Oral deposition: minimum notice
10 days before deposition date, under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 2025.270(a), (b), (c).
Rule text
(a) An oral deposition shall be scheduled for a date at least 10 days after service of the deposition notice.(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), in an unlawful detainer action or other proceeding under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1159) of Title 3 of Part 3, an oral deposition shall be scheduled for a date at least five days after service of the deposition notice, but not later than five days before trial.
Calculate this deadline
- Trigger (Deposition date): Friday, November 6, 2026.
- Count back 10 calendar days: Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 2025.270(a), (b), (c)
(a) An oral deposition shall be scheduled for a date at least 10 days after service of the deposition notice.(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), in an unlawful detainer action or other proceeding under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1159) of Title 3 of Part 3, an oral deposition shall be scheduled for a date at least five days after service of the deposition notice, but not later than five days before trial.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
- Last day to serve the notice = deposition date minus 10 days minus service add-on (CCP 2016.050 applies 1013). UD: 5 days. Consumer/employment records subpoena: at least 20 days after issuance (2025.270(c)). Last day to serve the notice = deposition date minus 10 days minus service add-on (CCP 2016.050 applies 1013). If that day is a weekend/holiday, the date shown rolls back to the previous court day (safe); CCP 2016.060 literally moves it to the next court day closer to trial, which may also be timely. [Validation 2026-11, Q0280. Authority: Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 2016.060; Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 2016.050]
- 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
Deposition date on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Friday, March 5, 2027.
- Trigger (Deposition date): Monday, March 15, 2027.
- Count back 10 calendar days: Friday, March 5, 2027.
Unsettled points
- The calculator moves a weekend last day to serve a deposition notice back to the prior court day, the earlier date.Other reading: Under CCP 2016.060, the last day may move to the next court day closer to trial, one to three days later.
- The calculator moves a weekend last day for these discovery acts back to the prior court day, the earlier date.Other reading: Under CCP 2016.060, the last day moves to the next court day closer to trial, one to three days later.
Notes
Last day to serve the notice = deposition date minus 10 days minus service add-on (CCP 2016.050 applies 1013). UD: 5 days. Consumer/employment records subpoena: at least 20 days after issuance (2025.270(c)). Last day to serve the notice = deposition date minus 10 days minus service add-on (CCP 2016.050 applies 1013). If that day is a weekend/holiday, the date shown rolls back to the previous court day (safe); CCP 2016.060 literally moves it to the next court day closer to trial, which may also be timely. [Validation 2026-11, Q0280. Authority: Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 2016.060; Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 2016.050]
Related deadlines
- Responses to interrogatories (30 days after)
- Responses to requests for production (inspection demands) (30 days after)
- Responses to requests for admission (30 days after)
- Unlawful detainer: responses to interrogatories, inspection demands, requests for admission (5 days after)
- Motion to compel further responses (interrogatories, inspection demands, RFAs) (45 days after)
- Discovery cutoff (complete discovery) (30 days before)
- Discovery motion cutoff (last day for hearing) (15 days before)
- Demand for exchange of expert witness information: last day (70 days before)
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 2026-10-25. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.