How Long Does a California Landlord Have to Send the Itemized Security Deposit Statement?
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A California landlord has 21 days after the day the tenant moves out to return the security deposit or deliver a written, itemized statement of the deductions, under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5.
The rule in one list
- Return deadline: 21 days after the day the tenant moves out.
- Itemized deductions: required in writing. Itemized statement with copies of receipts or invoices for any repair or cleaning charge over $125; since 2025 landlords must photograph the unit at move-in and move-out to support deductions.
- Forwarding address: not a statutory condition of getting the deposit back.
- Penalty for wrongful withholding: For bad-faith retention the tenant may recover statutory damages of up to twice the deposit, on top of actual damages.
- Deposit cap: One month's rent (two months for qualifying small landlords) under AB 12, effective July 1, 2024.
- Small claims limit: $12,500.
- Statute: Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5.
What the statement has to do
- List each deduction separately with its amount; a single "cleaning and repairs" line is the kind of statement courts reject.
- Cover only damage beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid rent, and charges the lease allows.
- Itemized statement with copies of receipts or invoices for any repair or cleaning charge over $125; since 2025 landlords must photograph the unit at move-in and move-out to support deductions.
- State the balance being returned and enclose it, or state that the deductions exceed the deposit.
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What missing the deadline costs
For bad-faith retention the tenant may recover statutory damages of up to twice the deposit, on top of actual damages. The statute does not ask whether the deductions were fair; it asks whether the tenant got the statement in time. Send the statement to the last address you have, by a method you can prove.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does the 21-day clock start at move-out or at lease end?
A: At the day the tenant moves out. When the two differ, the earlier date is the safer one to work from; a court will not credit you for days the tenant was already gone.
Q: Can I send the itemized statement by email in California?
A: Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 sets the deadline; use a delivery method you can prove, such as certified mail, and keep a copy. Email alone is hard to prove if the tenant denies receiving it.
Q: What if repairs are not finished within 21 days?
A: Send the statement anyway, with the estimate for the unfinished work marked as an estimate, and follow with the final figures. A late statement is the failure Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 penalises; an estimated one is not.
Sources Checked
- Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 (the California statute cited above)
- LeaseLenses California deposit and notice data set, last reviewed 2026-09-19; the same data powers the California document tools
- California landlord-tenant overview and the California deposit rules page
This page is general legal information for California, not legal advice. Statutes change; read the current text before relying on a deadline in court.
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Security deposit terms LeaseLenses should verify in your lease
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- Deposit amount, extra pet deposits, and prepaid charges
- Return deadline, itemized deduction language, and forwarding-address requirements
- Move-in condition, interest/account handling, and dispute wording
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