CEQA petition: 180 days after project approval (or commencement) where no NOD/NOE filed or no determination made
180 days after date of the agency's decision to carry out or approve the project (or, if no formal decision, date the project commenced), under Cal. Pub. Res. Code 21167(a), (d).
Rule text
(a) An action or proceeding alleging that a public agency is carrying out or has approved a project that may have a significant effect on the environment without having determined whether the project may have a significant effect on the environment shall be commenced within 180 days from the date of the public agency’s decision to carry out or approve the project, or, if a project is undertaken without a formal decision by the public agency, within 180 days from the date of commencement of the project.
Calculate this deadline
- Trigger (Date of the agency's decision to carry out or approve the project (or, if no formal decision, date the project commenced)): Friday, November 6, 2026.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 180 calendar days: Wednesday, May 5, 2027.
Cal. Pub. Res. Code 21167(a), (d)
(a) An action or proceeding alleging that a public agency is carrying out or has approved a project that may have a significant effect on the environment without having determined whether the project may have a significant effect on the environment shall be commenced within 180 days from the date of the public agency’s decision to carry out or approve the project, or, if a project is undertaken without a formal decision by the public agency, within 180 days from the date of commencement of the project.Official source
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b; Cal. Gov. Code 6800, 6707 (state agency filings); Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(a) (federal statutes and federal court filings)
CCP 12: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." CCP 12a(a): "If the last day for the performance of any act provided or required by law to be performed within a specified period of time is a holiday, then that period is hereby extended to and including the next day that is not a holiday. For purposes of this section, “holiday” means all day on Saturdays, all holidays specified in Section 135 and, to the extent provided in Section 12b, all days that by terms of Section 12b are required to be considered as holidays." Gov. Code 6707: "When the last day for filing any instrument or other document with a state agency falls upon a Saturday or holiday, such act may be performed upon the next business day with the same effect as if it had been performed upon the day appointed." FRCP 6(a): "The following rules apply in computing any time period specified in these rules, in any local rule or court order, or in any statute that does not specify a method of computing time. (1) ... (A) exclude the day of the event that triggers the period; (B) count every day, including intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays; and (C) include the last day of the period, but if the last day is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the period continues to run until the end of the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday."Official source
- Applies under (a) (no environmental determination) and under (d) when no NOE was filed. If an NOD or NOE is later filed, the shorter 30/35-day period from that filing may control; calendar the earliest applicable date.
- If the clerk's office is closed or inaccessible on the last day (weather, emergency or local closure orders), the deadline may be extended. Check local orders.
This calculator applies the cited rules to the dates you enter. It is not legal advice. Court orders, local rules, and case-specific facts can change a deadline; verify before relying on it. Rule set pending attorney review.
Worked example
Date of the agency's decision to carry out or approve the project (or, if no formal decision, date the project commenced) on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Monday, September 13, 2027.
- Trigger (Date of the agency's decision to carry out or approve the project (or, if no formal decision, date the project commenced)): Monday, March 15, 2027.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 180 calendar days: Saturday, September 11, 2027.
- That day is a Saturday, so the deadline moves to the next court day: Monday, September 13, 2027 (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b; Cal. Gov. Code 6800, 6707 (state agency filings); Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(a) (federal statutes and federal court filings)).
Notes
Applies under (a) (no environmental determination) and under (d) when no NOE was filed. If an NOD or NOE is later filed, the shorter 30/35-day period from that filing may control; calendar the earliest applicable date.
Related deadlines
- CEQA petition: 30 days after filing of Notice of Determination (EIR, negative declaration, other acts) (30 days after)
- CEQA petition challenging an exemption: 35 days after filing of Notice of Exemption (35 days after)
- CEQA: personally serve record-preparation request and petition on agency within 10 business days of filing (10 business days after)
- CEQA: agency prepares and certifies record within 60 days after service of request (60 days after)
- CEQA: petitioner must request a hearing within 90 days of filing the petition (90 days after)
- CEQA: briefing to be completed within 90 days of the hearing request (absent good cause) (90 days after)
- CEQA: furnish copy of petition (and any amended or supplemental pleading) to the Attorney General within 10 days after filing (10 days after)
- CEQA: agency files notice of settlement meeting within 20 days of service of petition (20 days after)
Rules current as of 2026-10-27. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.