LOCAL RULES

California security deposit statement requirements

Your California security deposit statement has 3 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • The itemized statement and refund within 21 days of move-out
  • Photos and a written cost explanation with each repair or cleaning deduction
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California gives a landlord 21 days after the tenant moves out to send an itemized statement of the deposit and return the rest, and every deduction for repairs or cleaning comes with photos and a written explanation of the cost.

Last reviewed October 23, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Security deposit statementCALIFORNIA / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 123 words

Move-out statement
Rental unit: 410 Maple Avenue, Apt 3, Sacramento, CA
Landlord: Pinecrest Property Management
Tenants: Jordan Lee and Priya Raman
Moved out Oct 31, 2026, keys returned. Lease ended Oct 31, 2026.
...
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We found 4 deductions totaling $577.40: refund due to the tenant $1,222.60.

3 California rules on your checklist, including the itemized statement and refund within 21 days of move-out.

Still to add

  • RecommendedNotes for move-out condition
  • RecommendedNotes for refund and questions

Filled in for you

Landlord or property managerPinecrest Property Management
Tenant namesJordan Lee and Priya Raman
Rental unit address410 Maple Avenue, Apt 3, Sacramento, CA
Tenant's forwarding address88 Elm Street, Nampa, ID 83651
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What California requires

The 21-day statement

No later than 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out, send an itemized statement of the deposit and how it was used, and return any remainder. The clock starts at move-out, not at the end of the lease, so a tenant who leaves early starts it early.

Photos and cost explanations

Photograph the unit within a reasonable time after it is returned, before the repairs or cleanings you will deduct, and again within a reasonable time after they are done. When you deduct for repairs or cleanings, provide those photos with a written explanation of the cost, by mail, email, a flash drive or an online link.

What a California deduction can cover

Cleaning deductions only return the unit to the level of cleanliness it had when the tenancy began. Damage or defects that were there before the tenancy, and ordinary wear and tear, cannot be claimed.

If you did an initial inspection before move-out and gave the tenant an itemized statement of proposed repairs or cleanings, and the unit was clear enough to identify them, later deductions for repairs or cleanings are limited to those items plus anything that happened after that inspection.

What is at stake

Claiming or keeping a deposit in bad faith can bring statutory damages of up to twice the deposit, on top of actual damages.

Common mistakes

  • Counting the 21 days from the lease end date when the tenant moved out earlier.
  • Deducting for repairs or cleaning without photos and a written explanation of the cost.
  • Cleaning the unit to a higher standard than it had at move-in and charging for the difference.
  • Charging for ordinary wear and tear, or for damage that was there before the tenancy.

Sources

Last reviewed October 23, 2026. Next review due January 23, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.