California landlord guide
Deposit limits, entry notice, termination notice and rent increase rules for California, with the sources they come from.
California landlord-tenant rules at a glance
- Security deposit limit
- 1 month's rent; 2 months for some small landlords (not for service members)
- Deposit return / claim rule
- 21 days
- Deposit interest
- Not required statewide; required by some local laws (e.g., SF, Berkeley)
- Notice before entry
- 24 hours written (48 hours for move-out inspection; 6 days if mailed)
- Ending a month-to-month
- Landlord: 60 days if tenancy 1 year or more, else 30; tenant: 30 days
- Notice before a rent increase
- 30 days; 90 days if increase exceeds 10% in 12 months (Civ. Code § 827)
- Late fees
- No cap; must be a reasonable estimate of the landlord's actual damages
- Rent control
- AB 1482: 5% + regional CPI, max 10%/yr; local ordinances may be stricter
General information from the California Civil Code §§ 1940–1954.1 (security deposits: § 1950.5), last reviewed 2026-08-21. Not legal advice; municipal bylaws can add requirements.
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