LOCAL RULES

California rental inspection report requirements

Your California rental inspection report has 6 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • Photos of the unit at move-in and at move-out
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California does not prescribe a move-in checklist form, but Civil Code section 1950.5 sets the rules that decide whether deposit deductions hold up: photos at move-in and move-out, a pre-move-out inspection the tenant can ask for, and an itemized statement within 21 days. Here is each rule with a link to the official text, and how to turn your walkthrough notes into a report that supports it.

Last reviewed October 8, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Rental inspectionCALIFORNIA / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 87 words

Move-in inspection
Address: 22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Sacramento, CA
Date: 2026-09-30
Landlord: Pinecrest Property Management
Tenant: Jordan Lee and Priya Raman
...
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We sorted 13 items into 6 sections and flagged 5 to fix soon.

  • Fix soonLiving and dining areas

    Carpet has a stain near the sofa wall.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Dishwasher not working.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Counter chipped near the sink.

6 California rules on your checklist, including photos of the unit at move-in and at move-out.

Still to add

  • RecommendedNotes for entry and hallways
  • RecommendedNotes for laundry and utility

Filled in for you

Inspection typeMove-in
Rental unit address22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Sacramento, CA
Inspection dateSep 30, 2026
Landlord or property managerPinecrest Property Management
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What California requires

Photos at move-in and move-out

For tenancies that begin on or after July 1, 2025, the landlord photographs the unit immediately before, or at the start of, the tenancy.

At the end of the tenancy, the landlord photographs the unit within a reasonable time after it is returned, before any repairs or cleanings that will be deducted from the deposit, and again within a reasonable time after those repairs or cleanings are done.

The pre-move-out inspection

Within a reasonable time after either side gives notice to end the tenancy, or before the lease term ends, the landlord tells the tenant in writing that they may ask for an initial inspection and be present for it.

If the tenant asks, the inspection happens at a reasonable time no earlier than two weeks before the tenancy ends, with at least 48 hours' written notice unless both sign a waiver. It goes ahead whether or not the tenant is there.

Afterwards the landlord gives the tenant an itemized statement of the repairs or cleanings proposed as deductions, including the text of paragraphs (1) to (4) of subdivision (b) of the section, or leaves it inside the unit. If the unit was clear enough to see them, later deductions for repairs or cleanings are limited to what that statement lists, plus anything that happens after the inspection.

What can be deducted

The landlord may not claim for damage or defects that existed before the tenancy, or for ordinary wear and tear. Cleaning deductions are limited to returning the unit to the level of cleanliness it had at the start of the tenancy.

That is why a clear move-in record matters: it shows what was already there.

After the tenant moves out

No later than 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out, the landlord sends an itemized statement of the deposit and returns any remainder. When the landlord deducts for repairs or cleanings, the photos go with a written explanation of the cost, by mail, email, flash drive or an online link.

Bad-faith claims or retention of the deposit can bring statutory damages of up to twice the deposit, in addition to actual damages.

From walkthrough notes to a finished California report

Walk the unit room by room and note each one, and add your photos to the report as you go. ReportDraft turns your notes into a room-by-room record with each item marked, writes up the damage, and prints the photos under their room in the PDF and Word file.

For a pre-move-out inspection, choose that inspection type. ReportDraft adds a table for the repairs or cleanings you propose to deduct for, and prints the statement with the text of subdivision (b) paragraphs (1) to (4) at the end of the report, ready to give to the tenant or leave in the unit.

Common mistakes

  • Skipping move-in photos. For tenancies that began on or after July 1, 2025, they are required, and they are your record of what was already there.
  • Doing repairs or cleaning before photographing the returned unit.
  • Not telling the tenant in writing that they can ask for a pre-move-out inspection.
  • Leaving the text of subdivision (b) paragraphs (1) to (4) out of the itemized statement after the initial inspection.
  • Missing the 21-day deadline for the itemized deposit statement.

Sources

Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Next review due January 8, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.