Cal. Civ. Code § 1947
California Civil Code
Operative Text
When there is no usage or contract to the contrary, rents are payable at the termination of the holding, when it does not exceed one year. If the holding is by the day, week, month, quarter, or year, rent is payable at the termination of the respective periods, as it successively becomes due.
California Civil Code § 1947 establishes the default timing for when rent becomes due in the absence of a lease or local custom that says otherwise. For short-term holdings of one year or less, rent is generally owed at the end of the rental period rather than at the beginning. When a tenancy runs day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month, or on another periodic basis, each installment of rent comes due at the close of that respective period.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1947, rent is due at the end of each rental period by default, but a written lease or rental agreement can specify a different due date—such as the first of the month—overriding this default rule. Operators who collect rent in advance typically include an explicit due-date clause in their agreements to establish that arrangement clearly. Maintaining written documentation of the agreed payment schedule helps demonstrate compliance with the terms that govern when rent is owed.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Cal. Civ. Code § 1947 means that, without a contrary agreement or local custom, a landlord cannot demand rent before the end of the rental period under the default rule. Tenants whose lease specifies a different due date are bound by that contractual term instead. Those who believe a landlord is improperly demanding early payment may find it useful to review their rental agreement, consult a local tenant-rights organization, or inquire with a local rent board if one exists in their jurisdiction.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 3, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation