California Code of Civil Procedure
Responses to requests for admission
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 2033.250(a)
The party to whom requests for admission are directed must serve a response within 30 days after service of the requests.
Not legal advice. Computed dates are informational only. Verify every deadline against the governing rule, your court's local rules, and the judge's standing orders.
How this deadline is computed
- Period
- 30 calendar days
- Counted
- forward
- If it lands on a non-court day
- roll forward
- Service extensions
- mail +5 cal., overnight +2 court, fax +2 court, electronic +2 court
Unlike the federal rule, a missed response does not admit the matters automatically — but it waives objections and exposes the party to a deemed-admitted motion under § 2033.280.
Worked example
For a triggering event on Monday, June 15, 2026 with service by mail, the deadline under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 2033.250(a) is Monday, July 20, 2026. Every counting step is shown below.
- 1Jun 15, 2026
Trigger date
Monday. The triggering event under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 2033.250(a).
- 2Jun 15, 2026
Exclude the trigger day
The day of the triggering event is not counted. Counting begins with the next day (FRCP 6(a)(1)(A) and analogous state rules).
- 3Jul 15, 2026
Count 30 calendar days forward
Every day counts, including weekends and holidays. Intermediate days are not skipped for calendar-day periods.
- 4Jul 20, 2026
Apply 5-calendar day service extension
Service by mail adds 5 calendar day(s) to the period (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 2033.250(a)).
- 5Jul 20, 2026
No roll needed
Monday is a court day.
- 6Jul 20, 2026
Deadline
Monday, Jul 20, 2026.
Calculate your own date
Open the calculator with this rule already selected and enter your own triggering event.
Use Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 2033.250(a) in the calculatorQuestions about Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 2033.250(a)
- How many days is the deadline under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 2033.250(a)?
- 30 calendar days, counted after the triggering event. The party to whom requests for admission are directed must serve a response within 30 days after service of the requests.
- Do weekends and holidays count toward the 30 calendar days?
- Yes. Every intervening day counts, including weekends and holidays. Only the final day is adjusted: if it falls on a weekend or holiday, it rolls forward to the next court day.
- Does the day of the triggering event count?
- No. The day of the triggering event is excluded and counting begins the following day, under Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(a)(1)(A) and the analogous state provisions.
- Does the method of service change the deadline under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 2033.250(a)?
- Yes. Service by mail adds 5 calendar days; by overnight adds 2 court days; by fax adds 2 court days; by electronic adds 2 court days. Personal service and any method not listed add nothing.
- Worked example: what is the deadline for a triggering event on Monday, June 15, 2026?
- Monday, July 20, 2026, reached in 6 steps with service by mail.
Source and verification
Read the text of Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 2033.250(a)
Not yet checked against the official text. This entry encodes the rule as published, but no line-by-line verification against the current statute has been recorded. Confirm the period against the source above before relying on it.
Other California (State Courts) deadlines
- Motion notice period (16 court days before the hearing)Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1005(b)
- Opposition papers (9 court days before the hearing)Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1005(b)
- Reply papers (5 court days before the hearing)Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1005(b)
- Response period extended by in-state mail service (§ 1013(a))Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1013(a)
- Response period extended by out-of-state mail service (§ 1013(a))Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1013(a)
- Response period extended by mail service outside the United States (§ 1013(a))Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1013(a)
- Demurrer to a complaint or cross-complaintCal. Code Civ. Proc. § 430.40(a)
- Motion to strikeCal. Code Civ. Proc. § 435(b)(1)
- Summary judgment motion — 75 days' noticeCal. Code Civ. Proc. § 437c(a)(2)
- Summary judgment opposition — 14 days before the hearingCal. Code Civ. Proc. § 437c(b)(2)