Security deposit deadline calculator

What the landlord must do by then

Within 21 calendar days after you vacate, the landlord must return the deposit, or send an itemized statement of the amounts kept and why and return any remaining balance. Deductions are limited to unpaid rent, repairs beyond ordinary wear and tear, cleaning to the move-in level, and other items the law allows.

Repair and cleaning deductions totaling more than $125 must be supported with copies of invoices or receipts, or, for work done by the landlord or an employee, a description of the work, the time spent, and the hourly rate. A good-faith estimate is permitted only when repairs by the landlord or an employee cannot reasonably be completed within 21 days, or when required documents from an outside company have not yet arrived. The landlord must then send the final statement, the documents, and any further refund within 14 days after the repairs are finished or the documents are received. Since April 1, 2025, landlords must also photograph the unit before and after repairs or cleaning and provide the photos with the statement, with limited exceptions; for tenancies that began on or after July 1, 2025, they must photograph the unit at move-in too. Starting January 1, 2026, a landlord who received the deposit or rent electronically must generally return the deposit electronically unless both sides agree otherwise in writing.

If the deadline passes

Keep the lease, move-out photos, your forwarding address, and any messages with the landlord. A late or incomplete response can matter, and a deposit kept in bad faith can lead to additional damages. Read the article on security deposits.

The date shown is the 21st calendar day. If it falls on a weekend or court holiday, the deadline may move to the next business day.

Sources: Civil Code section 1950.5; California Department of Real Estate: moving out; California Attorney General: security deposits.