California Security Deposits: A Guide for Rental Owners
What you can collect. What to document. What to return, and when.
Get the free move-out checklist ↓Most owners: one month’s rent. For deposits collected on or after July 1, 2024. Small-landlord exception and service-member limit below.
21 calendar days after move-out. Send the itemized statement and any refund due within this window.
How much can you collect?
For security collected on or after July 1, 2024, the security deposit, whatever it is called, may not exceed one month’s rent for most California owners. This applies to furnished and unfurnished rentals.
Small-landlord exception
Natural persons with no more than 2 properties and 4 units may collect up to two months’ rent.
Never more than one month’s rent from a service member.
Photos are part of the record.
At move-in
Take move-in photos to document the rental’s starting condition.
After move-out. Then after the work.
Take photos after the tenant moves out, before repairs or cleaning, and again after the work is done.
Give the tenant a chance to fix it.
The tenant may request a pre-move-out inspection to address things that could otherwise be deducted. Schedule it no earlier than two weeks before the tenancy ends.
At least 48 hours’ written notice of the date and time, unless both sign a waiver.
Deduct for the right reasons.
Ordinary wear and tear from everyday use can never be charged.
- Reasonable amounts for damage beyond ordinary wear and tear.
- Cleaning needed to restore the move-in level of cleanliness.
- Unpaid rent.
Close the loop with a clear statement.
List each deduction and its reason. Send the itemized statement and any refund due within 21 calendar days after move-out.
Include the supporting records
For repair and cleaning charges, include receipts or invoices with vendor contact details and move-out photos.
Receipt exception: receipts are not required when total deductions are $125 or less.
Work or bill not ready in 21 days?
Deduct a good faith estimate and refund the rest. Then send a corrected statement, receipts and any further refund within 14 calendar days after the work is done or the invoice arrives.
Digital payment → digital refund
If the tenant paid the deposit or rent digitally, refund digitally unless both agree in writing to another method.
Emailing the statement
Email the statement only if the tenant agreed to receive it that way.
The details matter. You don’t have to manage them alone.
When RNB manages your rental, our team:
- Takes move-in and move-out photos
- Handles the inspection your tenant asks for
- Prepares the itemized statement with receipts
- Watches the 21-day deadline
Free: Move-Out and Deposit Checklist
From the tenant's notice to the itemized statement, step by step.
- When does a security deposit need to be returned?
- Send the itemized statement and any refund due within 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out.
- Can I deduct for normal wear and tear?
- No. Ordinary wear and tear is not deductible. Damage beyond it may be deducted in a reasonable amount.
- Do I need receipts for repairs and cleaning?
- Include receipts or invoices with vendor contact details and move-out photos. Receipts are not required when total deductions are $125 or less.
General information about California law, not legal advice. City rent control and local rules can change the answer. Updated November 1, 2026. RNB Property Management, DRE license #01900856.