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HomeCommercial CodeDiv. 10Ch. 5Art. 1§ 10506 Lease Default Action Deadlines

§ 10506 Lease Default Action Deadlines

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

§ 10506 Lease Default Action Deadlines

This law says you generally have four years to sue for problems in a lease, but you and the landlord can agree to a shorter time (as short as one year) if it's not a consumer lease. The clock starts when you discover the problem or when the problem actually happens, whichever is later. If a lawsuit ends, you usually get six more months to start a new one, unless you quit or the court dismisses it.

Key Takeaways

  • •You usually have four years to sue for lease problems, but the lease can shorten that to at least one year.
  • •The time starts when you discover the problem or when the problem actually occurs, whichever is later.
  • •If a lawsuit ends, you typically get six more months to start a new one, unless you voluntarily quit or it's dismissed for not prosecuting.
  • •The rule does not affect cases that started before this law took effect.

Example

A tenant discovers a leaky roof that damaged their furniture two years after moving in.

The tenant can file a lawsuit within four years of discovering the leak. If the lease said they could only sue within one year, they must start the suit by the end of that year. If the first lawsuit is dismissed, they can file a new one within six months of the dismissal.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 10506 Lease Default Action Deadlines

(a) An action for default under a lease contract, including breach of warranty or indemnity, must be commenced within four years after the cause of action accrued. In a lease contract that is not a consumer lease, by the original lease contract the parties may reduce the period of limitation to not less than one year. (b) A cause of action for default accrues when the act or omission on which the default or breach of warranty is based is or should have been discovered by the aggrieved party, or when the default occurs, whichever is later. A cause of action for indemnity accrues when the act or omission on which the claim for indemnity is based is or should have been discovered by the indemnified party, whichever is later. (c) If an action commenced within the time limited by subdivision (a) is so terminated as to leave available a remedy by another action for the same default or breach of warranty or indemnity, the other action may be commenced after the expiration of the time limited and within six months after the termination of the first action unless the termination resulted from voluntary discontinuance or from dismissal for failure or neglect to prosecute. (d) This section does not alter the law on tolling of the statute of limitations nor does it apply to causes of action that have accrued before the operative date of this division. (Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 111, Sec. 44. Effective July 15, 1991.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

defaultlease contractbreach of warrantyindemnitycause of actionstatute of limitations

Related Statutes

  • § 10501 Lease Default Enforcement Rights
  • § 10502 Lease Default Notice Waiver
  • § 10503 Lease Default Remedies
  • § 10504 Lease Damage Liquidation Rules
  • § 10505 Lease Cancellation And Termination

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Commercial Code. Section 10506.
View Official Source