Response to UD complaint (answer, demurrer, motion to strike)
10 court days after date service of the ud summons and complaint is complete (see summons_service), under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 1167(a), (b) (amended by Stats. 2024, ch. 512 (AB 2347), eff. Jan. 1, 2025).
Rule text
(a) The summons shall be in the form specified in Section 412.20 except that when the defendant is served, the defendant’s response shall be filed within 10 days, excluding Saturdays and Sundays and other judicial holidays, after the complaint is served upon the defendant.(b) If service is completed by mail or in person through the Secretary of State’s address confidentiality program under Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, the defendant shall have an additional five court days to file a response.
Calculate this deadline
- Trigger (Date service of the UD summons and complaint is complete (see summons_service)): Friday, November 6, 2026.
- Personal delivery: service is complete on that date (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 415.10, 1167(a)).
- Count 10 court days (Saturdays, Sundays, and court holidays are not counted): Monday, November 23, 2026.
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 1167(a), (b) (amended by Stats. 2024, ch. 512 (AB 2347), eff. Jan. 1, 2025)
(a) The summons shall be in the form specified in Section 412.20 except that when the defendant is served, the defendant’s response shall be filed within 10 days, excluding Saturdays and Sundays and other judicial holidays, after the complaint is served upon the defendant.(b) If service is completed by mail or in person through the Secretary of State’s address confidentiality program under Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, the defendant shall have an additional five court days to file a response.Official source
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b, 10; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10
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." CCP 12b: "If any city, county, state, or public office, other than a branch office, is closed for the whole of any day, insofar as the business of that office is concerned, that day shall be considered as a holiday for the purposes of computing time under Sections 12 and 12a." CCP 10: "Holidays within the meaning of this code are every Sunday and any other days that are specified or provided for as judicial holidays in Section 135."Official source
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 415.10, 1167(a)
Service of a summons in this manner is deemed complete at the time of such delivery.Official source
- 10 COURT days after completion of service (since Jan. 1, 2025; previously 5). 1167(b) adds 5 court days if service is completed by mail (e.g., CCP 415.30 notice and acknowledgment, 415.40 out-of-state mail) or in person through the Secretary of State address confidentiality program (add 5 court days manually for ACP). CCP 1013 calendar-day mail extensions do not apply to service of summons. AMBIGUITY: substituted service (415.20) and posting (415.45) both include a mailing; whether they are 'completed by mail' for 1167(b) is unsettled. Conservative for a defendant: no extra days. Conservative for a plaintiff requesting default: wait the extra 5 court days.
- 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 service of the UD summons and complaint is complete (see summons_service) on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Monday, March 29, 2027.
- Trigger (Date service of the UD summons and complaint is complete (see summons_service)): Monday, March 15, 2027.
- Personal delivery: service is complete on that date (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 415.10, 1167(a)).
- Count 10 court days (Saturdays, Sundays, and court holidays are not counted): Monday, March 29, 2027.
Unsettled points
- The calculator gives a UD defendant no extra days for substituted or posted service, and the default rule note tells plaintiffs to wait the extra 5 court days.Other reading: If those methods are 'completed by mail' under 1167(b), the response is due 5 court days later.
Notes
10 COURT days after completion of service (since Jan. 1, 2025; previously 5). 1167(b) adds 5 court days if service is completed by mail (e.g., CCP 415.30 notice and acknowledgment, 415.40 out-of-state mail) or in person through the Secretary of State address confidentiality program (add 5 court days manually for ACP). CCP 1013 calendar-day mail extensions do not apply to service of summons. AMBIGUITY: substituted service (415.20) and posting (415.45) both include a mailing; whether they are 'completed by mail' for 1167(b) is unsettled. Conservative for a defendant: no extra days. Conservative for a plaintiff requesting default: wait the extra 5 court days.
Related deadlines
- Earliest court day to request entry of default (no response filed) (11 court days after)
- Answer or amend after ruling on UD demurrer (5 days after)
- Prejudgment claim of right to possession: last day for occupant to file (10 days after)
- Claimant's response to UD complaint after filing prejudgment claim (5 days after)
- Claimant named as defendant after valid post-judgment claim: response (5 days after)
- UD: plead within 5 days after service of written notice of entry of order denying motion to quash (5 days after)
- UD: maximum extension of time to plead without adverse party's consent (10 days) (10 days after)
Local rules by county
County local rules and courtroom procedures can add to or change this deadline. Pick a county to calculate with them applied.
- Alameda
- Alpine
- Amador
- Butte
- Calaveras
- Colusa
- Contra Costa
- Del Norte
- El Dorado
- Fresno
- Glenn
- Humboldt
- Imperial
- Inyo
- Kern
- Kings
- Lake
- Lassen
- Los Angeles
- Madera
- Marin
- Mariposa
- Mendocino
- Merced
- Modoc
- Mono
- Monterey
- Napa
- Nevada
- Orange
- Placer
- Plumas
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Benito
- San Bernardino
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Joaquin
- San Luis Obispo
- San Mateo
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz
- Shasta
- Sierra
- Siskiyou
- Solano
- Sonoma
- Stanislaus
- Sutter
- Tehama
- Trinity
- Tulare
- Tuolumne
- Ventura
- Yolo
- Yuba
Rules current as of 2026-10-23. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.