CEQA petition: serve the named real party in interest not later than 20 business days after service on the public agency

20 business days after date the ceqa petition was served on the public agency, under Cal. Pub. Res. Code 21167.6.5(a).

Rule text

PRC 21167.6.5(a): "... and shall serve the petition or complaint on that real party in interest, by personal service, mail, facsimile, or any other method permitted by law, not later than 20 business days following service of the petition or complaint on the public agency." (b): "The public agency shall provide the petitioner or plaintiff, not later than 10 business days following service of the petition or complaint on the public agency, with a list of responsible agencies and a public agency having jurisdiction over a natural resource affected by the project." (c): "The petitioner or plaintiff shall provide the responsible agencies, and a public agency having jurisdiction over a natural resource affected by the project, with notice of the action or proceeding within 15 days of receipt of the list described in subdivision (b)."

Cal. Pub. Res. Code 21167.6.5(a), official source

Calculate this deadline

Deadline
Wednesday, December 2, 2026
  1. Trigger (Date the CEQA petition was served on the public agency): Friday, November 6, 2026.
  2. Count 20 business days under Civil Code 9 (Sundays and state holidays are not counted; Saturdays are): Wednesday, December 2, 2026.
Rules applied
Cal. Pub. Res. Code 21167.6.5(a)
PRC 21167.6.5(a): "... and shall serve the petition or complaint on that real party in interest, by personal service, mail, facsimile, or any other method permitted by law, not later than 20 business days following service of the petition or complaint on the public agency." (b): "The public agency shall provide the petitioner or plaintiff, not later than 10 business days following service of the petition or complaint on the public agency, with a list of responsible agencies and a public agency having jurisdiction over a natural resource affected by the project." (c): "The petitioner or plaintiff shall provide the responsible agencies, and a public agency having jurisdiction over a natural resource affected by the project, with notice of the action or proceeding within 15 days of receipt of the list described in subdivision (b)."
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
  • Business days modeled as court days (same convention as ceqa_record_request_service_10_business_days). Real party is the person identified in the NOD/NOE (or 21065(b)/(c) person if no notice).
  • 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 the CEQA petition was served on the public agency on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Thursday, April 8, 2027.

  1. Trigger (Date the CEQA petition was served on the public agency): Monday, March 15, 2027.
  2. Count 20 business days under Civil Code 9 (Sundays and state holidays are not counted; Saturdays are): Thursday, April 8, 2027.

Notes

Business days modeled as court days (same convention as ceqa_record_request_service_10_business_days). Real party is the person identified in the NOD/NOE (or 21065(b)/(c) person if no notice).

Related deadlines

All California pre-suit, housing and employment deadlines

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.