California security deposit deadline & deductions
You have 21 days — within 21 days of the tenant moving out
- Deadline
- 21 days
- Itemized statement
- Required by statute
- Receipts
- Generally required over $125
- Statute
- Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5
21 days is on the short side — 2 of the 26 states verified here allow less time, and 20 allow more.
Same deadline as Connecticut, Minnesota, Wisconsin.
Itemized statement required when deductions are taken, within 21 days of move-out; receipts or invoices generally required when repairs or cleaning exceed $125.
When the California clock runs out
The deadline runs from the end of the tenancy, not from when you get round to inspecting. On California's 21-day rule, these are the dates you would be working to:
| Tenant moves out | Statement and refund due by |
|---|---|
| January 31, 2026 | February 21, 2026 |
| April 15, 2026 | May 6, 2026 |
| July 31, 2026 | August 21, 2026 |
| November 30, 2026 | December 21, 2026 |
Does California require an itemized statement?
Yes — California requires an itemized written statement of any deductions rather than a lump sum, under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5. Each charge needs to stand on its own: what was damaged, and what it cost to put right.
Receipts in California
California generally requires receipts or invoices for repair and cleaning charges above $125 (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5). Below that figure the charge still has to be reasonable — the threshold governs paperwork, not whether the deduction is fair.
What you can actually charge for
California statute sets the deadline and the paperwork; it does not publish a table of what a worn carpet is worth. The defensible method — charging only the useful life the tenant used up early, and excluding normal wear — is the same in every state, and is explained on the calculator, which builds the itemized statement and puts the California deadline on it.
Next: California deposit return letter · move-in report · every state’s deadline
California rule last checked 2026-07-23 against Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5. General information, not legal advice — confirm the current statute before sending a deduction statement.
Everything else we’ve researched about California
Same state, the problems either side of this one. Each carries its own statute and the date we last checked it.
- California deposit return law & letterThe landlord's deadline to return a deposit, and the itemized letter.
- California deposit demand letterFor the tenant: whether the landlord is late, and by how many days.
- California emergency plan rulesDrill frequency, filings, prescribed forms and retention, cited.