Return security deposit with itemized statement within 21 days of move-out. California law (Civil Code 1950.5(h)) requires furnishing the itemized statement of deductions by personal delivery or first-class mail (or by email if you both agreed) and returning any remaining deposit within 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out, with receipts and the before-and-after repair photos included when repair and cleaning deductions exceed $125 and the refund sent electronically when the tenant paid electronically unless you agreed otherwise in writing, because a bad-faith failure forfeits every deduction and can bring damages of up to twice the deposit.
The California rule
Each rule shows its schedule, its primary sources, and the date it was last verified.
Related rules in California
The California guide lists every compliance obligation, the seasonal maintenance calendar, and baseline upkeep.
Open the California landlord guide · Security deposit return deadline in every state
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This guide is the reading version of the Landautomate California rule base. In the app, the same rules become dated tasks on each California property, timed to its purchase date, lease dates, age, and climate, with an email before each one is due. The free preview shows a sample of that schedule for California in under a minute, no account needed.
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The free preview takes a state and a few property facts and shows the schedule Landautomate would run, no account needed. Every new account starts with a 30-day free Pro trial, no card required.