United States · CA

California landlord-tenant laws.

The key statutes you need to know as a California landlord — deposit caps, late fees, entry notice, and required disclosures at a glance.
All regions

Security deposit

1 month's rent (as of July 2024)

Return: 21 days

Late fees

Must reflect actual damages; courts scrutinize excess fees

Entry notice

24 hours written

Termination notice

30 days (60 if tenancy ≥ 1 year)

Rent control

Statewide cap (AB 1482) + local ordinances

Required disclosures

Every California residential lease must include these disclosures where applicable. Missing required disclosures can void clauses or trigger statutory penalties.

  • Lead-based paint
  • Mold
  • Bed bugs
  • Sex offender registry
  • Flood hazard
  • Megan's Law

Notable California quirk

Heaviest disclosure load in the country; just-cause eviction statewide.

Eviction timelines in California

See filing fees, timelines, and estimated total costs for California.

View costs
Baked in

California-compliant leases, automatically.

TenantFort loads the right lease template with California deposit language, disclosures, and termination terms baked in. Screening, leases, and compliance — all in one place.

Other states

AL

Alabama

1 month's rent

AK

Alaska

2 months' rent (1 month if rent ≥ $2,000)

AZ

Arizona

1.5 months' rent

AR

Arkansas

2 months' rent

CO

Colorado

No statutory cap

CT

Connecticut

2 months' rent (1 month if tenant ≥ 62)

DE

Delaware

1 month's rent (12-month+ leases)

DC

District of Columbia

1 month's rent