Renters' Rights · Security Deposit
Security Deposit Laws in California
The most a landlord can charge, how long they have to return it, and what it costs them to keep your money without cause in California.
What your landlord can hold, and when it's due back
Enter your rent for the California maximum, plus the return-deadline clock.
Estimate only, based on California's statutory cap. Your lease may set a lower deposit, and local ordinances can be stricter. Not legal advice.
The full rules, with the statute
Every requirement and where it comes from in the code.
Exceptions: A small landlord — a natural person (or an LLC owned entirely by natural persons) who owns no more than two rental properties totaling four or fewer units — may charge up to 2 months. But if the tenant is a service member, the cap stays at 1 month.
Penalties & recent changes
What happens if the landlord keeps your deposit wrongfully.
AB 12 (2023) (effective 2024-07-01): AB 12 cut the cap to one month's rent for most landlords (furnished or not), with a small-landlord exception of two months. Applies to leases entered, renewed, or extended on or after the effective date.
AB 2801 (2024) (effective 2025-04-01): AB 2801 phases in photo documentation: move-out photos and before/after repair photos, and sets the >$125 threshold for requiring proof of deductions.
What California renters get wrong
California's deposit rules changed dramatically in 2024. AB 12 slashed the old two-to-three-months cap down to a single month's rent for most landlords — one of the biggest tenant wins in years. A narrow exception lets true small landlords (two or fewer properties, four or fewer units) charge two months, but never to a service member. And thanks to AB 2801, landlords now have to photograph the unit and any repairs they bill you for, which makes vague "cleaning and damage" deductions much harder to defend.
Common questions
What is the maximum security deposit in California in 2026?
One month's rent for most landlords, for both furnished and unfurnished units, under AB 12 effective July 1, 2024. The old "two months unfurnished, three months furnished" rule is gone.
Can a small landlord charge two months in California?
Yes. A natural person (or an LLC owned entirely by natural persons) who owns no more than two rental properties with four or fewer units total may charge up to two months' rent — unless the tenant is a service member, in which case the cap stays at one month.
How long does a California landlord have to return my deposit?
21 calendar days after you move out. Within that window the landlord must return the deposit and an itemized statement of any deductions.
Does my California landlord need photos to keep part of my deposit?
Under AB 2801, landlords must take photos of the unit at move-out and before-and-after photos of any repairs they charge you for. Deductions over $125 also require supporting documentation like invoices or receipts.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.