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HomeCommercial CodeDiv. 10Ch. 4§ 10405 Lease Performance Excuse Rules

§ 10405 Lease Performance Excuse Rules

Commercial Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 10405 Lease Performance Excuse Rules

This law says a landlord or supplier isn’t considered to have broken a lease if a delivery delay happens because something unexpected happened or because they had to follow a government rule, even if that rule later turns out to be wrong.

Key Takeaways

  • •Delay or non‑delivery isn’t a breach if it’s caused by an unexpected event or a government regulation.
  • •If only part of the supplier’s ability to deliver is affected, they can split what they have among customers in a fair way.
  • •The supplier must promptly tell the renter (and the lessor in a finance lease) about the delay and how much they can still get.

Example

A company rents a big machine, but a new government safety rule stops the factory from making that machine for a few weeks.

Because the delay is caused by an unexpected government order, the company isn’t in breach of the lease. They must tell the renter about the delay, decide how much of the machine’s output they can give to each customer fairly, and let the renter know what portion they’ll receive.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 10405 Lease Performance Excuse Rules

Subject to Section 10404 on substituted performance, the following rules apply: (1) Delay in delivery or nondelivery in whole or in part by a lessor or a supplier who complies with paragraphs (2) and (3) is not a default under the lease contract if performance as agreed has been made impracticable by the occurrence of a contingency the nonoccurrence of which was a basic assumption on which the lease contract was made or by compliance in good faith with any applicable foreign or domestic governmental regulation or order, whether or not the regulation or order later proves to be invalid. (2) If the causes mentioned in paragraph (1) affect only part of the lessor’s or the supplier’s capacity to perform, he or she shall allocate production and deliveries among his or her customers but at his or her option may include regular customers not then under contract for sale or lease as well as his or her own requirements for further manufacture. He or she may so allocate in any manner that is fair and reasonable. (3) The lessor seasonably shall notify the lessee and in the case of a finance lease the supplier seasonably shall notify the lessor and the lessee, if known, that there will be delay or nondelivery and, if allocation is required under paragraph (2), of the estimated quota thus made available for the lessee. (Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 111, Sec. 37. Effective July 15, 1991.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

delay in deliverynondeliveryimpracticablegovernmental regulation or orderallocate production and deliveriesfair and reasonableseasonably notify

Related Statutes

  • § 2615 Seller Performance Excuse Conditions
  • § 10401 Lease Performance Assurance Rights
  • § 10402 Lease Contract Repudiation Rights
  • § 10403 Repudiation Retraction In Leases
  • § 10404 Substitute Performance Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Commercial Code. Section 10405.
View Official Source