When must a California plaintiff request entry of default?

Actual expiration of the defendant's response-service period

Verify completed summons service, the applicable response period and every extension. Do not substitute complaint filing or an assumed thirty-day period.

Responsible actor. The plaintiff whose defendant has not served a responsive pleading. Use the legally established expired response-service deadline, with no responsive pleading and no granted extension. The calculator does not establish eligibility for default.

1. Use the legally established expired response-service deadline, with no responsive pleading and no granted extension. The calculator does not establish eligibility for default.
2. Exclude the established event and count 10 calendar days forward under CCP 12 and rule 1.10. Intermediate weekends and holidays count. A final judicial holiday moves to the next open day under CCP 12a. Check actual additional closures under CCP 12b.
3. Check the actual judicial holidays, closures and statutory or court-ordered qualifications.
4. File the request for entry of default and retain the court confirmation. Filing a request does not itself establish entry of default.

CCP 12 excludes the triggering day for ordinary day periods. CCP 12a supplies the final judicial-holiday adjustment, including Saturdays and the CCP 135 holidays. CCP 12b addresses qualifying whole-day office closures. Court-day periods exclude intermediate Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays. Calendar-day periods include intermediate closed days. Rule 1.11 supplies Friday observance of a Saturday judicial holiday and Monday observance of a Sunday judicial holiday. The calendar includes Lincoln Day, March 31, Juneteenth, Native American Day and Thanksgiving Friday. It excludes Columbus Day and Good Friday as ordinary full judicial holidays. The observed New Year holiday on December 31, 2027 is confirmed in the county schedule. Actual additional closures require separate evidence.

Establish the actual service method and legally completed event. The tax-cost preset is confined to personal service; rule 3.1700(b)(1) expressly recognizes CCP 1013 mail and CCP 1010.6 electronic additions. Filing-triggered brief and review-answer clocks do not begin merely with service. CCP 1013 and 1010.6 exclude their stated additions for a notice of appeal. A summons-service event and an appellate filing event have distinct requirements. These presets do not calculate excluded service or combined procedural branches.

Official 2026 Rules of Court were reviewed. Publication coverage begins January 1, 2026 and assumes the reviewed branch still governs the input. Displayed final dates use the independently retained 2026 and 2027 California judicial calendar. Earlier or amended editions, emergency orders and actual additional closures require separate review. A closed backward statement boundary receives no date because its exact adjustment is not implemented. Source guides for combined appeal clocks, stipulated responses, cost memoranda and decision finality supply no computed or paid date. These software coverage boundaries do not establish that an actual filing is late.

Fictitious example

Use the legally established expired response-service deadline, with no responsive pleading and no granted extension. The calculator does not establish eligibility for default. Only the disclosed branch and established event apply, with no altered order, eligible service addition or additional closure.

Fictitious facts within the stated coverage. This is the disclosed component, not a determination of legal accrual, effective service, court action or entitlement. No tolling, different service addition, altered order or additional closure is assumed. Closed unsupported base branches receive no computed date.

No served response and no extension

Both conditions in rule 3.110(g) must be satisfied. A defendant's pleading or an extension can defeat the assumed starting event.

Consequence of an omitted request

The rule requires an order to show cause why sanctions should not be imposed if the plaintiff fails to file timely. It contains no automatic declaration-based excuse.

Service methods and distinct statutory additions

Establish the actual service method and legally completed event. The tax-cost preset is confined to personal service; rule 3.1700(b)(1) expressly recognizes CCP 1013 mail and CCP 1010.6 electronic additions. Filing-triggered brief and review-answer clocks do not begin merely with service. CCP 1013 and 1010.6 exclude their stated additions for a notice of appeal. A summons-service event and an appellate filing event have distinct requirements. These presets do not calculate excluded service or combined procedural branches.

Edition and calendar coverage

Official 2026 Rules of Court were reviewed. Publication coverage begins January 1, 2026 and assumes the reviewed branch still governs the input. Displayed final dates use the independently retained 2026 and 2027 California judicial calendar. Earlier or amended editions, emergency orders and actual additional closures require separate review. A closed backward statement boundary receives no date because its exact adjustment is not implemented. Source guides for combined appeal clocks, stipulated responses, cost memoranda and decision finality supply no computed or paid date. These software coverage boundaries do not establish that an actual filing is late.

• Use the legally established expired response-service deadline, with no responsive pleading and no granted extension. The calculator does not establish eligibility for default.
• The base calculation does not resolve the excluded comparisons or establish that the responsible actor completed the required act.

• Actual expiration of the defendant's response-service period
• Verify completed summons service, the applicable response period and every extension. Do not substitute complaint filing or an assumed thirty-day period.
• Both conditions in rule 3.110(g) must be satisfied. A defendant's pleading or an extension can defeat the assumed starting event.
• The rule requires an order to show cause why sanctions should not be imposed if the plaintiff fails to file timely. It contains no automatic declaration-based excuse.
• File the request for entry of default and retain the court confirmation. Filing a request does not itself establish entry of default.
• Trial court electronic filing follows CCP 1010.6 and rules 2.253 and 2.259. Qualifying court-day electronic receipt receives the stated filing-date treatment, but receipt and accepted filing confirmations are distinct. Preserve both, required fees or waiver and proof of service. Rule 2.259(c) addresses proved court-system failure and excludes complaints and other initial pleadings from that provision. Do not assume a draft upload, service receipt or rejected submission establishes filing. Check the actual court and local requirements.