How much security deposit can a California landlord charge?

Since July 1, 2024, one month's rent for most landlords under §1950.5, furnished or unfurnished. A qualifying small landlord — a natural person, or an LLC whose members are all natural persons, owning no more than two properties totalling no more than four units — may charge up to two months' rent, except that a service member tenant is always capped at one month.

Does every California lease need the Megan's Law notice?

Yes — §2079.10a requires the statutory notice in every lease and rental agreement. Use the statutory wording rather than a paraphrase.

What AB 1482 paperwork belongs with the lease?

Covered tenancies need the written notice of the §1947.12 rent limits and §1946.2 just-cause rules. If you claim the single-family or condo exemption, the statutory exemption notice must be in the rental agreement, or the property is treated as covered.

When must the deposit be accounted for at the end?

Within 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates, under §1950.5 — return any remainder with an itemized statement of deductions.

California Lease Agreement

A California lease agreement is the written contract that sets rent, term and responsibilities for a residential rental — and in California it also has to carry specific statutory notices and respect a strict security-deposit cap, so a generic national form is a risky starting point.

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What it is

A California lease agreement is a written rental contract for a California home that states the parties, term, rent and deposit, and includes the disclosures California law requires. Statewide rules on deposits and termination rights sit on top of whatever the lease says, and many cities add their own rules.

When to use it

Signing a new tenant for a fixed term or a month-to-month tenancy
Renewing or replacing an older lease written before the July 1, 2024 deposit cap
Bringing a self-drafted form up to date with current California disclosures

What to include — checklist

Print this page to use the checklist on paper.

Full names of landlord and every tenant, exactly as they will sign
Property address, including unit number, and what is included (parking, storage, appliances)
Term: start date, end date or month-to-month, and what happens at the end
Rent amount, due date, where and how to pay, and any late-charge term in the lease
Security deposit amount — checked against the California cap before signing
Who pays which utilities and services
Occupants, guests, pets and smoking rules, stated plainly
Required California notices and disclosures (see the requirements card) attached or included
Maintenance and emergency contact details, entry notice practice, and signatures and date for every party — plus a complete copy for the tenant

California-specific requirements

Security deposit cap — Civil Code §1950.5, as amended by AB 12, effective July 1, 2024: a landlord may not demand or receive security in excess of one month's rent, in addition to the first month's rent, whether the unit is furnished or unfurnished. Amounts called pet, key or cleaning deposits count toward the same cap, and no part may be labelled nonrefundable.
Small-landlord exception — §1950.5: a landlord who is a natural person, or an LLC whose members are all natural persons, and who owns no more than two residential rental properties totalling no more than four dwelling units, may collect up to two months' rent. The exception does not apply when the tenant is a service member — the cap there stays at one month.
Deposit return — §1950.5: no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates, the landlord must return the remaining deposit with an itemized statement of deductions. A lease should describe that process accurately rather than promising a different timeline.
Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) — Civil Code §§1947.12 and 1946.2: covered tenancies must receive a written notice of the rent-cap and just-cause rules, as an addendum to the lease or a separate signed notice. A single-family home or condo claimed as exempt is exempt only if the owner gives the statutory written exemption notice in the rental agreement — without it, the property is treated as covered.
Bed bug notice — Civil Code §1954.603: before creating a new tenancy, the landlord must give the prospective tenant a written notice, in at least 10-point type, with general information about bed bug identification, behaviour and biology, the importance of cooperation and prompt written reporting of suspected infestations.
Megan's Law notice — Civil Code §2079.10a: every California lease or rental agreement must include the statutory notice that information about specified registered sex offenders is available to the public via the Internet website maintained by the Department of Justice at www.meganslaw.ca.gov (shown here as plain text, not a link).
Local rules: many California cities have rent-control, just-cause or deposit-interest rules stricter than state law. Check the city and county rules for the property before signing.

Statute references are included only where verified for this page. Where a rule depends on your lease or local court, the page says so instead of guessing.

Common mistakes

Using an old form with the pre-July 2024 two- or three-month deposit cap
Calling any part of the deposit 'nonrefundable' — California treats security as refundable under §1950.5
Claiming an AB 1482 exemption for a house or condo without putting the statutory exemption notice in the agreement
Missing the bed bug notice or the Megan's Law notice — small disclosures, routinely overlooked in self-drafted leases
Copying another state's lease and assuming California addenda are optional
Ignoring a stricter city ordinance that applies to the property

Where landlords get this form

These providers publish California-specific landlord forms and document tools. We describe them here for comparison — we do not link out from this pilot site yet.

Provider	Best described as	What to check before you buy
LawDepot	DIY legal-document builder covering leases, applications and notices, form by form or by subscription.	Whether the California version is included in a free trial, subscription, or single-document price.
ezLandlordForms	Landlord-focused forms library built specifically around rentals, screening and state lease packages.	Whether you need a single form or its California state package, and what updates are included.
Rocket Lawyer	Document builder bundled with membership options that can include attorney Q&A services.	What the membership includes after any trial, and how cancellation works.
LegalZoom	Well-known legal-services platform, strongest on business formation and broader legal products, with some landlord documents.	Whether the exact landlord form you need is offered for California, versus a business product.

Partner links activate after approval. When partnerships are approved, links on this page may become affiliate links and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That will be disclosed here before any link goes live.

State packs — coming soon

Printable state packs are planned for this site, organized in the order a small landlord actually uses them: application, lease signing, move-in, late rent, renewal, move-out and deposit return. Nothing is for sale yet.

Coming soon — not yet for sale

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Frequently asked questions

How much security deposit can a California landlord charge?: Since July 1, 2024, one month's rent for most landlords under §1950.5, furnished or unfurnished. A qualifying small landlord — a natural person, or an LLC whose members are all natural persons, owning no more than two properties totalling no more than four units — may charge up to two months' rent, except that a service member tenant is always capped at one month.
Does every California lease need the Megan's Law notice?: Yes — §2079.10a requires the statutory notice in every lease and rental agreement. Use the statutory wording rather than a paraphrase.
What AB 1482 paperwork belongs with the lease?: Covered tenancies need the written notice of the §1947.12 rent limits and §1946.2 just-cause rules. If you claim the single-family or condo exemption, the statutory exemption notice must be in the rental agreement, or the property is treated as covered.
When must the deposit be accounted for at the end?: Within 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates, under §1950.5 — return any remainder with an itemized statement of deductions.