State Guide
Landlord–tenant law in California
The rules that come up in practice — returning a deposit, charging a late fee, raising the rent — each read against the California statute and quoted on its own page.
Security deposit return
Full rule →21 days
The 10th shortest of 49 states with a deadline.
Cal. Civ. Code 1950.5(h)(1)
Late fee limit
Full rule →No statutory cap
No mandatory grace period — a fee may be charged as soon as rent is late, if the lease provides for it.
Cal. Civ. Code 1671; Orozco v. Casimiro (2004) 121 Cal.App.4th Supp. 7
Rent increase notice
Full rule →30 days
A statute written specifically about rent increases. Limited to 2 times per 12 months. The 4th shortest of 49.
Cal. Civ. Code 827(b); 1947.12 (AB 1482)
What is distinctive about California
- Deposits: 21 days. Itemised statement required; receipts for deductions over $125.
- Late fees: uncapped by statute, so the limit is whatever a court would call reasonable. There is no mandatory grace period.
- Rent increases: 30 days under a statute written for the purpose.
The mistake that costs the most here
Treating “no statutory cap” as no limit. A late fee in Californiais liquidated damages, and one set as a round percentage with no relation to the landlord’s actual cost is the kind of clause a judge strikes out.
Where these figures come from
Each rule above was read against the section it cites and the statutory wording is quoted on the dedicated page, so you can check it rather than take our word for it. That matters more than it sounds on this subject: when we read all 51 jurisdictions we found several widely-published figures to be wrong, including a Kentucky deposit deadline that does not exist, a South Dakota one reported as 14 days when the statute says 21, and late-fee caps for nine states that actually come from their self-storage statutes.
Local ordinances can add requirements the state does not, and statutes move — Washington, Connecticut, Nevada, Rhode Island and Maryland have all changed in the last three years. Each figure carries the date we read it.
States with the same deposit deadline
Common questions about California
- How long does a California landlord have to return a security deposit?
- 21 days under Cal. Civ. Code 1950.5(h)(1).
- What is the maximum late fee in California?
- California sets no statutory cap. A reasonableness standard applies instead, so a fee has to bear some relation to what the late payment actually costs the landlord.
- How much notice before a rent increase in California?
- 30 days under Cal. Civ. Code 827(b); 1947.12 (AB 1482).
- Does California have rent control?
- California limits increases to 2 per 12 months (Cal. Civ. Code 827(b); 1947.12 (AB 1482)). Whether the amount is also capped depends on the building and the municipality.
Let the software know the California rules
Pacific Rentals Pro checks a lease’s late fee against the California cap, counts the deposit deadline from the move-out date, and works out the latest day to serve a rent increase. Same verified data as this page.
Start free →California rules last read against their cited sources on November 6, 2026. General information, not legal advice — verify the current text before relying on it, and check your city and county, which can impose more than the state does.