(a) Within 30 days after service of a demand for inspection, copying, testing, or sampling, the party to whom the demand is directed shall serve the original of the response to it on the party making the demand, and a copy of the response on all other parties who have appeared in the action, unless on motion of the party making the demand, the court has shortened the time for response, or unless on motion of the party to whom the demand has been directed, the court has extended the time for response.
§ 2031.260.Time to respond; shortening or extension of time; copies to all parties
Title 4. Civil Discovery Act · Chapter 14. Inspection, Copying, Testing, Sampling, and Production of Documents, Electronically Stored · Article 2. Response to Inspection Demand · Last amended 2009 · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 2031.260 requires a response to an inspection demand within 30 days of service, shortened to at least 5 days in unlawful detainer cases, unless the court has shortened or extended the time on motion of either party.
Full Text of § 2031.260
(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, the party to whom a demand for inspection, copying, testing, or sampling is directed shall have at least five days from the date of service of the demand to respond, unless on motion of the party making the demand, the court has shortened the time for the response, or unless on motion of the party to whom the demand has been directed, the court has extended the time for response.
Plain-English Summary
This section sets the deadline for answering an inspection demand. Within 30 days after service of the demand, the responding party has to serve the original response on the demanding party and a copy on every other party who has appeared, unless the court has shortened that period on the demanding party's motion or extended it on the responding party's own motion.
Unlawful detainer actions and related proceedings for forcible entry or detainer move faster, so the responding party there gets at least five days from service of the demand to respond, again subject to a court's power to shorten or extend that window on motion. Either version of the deadline can be sidestepped entirely by the parties' own agreement under Section 2031.270.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the default deadline to respond to an inspection demand?
30 days after service of the demand.
What is the deadline in an unlawful detainer action?
At least 5 days after service of the demand.
Can the court change either deadline?
Yes, on the demanding party's motion to shorten the time, or the responding party's motion to extend it.
Amendment History
(Added by Stats.2004, c. 182 (A.B.3081), § 23, operative July 1, 2005. Amended by Stats.2007, c. 113 (A.B.1126), § 11; Stats.2009, c. 5 (A.B.5), § 15, eff. June 29, 2009.)
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the West's Annotated California Codes / Thomson Reuters. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: 30 day deadline respond to document request californiaunlawful detainer response deadline inspection demand