a free lawyer who handles the whole case.
The court deadlines are still short, though. Once you're served with an eviction lawsuit you have just 10 court days to respond, and if you miss that, you can lose without the judge hearing your side. This guide walks through each step and tells you when to call for help. It isn't legal advice.
Last checked October 2026. Sources: the California Courts Self-Help Guide pages "Get a Notice," "Summons (form SUM-130)," "Fill out an Answer form," "What to expect at an eviction trial" and "What happens if you lose your eviction case"; SF.gov's "Unlawful Detainer Actions in Court" (Rent Board) and "Tenant and Landlord Resources" pages; and the Eviction Defense Collaborative's legal assistance and Right to Counsel pages.
The Short Version
Step 1, the Notice: before filing, your landlord must give you a written notice. For pay-or-quit and fix-or-quit notices, weekends and court holidays don't count.
Step 2, the lawsuit: you'll be served a Summons (SUM-130) and Complaint (UD-100). You have 10 court days to file an Answer (UD-105) if the papers were handed to you.
Step 3, trial: usually about a month after someone asks the court to set a trial date.
Step 4, if you lose: the sheriff posts a Notice to Vacate that gives you 5 days to move out.
Free lawyer: call the Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC) at (415) 659-9184 right away.
Rent Board counseling: (415) 252-4600. Counselors can explain the rules but can't represent you.
Step 1: The Notice
A landlord can't go straight to court. According to the California Courts Self-Help Guide, they first have to give you a written notice that says what they want and how long you have. Common examples include:
3-day Notice to Perform Covenants or Quit: fix a lease problem (such as removing a pet that isn't allowed) or move out.
3-day Notice to Quit: the landlord says you seriously broke the lease.
30-day or 60-day Notice to Quit: the landlord is ending the tenancy.
Pay or quit notices for unpaid rent.
Counting the days: for pay-or-quit and fix-or-quit notices, don't count weekends or court holidays. For move-out-only notices, count every day, but if the last day is a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.
If your home is covered by the federal CARES Act, for example because it gets help from certain federal housing programs, your landlord must give you a 30-day Notice to Vacate.
A notice must be delivered the right way and include all the required information. If it isn't, the court might not allow the eviction. One example the courts give is a 3-day notice that's missing the required contact information.
San Francisco's just cause rule
The Rent Board explains that a landlord trying to evict a tenant from a unit covered by the Rent Ordinance must have a "just cause" and must give a written notice ending the tenancy. If you're not sure whether your unit is covered, or whether the landlord's reason qualifies, ask a Rent Board counselor or a tenant lawyer.
What to do with a notice
If you agree with it (for example, you owe the rent and can pay), do what it says by the deadline. The courts say that if you do, your landlord shouldn't start a case.
If you disagree or only partly agree, talk to your landlord. A mediator can help. In San Francisco, the Bar Association's Conflict Intervention Service helps tenants and landlords with payment plans and conflicts at (415) 782-8940 or cis@sfbar.org.
Call for legal help now. EDC says to call its legal line if you've been served a notice to quit, so you don't have to wait for court papers.
Behind on rent? EDC asks tenants who need help with back rent to email its RADCo team at edcradco@evictiondefense.org. SF.gov's tenant resources page is also part of the city's Emergency Rental Assistance Program (SF ERAP).
Step 2: The Summons and Complaint
If the notice period ends and you haven't moved out, the landlord files an unlawful detainer (eviction) lawsuit. You'll be served a Summons (form SUM-130) and Complaint (form UD-100).
Your deadline to respond
The deadline depends on how you were served. Day 1 is the day after service.
Handed to you, or left near you if you refused to take them: 10 court days. Don't count Saturdays, Sundays or court holidays.
Substituted service (given to someone at your home or work and then mailed) or service by posting (posted at your home and mailed): 10 calendar days plus 10 court days after the papers were mailed. Count the first 10 days as calendar days, then count 10 court days.
Served through the Safe at Home address confidentiality program: 15 court days.
If you aren't sure, ask a self-help center or lawyer. Even if you plan to move out or settle, the courts say it's a good idea to file an Answer so the case isn't decided without you.
Step 3: File Your Answer
The main form is the Answer – Unlawful Detainer (form UD-105). It's your chance to tell the judge your side and explain why the law protects you.
Deny what isn't true, or what you're not sure is true, by listing those statements in item 2. The courts warn that if you don't list a statement, the judge will treat it as agreed.
Raise your defenses, such as a defective notice, no just cause, retaliation, or bad conditions. A tenant lawyer can tell you which apply.
Short on time? The courts' advice is to fill out the Answer as well as you can and get help before trial.
Motions instead of an Answer: sometimes a lawyer will file a motion arguing that service was improper or that the complaint is missing facts. These aren't standard forms and usually need legal help.
If you miss the deadline, the landlord can ask for a default. You may still be able to file an Answer if the landlord hasn't filed a Request to Enter Default (form CIV-100), but you have to act right away. After a default, the sheriff can post a Notice to Vacate giving you 5 days to move out.
Get Your Free Lawyer
San Francisco voters approved Proposition F, the "No Eviction without Representation Act," in June 2018. EDC explains that tenants who have received an eviction notice or an unlawful detainer lawsuit, and who don't live with their landlord, have the right to a free attorney who handles the whole case.
Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC) is the lead organization in the city's Right to Counsel program:
Legal line: (415) 659-9184, legal@evictiondefense.org
Main office: 976 Mission St., drop-ins Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Bayview-Hunters Point clinic: Bayview YMCA, 1601 Lane St., Tuesdays 1 to 4 p.m., (415) 808-5662. EDC lists closures on Dec. 22 and Dec. 29, 2026.
Mission clinic (with the Latino Task Force): 701 Alabama St., Thursdays 1 to 4 p.m.. To make an appointment, call or text 415-532-7275. EDC lists closures on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, 2026.
Tenant counseling organizations
SF.gov lists these for help with notices and other landlord problems:
Housing Rights Committee: 415-703-8644, 11 Grove St. (calls and walk-ins Mon. to Thu., 1 to 4 p.m.)
Chinatown Community Development Center: 415-984-2728, 615 Grant Ave.
Mission Action: 415-282-6209, 938 Valencia St.
SOMCAN: 415-255-7693 (English), 415-552-5637 (Tagalog), 1038 Mission St.
Bill Sorro Housing Program (BiSHoP): 415-513-5177, 1338 Mission St., 3rd floor
San Francisco Rent Board: 415-252-4600, 25 Van Ness Ave., Suite 700. Counseling is available Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.
The Rent Board says it doesn't give legal advice or represent anyone in an eviction case. Filing a Report of Alleged Wrongful Eviction with the Board does not delay or stop the court case.
Step 4: Trial
After you file your Answer, either side can ask the court to set a trial using form UD-150. The court mails you a trial date, usually about a month after that request.
Jury trial: you can ask for one. It costs $150 plus a daily juror fee, and you can ask the court to waive the fee if you can't afford it.
Interpreter: the court provides one free. Ask as soon as you get your trial date.
Disability accommodations: file form MC-410 at least 5 days before trial.
Evidence: bring 3 copies of each document, such as rent receipts, photos, the notice and texts.
Settlement talks: the judge may send both sides out to talk, sometimes with a mediator. If you reach an agreement, don't leave until the judge approves it, and get a signed copy before you go.
Step 5: If You Lose
According to the California Courts:
The landlord gets a Judgment of Possession (UD-110) and a Writ of Execution (EJ-130).
The sheriff gives you a Notice to Vacate that gives you 5 days to move out.
If you're still there after that, the sheriff can lock you out.
Your options at this point:
Ask for a stay of execution if you need more than 5 days. You'll owe rent for every extra day.
Ask for a set-aside if you missed court because of an emergency, for example.
If you were approved for rental help, the courts say you may be able to stop the eviction. Tell your lawyer right away.
Appeal if the judge didn't follow the law. An appeal doesn't stop the sheriff, so talk to a lawyer first.
Money judgment: if you owe money, you can pay it, ask for a payment plan, or file a Claim of Exemption to protect exempt income. A landlord can garnish up to 25% of your paycheck or levy your bank account. When you've paid, ask for an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (EJ-100).
The courts note that an eviction can stay on your record for 7 years. That's one more reason to respond and get a lawyer early.
Lockouts aren't legal
The Rent Board says a landlord can't physically remove you, lock you out, cut off utilities such as water or power, or take your belongings to force you out. They have to go through the court process. The Board also says an eviction can take anywhere from one month to many months, depending on whether the landlord follows the rules and whether the tenant uses their rights on time.
What we couldn't confirm: San Francisco Superior Court's eviction page wasn't available, so courthouse location and filing details aren't covered here. SF ERAP eligibility rules and the Rent Ordinance's list of just causes weren't on the pages we checked.
A Quick Checklist
Got a notice? Call EDC at (415) 659-9184 that day.
Got court papers? Count 10 court days, or 10 calendar days plus 10 court days if the papers were posted or left with someone, and file your Answer (UD-105).
Keep every notice, envelope, receipt, text and photo.
Go to trial, with 3 copies of each document.
If you lose, ask about a stay right away. The sheriff's notice gives you just 5 days.
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