California · Security Deposit Form Guide

Free California Security Deposit Itemization

Build a compliant California itemized disposition statement under Civil Code Section 1950.5. A landlord must deliver the itemized deduction schedule and return any remaining deposit within 21 calendar days of move-out, or risk statutory damages of up to twice the deposit for bad-faith retention.

Civil Code 1950.5 21-day disposition Auto-calc refund Free PDF

A California security deposit itemization is the line-by-line accounting schedule a landlord prepares at the end of a tenancy, showing the original deposit, any interest, each deduction with its description and dollar amount, and the refund or balance that results. Under Civil Code Section 1950.5, the landlord must furnish this itemized written statement and return any remaining balance no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates. This page builds the schedule itself, which travels with the California security deposit return letter that transmits it, and our California security deposit laws guide covers the wider framework.

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Video: a plain-language walkthrough of the California deposit itemization – the 21-calendar-day disposition deadline, the deduction schedule, the receipt threshold, and the up-to-twice-the-deposit penalty.

Key Takeaways: California Deposit Itemization

• Twenty-one calendar days to itemize and return. Civil Code Section 1950.5 requires the landlord to deliver the itemized statement and return any remaining deposit within 21 calendar days of the tenant vacating.
• Each deduction stands alone. Every line needs a specific description and a dollar amount; a single vague cleaning or repairs entry is routinely disallowed.
• Receipts attach above one hundred twenty-five dollars. When deductions for repairs and cleaning together exceed that amount, copies of the receipts or invoices must accompany the statement.
• No charging for wear and tear. Only unpaid rent, tenant-caused damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, cleaning to move-in condition, and lease-authorized restoration are deductible.
• The math runs both ways. Deposit plus interest minus itemized deductions equals the refund, or, when deductions exceed the deposit, the balance the tenant still owes.

Generate Your California Itemization Statement

Complete the form below to build an itemized disposition statement ready to print, sign, attach to the receipts, and send with the return letter. Enter the deposit and any interest, then itemize each deduction on its own line with a specific description and dollar amount. The generator adds the original deposit to any interest, subtracts the total of the itemized deductions, and computes the refund balance owed to the tenant automatically. If the deductions exceed the deposit, it flips to show the additional balance the tenant owes. Every figure you enter flows straight into the PDF schedule, and the running total updates on screen before you generate.

How California’s 21-Day Disposition Rule Works

California runs its security deposit disposition on a single, strict clock. Under Civil Code Section 1950.5, the landlord has no more than 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates the premises to do three things at once: return any remaining portion of the deposit, deliver a written itemized statement describing each deduction and its dollar amount, and, where the deductions cross the documentation threshold, attach copies of the receipts or invoices that back them up. The 21-day window is not a target to aim for; it is the outer limit, and blowing past it is the single most common way California landlords lose the right to keep deductions they could otherwise have justified.

The itemization is the heart of that duty. A landlord can return the balance on time, but if the accounting schedule is missing, vague, or undocumented, the return is incomplete and the deductions are exposed. The clock starts when the tenant vacates, meaning when the tenant surrenders possession of the unit, not when the tenant later mails a forwarding address. This ordering trips up landlords who wait for an address before beginning the accounting. The defensible practice is to capture the forwarding address at move-out, ideally during the pre-move-out inspection, and to begin the deduction schedule immediately so that the itemized statement is finished, printed, and in the mail well before day 21. If the tenant never provides a forwarding address, mail the statement and any refund to the last address known to the landlord, which is typically the rental unit itself.

What the California Itemization Statement Does

The itemization statement is the document that proves the landlord did the accounting the statute requires. Under Civil Code Section 1950.5, when a landlord withholds any part of the deposit, the itemized statement must describe each deduction and the amount claimed, and the landlord must return the balance of the deposit that remains after those lawful deductions. The statement ties the deposit decision to a written record the landlord can later produce in small-claims court if the tenant disputes the withholdings. It is the disposition schedule; the return letter that accompanies it is only the cover note.

The schedule does three things at once. It satisfies the statutory duty to communicate the deposit decision in writing within the deadline. It gives the tenant a concrete, line-by-line accounting to review and, if warranted, to dispute item by item. And it creates a contemporaneous record that answers a later challenge to the deductions. Without a properly delivered itemization, even legitimate deductions are exposed, because a landlord who cannot show a timely, itemized statement has a weak position when the tenant claims the full deposit back and asks the court for the statutory penalty on top.

The Itemization Versus the Return Letter

These are two documents that work together, and keeping them straight avoids a common filing error. The itemization statement is the detailed disposition schedule this page builds: it lists every deduction, assigns each a category and a dollar amount, sums them, and computes the refund or the balance owed. The California security deposit return letter is the short transmittal note that accompanies the schedule and the refund check, addressed to the tenant. Civil Code Section 1950.5 mandates the itemized statement itself, so the schedule is the document the statute demands; the cover letter is best practice on top. The two are typically stapled together and mailed as a single package.

Building the Deduction Schedule Line by Line

The itemization earns its defensibility one line at a time. Each entry should name the specific item, the location or nature of the problem, the category of the charge, and the dollar amount, and it should point to an attached receipt or invoice where one exists. A line that reads “drywall repair, north bedroom wall, patched and repainted, invoice attached, one hundred eighty dollars” survives a dispute; a line that reads “repairs, three hundred dollars” does not. Group the charges by category so the tenant and, if it comes to it, the court can see at a glance which portion is unpaid rent, which is damage repair beyond wear and tear, which is cleaning to the move-in level, and which is lease-authorized restoration. The generator on this page carries a category selector on every line so the finished schedule reads cleanly.

The Four Categories of Deductible Expense

Civil Code Section 1950.5, subdivision (b), authorizes exactly four kinds of deduction, and every legitimate line on the itemization falls into one of them. Understanding the boundaries of each category is what keeps a schedule defensible.

Unpaid rent. The landlord may deduct rent the tenant defaulted on, including a final partial month, late-paid rent still outstanding at move-out, and rent accruing through the lawful end of the tenancy. Back the figure with the rent ledger, and be careful not to double-count rent already covered by a separate judgment or payment plan. Unpaid rent is usually the cleanest deduction because it is a documented dollar figure rather than a condition judgment.

Repair of damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. The landlord may deduct the reasonable cost of repairing damage the tenant or the tenant’s guests caused that exceeds ordinary use. This is the most-contested category, because it turns on the wear-and-tear line discussed below. Reasonableness matters: a court will disallow a charge that replaces a repairable item, that bills new-for-old on an item with remaining useful life, or that exceeds the market cost of the work.

Cleaning to the move-in level. The landlord may deduct the reasonable cost of cleaning the unit to the level of cleanliness it had at the start of the tenancy, not to a higher standard. The statute measures cleaning against the move-in baseline, so a unit returned as clean as it was received supports no cleaning charge, even if the landlord would prefer it cleaner. The move-in condition record is the anchor for this category.

Lease-authorized restoration. The landlord may deduct the cost to restore or replace personal property or furnishings, or to return the unit to a condition, where the lease specifically authorizes it. This category depends on an express lease provision; without one, a restoration charge collapses back into the wear-and-tear analysis. Attach the lease clause to the file when relying on this category.

Anything outside these four categories does not belong on a California itemization. Administrative fees, re-rental or turnover fees not tied to actual tenant-caused loss, and charges for ordinary wear and tear are the most common improper entries, and each invites the twice-the-deposit penalty.

Anatomy of a Compliant Itemization Statement

A statement that will hold up carries a predictable set of elements, and the generator on this page assembles each of them into the finished PDF. The heading identifies the document as a security deposit itemization under Civil Code Section 1950.5 and carries the statement date. The party block names the landlord or managing agent and the tenant, with the tenant’s forwarding address for delivery. The tenancy block records the property address, the tenancy start and end dates, and the date the tenant returned possession, which fixes the start of the 21-day clock.

The accounting body then lays out the deposit math in order: the original deposit, any interest a local ordinance required, the itemized deduction table with a description, category, and amount on each line, the total of the deductions, and the resulting refund balance or balance owed. A disposition line states plainly whether the tenant receives a full refund, a partial refund, no refund, or owes an additional balance. A receipts line records whether the supporting documents are attached, not required, or waived. The statement closes with the delivery method, a signature block for the landlord or authorized agent, and a short statutory footnote citing Civil Code Section 1950.5. Each of these elements exists to answer a question a tenant or a small-claims judge will later ask.

The Receipt-and-Documentation Threshold

California ties the paperwork burden to the size of the deductions. Under Civil Code Section 1950.5, the landlord must include with the itemized statement copies of the documents showing the charges unless the deductions for repairs and cleaning together do not exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars. That means receipts for materials and supplies, invoices from third parties for work performed, and, for the landlord’s own labor, a reasonable description of the work, the time spent, and the hourly rate. If the deductions do not exceed that threshold, or the tenant waives the documentation in writing, the receipts need not be attached, though the itemized statement is still required and keeping the receipts anyway is the safer course.

Because the figure has been revised before and could be revised again, confirm the current dollar threshold in Civil Code Section 1950.5 when the deductions are close to the line. When in doubt, attach the documentation regardless: it costs nothing extra and closes off the argument that the statement was incomplete.

The One-Month Deposit Cap Under AB 12

The amount a California landlord may hold changed on July 1, 2024. Assembly Bill 12 amended Civil Code Section 1950.5 to cap the security deposit at one month’s rent, whether the unit is furnished or unfurnished, replacing the older rule that allowed two months for an unfurnished unit and three for a furnished one. A narrow small-landlord exception permits up to two months’ rent when the owner is a natural person, or a limited liability company whose members are all natural persons, and owns no more than two residential rental properties that together contain no more than four dwelling units offered for rent. The one-month cap applies to a servicemember tenant without exception, even for an otherwise-qualifying small landlord.

The cap governs how much can be collected up front; the itemization governs how the deposit is accounted for at the end. The two rules meet when a deposit collected before July 1, 2024 under the old limits is disposed of after the new rules apply, so record the original amount taken and account for it exactly on the schedule. Our California security deposit laws guide walks through the collection-side rules that set the deposit figure this statement later disposes of.

The Bad-Faith Standard and the Twice-the-Deposit Penalty

The penalty is what gives the 21-day clock its teeth. Under Civil Code Section 1950.5, a landlord who retains the deposit in bad faith, or who fails to comply with the statute, may be liable to the tenant for the amount wrongfully withheld plus statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the security, in addition to actual damages. Bad faith is a fact question a court decides, but common triggers are missing the deadline entirely, charging obvious wear and tear, inventing or padding deductions on the schedule, and refusing to return an undisputed balance. The penalty is discretionary and capped at twice the deposit, so a landlord who blows the deadline but acts in good faith may face only the withheld amount, while a landlord who fabricates line items risks the full penalty plus the actual amount, which together can reach three times the deposit.

The Pre-Move-Out Initial Inspection

California is unusual in giving the tenant a right to a pre-move-out walk-through, and that inspection is the preview of the final itemization. Under Civil Code Section 1950.5, subdivision (f), the landlord must notify the tenant, in writing, of the option to request an initial inspection before the tenancy ends. The tenant may request that inspection no earlier than two weeks before the termination date, and the landlord must give at least 48 hours’ written notice of the inspection time unless both sides agree to waive it. At the inspection the landlord gives the tenant an itemized statement of the deficiencies that would otherwise be deducted, so the tenant has the chance to fix them before move-out and avoid the charge. A landlord who skips the required notice of this option loses a strong procedural footing, because the inspection is designed to reduce disputes by putting the tenant on notice while there is still time to cure.

Wear and Tear Versus Damage

California treats normal wear and tear as the gradual deterioration of the unit from ordinary use over time, and it is never deductible, so it never belongs on the itemization. Faded paint, minor carpet wear in walking paths, small scuff marks near door handles, loose grout, and minor nail holes from hanging pictures all fall on the wear-and-tear side. Damage is harm beyond ordinary use: large holes in walls, carpet stains or burns, broken fixtures, pet urine saturation, smoke damage, missing appliances, or deliberate alterations. Only damage, unpaid rent, cleaning to restore the move-in level of cleanliness, and lease-authorized restoration belong on the deduction schedule. The move-in and move-out condition records and dated photographs are the evidence that separates one from the other, which is why a thorough California move-in and move-out checklist is the upstream document that makes a defensible line item possible.

A Worked California Itemization Example

Numbers make the schedule concrete. Suppose the tenant paid a security deposit of one thousand eight hundred dollars at lease signing and no local ordinance required interest, so the deposit-plus-interest total is one thousand eight hundred dollars. At move-out the landlord finds three deductible items and records each on its own line. First, unpaid rent for the final partial month of four hundred dollars, backed by the rent ledger. Second, drywall repair to a large hole in the north bedroom wall of two hundred twenty dollars, backed by a contractor invoice and dated move-out photographs. Third, cleaning of a heavily soiled oven and carpet stains beyond the move-in level of one hundred sixty dollars, backed by the cleaning receipt. The deductions total seven hundred eighty dollars.

The math then runs straight down the schedule. One thousand eight hundred dollars of deposit plus zero interest equals one thousand eight hundred dollars available. Subtract the seven hundred eighty dollars of itemized deductions and the refund balance owed to the tenant is one thousand twenty dollars. Because repairs and cleaning together, at three hundred eighty dollars, exceed the one-hundred-twenty-five-dollar documentation threshold, the landlord attaches copies of the contractor invoice and the cleaning receipt to the statement. The generator on this page produces exactly this schedule and computes the one thousand twenty dollar refund automatically as the figures are entered.

Now flip the example. If instead the tenant left the unit with three thousand two hundred dollars of legitimate damage and unpaid rent against the same one thousand eight hundred dollar deposit, the schedule shows the deposit fully consumed and an additional balance owed by the tenant of one thousand four hundred dollars. The itemization does not stop at zero; it documents the shortfall the landlord may then pursue in a separate small-claims action. The generator handles this deductions-exceed-deposit case by flipping the final line from a refund owed to the tenant to a balance owed by the tenant.

Interest and Local Ordinances

California’s statewide law does not require a landlord to pay interest on a security deposit, but a number of California cities do by local ordinance. Rent-controlled and tenant-protection cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Berkeley, and others require the landlord to pay the tenant interest on the held deposit, often at a rate the city publishes each year, and that accrued interest is added to the deposit before deductions are subtracted. When a local ordinance applies, enter the accrued interest in the interest field so the schedule adds it to the deposit total, and confirm the current municipal rate with the city’s rent board because the figure changes annually. A landlord who holds the deposit in an interest-bearing account and fails to credit the required interest gives the tenant a separate claim independent of the deduction dispute.

Local ordinances can also shorten deadlines, expand disclosure duties, or add just-cause and relocation rules that touch the end of a tenancy, so the itemization prepared under the statewide 21-day rule may sit alongside additional local obligations. Treat Civil Code Section 1950.5 as the floor and check the city’s rent-stabilization or tenant-protection ordinance for any layer on top before finalizing the statement.

Delivering the Itemization and Proving It

Civil Code Section 1950.5 allows the itemized statement to be delivered to the tenant personally or by mail to the address the tenant provides, and it permits electronic delivery by email when the tenant has agreed in writing. Delivery is only half the duty, though; proof of delivery is what wins the dispute. The defensible practice is certified mail with return receipt requested to the forwarding address, which fixes a provable postmark and delivery date if the timing is later challenged. Keep the certified-mail receipt, the return-receipt card, and a signed copy of the statement together in the tenancy file.

Timing is measured to the mailing, not to the tenant’s receipt, so a statement postmarked on day 21 is timely even if the tenant collects it later. When the tenant leaves no forwarding address, mail the statement and any refund to the last known address, which is usually the vacated unit, and retain proof of that mailing. Document the delivery method on the statement itself, which the generator captures in a dedicated field, so the schedule records how and when it was sent.

When the Tenant Disputes the Itemization

A tenant who disagrees with the schedule can challenge it, and a well-built itemization is the landlord’s first line of defense. The tenant’s usual route is a small-claims action to recover the withheld amount, and California small-claims court hears security-deposit disputes routinely. In that forum the burden effectively lands on the landlord to justify each deduction with the itemized statement, the receipts, and the move-in and move-out condition evidence. A schedule that names each item specifically, assigns a category, ties to a dated photograph, and attaches the supporting receipt is far more likely to survive than a one-line “cleaning and repairs” entry.

Because the bad-faith penalty of up to twice the deposit is available to the tenant, a landlord facing a dispute should return any undisputed portion immediately rather than hold the entire deposit hostage to a single contested line. Returning the undisputed balance narrows the fight to the specific items in question and removes the strongest argument that the landlord acted in bad faith. Respond in writing to a tenant’s objection, keep the correspondence, and preserve the full file for at least four years, the limitations period for a written-contract claim in California.

Citation Reference Table

The provisions a California itemization relies on live in a single statute, with the deposit cap added by a 2023 bill:

• Civil Code Section 1950.5 (subd. (h)) – the 21-calendar-day deadline to return the deposit and deliver the itemized statement after the tenant vacates.
• Civil Code Section 1950.5 (subd. (h)) – the requirement to attach copies of receipts and documents unless repairs and cleaning together do not exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars.
• Civil Code Section 1950.5 (subd. (b)) – the permissible deductions: unpaid rent, damage beyond wear and tear, cleaning, and lease-authorized restoration.
• Civil Code Section 1950.5 (subd. (e)) – the bar on charging ordinary wear and tear against the deposit.
• Civil Code Section 1950.5 (subd. (f)) – the tenant’s right to request a pre-move-out initial inspection with 48 hours’ notice.
• Civil Code Section 1950.5 (subd. (m)) – the bad-faith penalty of up to twice the amount of the security plus the withheld sum and actual damages.
• Civil Code Section 1950.5 (subd. (c)), as amended by Assembly Bill 12 (2023), effective July 1, 2024 – the one-month deposit cap and the small-landlord two-month exception.

Subdivision letters shift as the statute is amended, so treat the letters above as a guide and confirm the current text of Civil Code Section 1950.5 before you rely on a specific subdivision in a filing.

What to Send With the California Itemization

A complete deposit-disposition package usually includes:

• The itemization statement itself – generated above, signed and dated within 21 days of move-out.
• The return letter – the short cover note that transmits the schedule and the refund check.
• The refund check – for the calculated balance, if any.
• Copies of receipts for each deduction – required when repairs and cleaning together exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars.
• The move-in and move-out condition records – they establish baseline condition against end-of-tenancy condition.
• Dated move-out photographs – paired with the condition record to prove damage rather than wear and tear.

Send the package by certified mail with return receipt to the forwarding address, retain the mailing receipt, and keep copies of everything for at least four years.

Common California Itemization Mistakes

The most-litigated California deposit disputes share a short list of errors, and most of them show up on the itemization itself:

• Missing the 21-calendar-day deadline because the schedule did not start until a forwarding address arrived.
• Listing a single vague “cleaning” or “repairs” line with no description, which a court routinely disallows.
• Charging for ordinary wear and tear such as faded paint or minor carpet wear from foot traffic.
• Failing to attach receipts once repairs and cleaning together cross the documentation threshold.
• Skipping the written notice of the tenant’s right to a pre-move-out initial inspection under subdivision (f).
• Math errors that leave the refund balance on the schedule out of step with the check enclosed.

Tenant Screening as Prevention

The cleanest move-outs come from tenants who were screened thoroughly at the application stage. A verifiable income, a steady payment history, and a clean eviction record are the strongest predictors of a unit returned in good condition, which means a short itemization, a full refund, and no twice-the-deposit exposure. Screening is the upstream control that keeps the deposit accounting simple. Our overview of how to screen tenants step by step walks through the process, and the broader tenant screening laws by state guide covers the rules that apply when you pull a report.

California Security Deposit Itemization: FAQ

What is a California security deposit itemization statement?

It is the line-by-line accounting schedule that shows how a California landlord disposed of the deposit: the original amount held, any interest, each deduction with a specific description and dollar amount, and the resulting refund or balance owed. Under Civil Code Section 1950.5, the landlord must furnish this itemized written statement, together with any remaining deposit, no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates. When deductions for repairs and cleaning together exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars, copies of the supporting receipts or invoices must be attached. The itemization is the accounting schedule; the deposit return letter is the short cover letter that transmits it.

How is the California itemization different from a deposit return letter?

They are two parts of the same package. The itemization statement is the detailed deduction schedule: it lists every charge, sums the deductions, and computes the refund or the balance the tenant still owes. The return letter is the brief transmittal note that accompanies the schedule and the refund check. Civil Code Section 1950.5 requires the itemized written statement itself, so the schedule is the mandatory document; the cover letter is best practice. Many landlords send both, stapled together, by certified mail.

How many days does a California landlord have to deliver the itemization?

Twenty-one calendar days. Civil Code Section 1950.5, subdivision (h), requires the landlord to furnish the itemized statement and return any remaining deposit no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates the premises. The clock runs from the date the tenant surrenders possession, not from the date a forwarding address is provided, so begin the deduction accounting at move-out.

When must a California landlord attach receipts to the itemization?

Civil Code Section 1950.5, subdivision (h), requires the landlord to include copies of documents such as receipts, invoices, or bills unless the deductions for repairs and cleaning together do not exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars. If the tenant waived documentation in writing, or the deductions stay under that threshold, the receipts need not be attached, though the itemized statement is still required. Attaching them regardless is the defensible practice, and confirming the current dollar figure in the statute is wise when a deduction is near the line.

What can a California landlord itemize as a deduction?

Civil Code Section 1950.5, subdivision (b), limits deductions to unpaid rent, the reasonable cost of repairing damage the tenant or the tenant’s guests caused beyond ordinary wear and tear, the reasonable cost of cleaning the unit to the level of cleanliness it had at the start of the tenancy, and the cost to restore or replace personal property or furnishings where the lease authorizes it. Ordinary wear and tear is never deductible, and a vague single line such as cleaning or repairs without a description is routinely disallowed.

How does the itemization handle deductions that exceed the deposit?

The schedule flips from a refund to a balance owed. When the itemized deductions add up to less than the deposit plus any interest, the difference is the refund owed to the tenant. When the deductions equal the deposit, the refund is zero. When the deductions exceed the deposit, the statement shows an additional balance the tenant owes, which the landlord may pursue separately, in small-claims court if necessary. The generator on this page calculates all three outcomes automatically.

How much security deposit can a California landlord collect?

Effective July 1, 2024, Assembly Bill 12 amended Civil Code Section 1950.5 to cap the security deposit at one month’s rent, whether the unit is furnished or unfurnished. A small-landlord exception allows up to two months’ rent when the owner is a natural person, or a limited liability company whose members are all natural persons, and owns no more than two residential rental properties totaling no more than four dwelling units. The one-month cap applies to a servicemember tenant without exception.

What happens if a California landlord misses the 21-day deadline?

A landlord who retains the deposit in bad faith, or who fails to comply with Civil Code Section 1950.5, may be liable to the tenant for the amount wrongfully withheld plus statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the security, in addition to actual damages. Missing the 21-day itemization deadline undercuts the landlord’s claim to any deductions and exposes the full deposit to a small-claims action, plus the potential penalty on top.

What is California’s pre-move-out initial inspection?

Under Civil Code Section 1950.5, subdivision (f), a California landlord must notify the departing tenant of the option to request an initial inspection before the tenancy ends. The tenant may request this inspection no earlier than two weeks before the termination date, and the landlord must give at least 48 hours’ written notice. At the inspection the landlord provides an itemized statement of deficiencies so the tenant can cure them and avoid the corresponding deductions before move-out. This pre-move-out list becomes the preview of the final itemization.

How long should I keep the itemization and supporting documents?

Keep the signed itemization statement, the receipts and invoices, the move-in and move-out condition records and photos, and the mailing receipt for at least four years from the end of the tenancy. California’s limitations period for a written-contract claim is four years, so a four-year retention window comfortably covers a deposit dispute that lands in small-claims court.

Related California Deposit and Rental Guides

• California deposit return letter – the cover letter that transmits this itemization.
• California security deposit laws – the full framework behind this schedule.
• California move-in and move-out checklist – the baseline that justifies a deduction.
• California deposit receipt – the record of the deposit taken at lease signing.
• California landlord-tenant laws – the wider statutory picture for the state.
• Tenant screening laws by state – screen the tenant before they move in.
• How to screen tenants – the step-by-step screening process.

Screen California Tenants Before You Hand Over Keys

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About the Author

Published by Tenant Screening Background Check · Editorial Team

Established 2004. Our editorial team has spent two decades helping landlords and property managers run lawful, FCRA-compliant tenant screening across all 50 states. We translate state landlord-tenant codes and federal screening rules into processes you can actually follow.

Updated 2026

Legal Disclaimer

This form and guide are for general informational purposes only and are not legal advice. California security deposit law is detailed, and local rent-control and just-cause ordinances can add duties; improper documentation, an incomplete itemized statement, or a missed 21-day deadline can forfeit deductions and expose a landlord to statutory damages of up to twice the deposit. Review California Civil Code Section 1950.5 and consult a licensed California landlord-tenant attorney before withholding any part of a deposit. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.