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California Unlawful Detainer Assistant Bonds

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A California unlawful detainer bond is a bond required of those who assist either a plaintiff or defendant representing themselves in an unlawful detainer case.

Key Highlights

  • UDA bonds are required of those in California who help others to represent themselves in unlawful detainer cases.
  • Costs for UDA bonds will vary within the state. 
  • Failure to either purchase a bond or make the required cash deposit while still providing UDA services can result in fines, jail time or both.

How do I purchase a California unlawful detainer assistant bond?

NFP, the nation's largest and most reliable surety company, is authorized to issue California unlawful detainer assistant bonds in each of the 50 states. We can provide the best rates for your bond, as well as the fastest issuance, to get your business off and running.

Our short online application makes it easy. Click below to start the application process today.

California Unlawful Detainer Assistant Bond FAQs

An unlawful detainer is when someone who has no legal right to live on a property continues to live there and refuses to leave.

An unlawful detainer bond in California is a bond required of those who assist either a plaintiff or defendant representing themselves in an unlawful detainer case. The plaintiff in a California unlawful detainer case would be a landlord who has been unable to force a tenant off a property to which they believe the tenant has no legal claim. A defendant in a UD case is a tenant who is being accused of ignoring earlier notices to vacate, received either for violating rules or for violating terms of the lease agreement.

A UDA helps either a landlord or a tenant in landlord-tenant cases where the landlord is trying to have a tenant vacate, but the tenant refuses. The tenant is purported to be detaining a property illegally, hence the term "unlawful detainer." The landlord cannot get them to leave, so the landlord may hire a UDA, who is required by law in California to purchase a UDA surety bond for the protection of clients.

If you are assisting either a tenant or a landlord who is representing themselves in an unlawful detainer case in California, you will need a $25,000 unlawful detainer bond with a bond term of two years. If you have been served unlawful detainer papers from the court, this means that you are being accused of overstaying your legal term or otherwise violating the law by residing on a property, and you are being commanded to vacate immediately.

Should you respond to the notice of unlawful detainer within five days and would like to represent yourself in court, a UDA can help you. Should this assistant prove dishonest, fraudulent or otherwise untrustworthy, an unlawful detainer bond protects you from the potential resulting financial losses. Should a landlord choose the services of a UDA to help vacate a tenant via the court system, they are also protected by a UDA surety bond.

Paying the $175 for registration as a UDA does not cover the cost of purchasing a California unlawful detainer bond. These bonds can be purchased from a surety for a separate fee, determined by the surety and depending upon your history and credit. Bond costs are generally a small percentage of the total bond amount, so a bond for $25,000 may cost anywhere between $250 and $2,500.

Since much of your bond premium price is determined by how likely it would be that someone would bring a claim against the bond, your experience and history as a successful assistant will greatly affect the price. Your personal credit history, your company's credit history or both will also be considered.

If a qualified corporate surety or other person or entity registers to perform services as a UDA, they must purchase a bond of no more than $25,000, with a time limit of two years, paid for at the time of registration.

If a UDA does not wish to purchase UDA bonds, then they have the option of depositing $25,000 cash with the county clerk's office. Failure to either purchase a bond or make the required cash deposit while still providing UDA services can result in fines, jail time or both.

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