California

California Landlord-Tenant Laws

Security deposit limits, eviction notices, rent control, and more for California.

How we research these summaries

Every rule on this page is drawn from state statutes and municipal codes and summarized with AI assistance. Each one cites the statute it's based on and links to a published text of that law so you can read it firsthand. Where a page says a city or county has no local rule on a topic, that means none was found for the topics covered here — not that none exists. Local governments also regulate rental housing in ways these pages don't track, including registration, licensing, inspections and habitability standards. These summaries may be incomplete or out of date, laws change often, and every property and tenancy has specifics a summary can't capture — so treat this as a starting point for your own research, not as legal advice, and check with the local jurisdiction and a qualified attorney before acting on your particular situation.

What to Know in California

Sources last checked July 2026

California caps security deposits at one month's rent, with an exception to two months for small landlords owning two or fewer properties with four or fewer units (AB 12). The statewide Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) limits annual rent increases to 5% plus regional CPI, capped at 10%, and requires just cause to end a tenancy after 12 months of occupancy. Rent increase notice runs 30 or 90 days depending on the increase size, and month-to-month termination requires 30 or 60 days from a landlord depending on tenancy length.

Once all tenants have continuously and lawfully occupied a unit for 12 months, or at least one tenant has occupied it for 24 months, the landlord must have just cause to...
30-day move-out notice required for month-to-month tenancies
Rent increases capped at 5% + CPI (maximum 10%) per year
30-day advance written notice required for rent increases
Security deposits capped at 1 month's rent

5 rules summarized · Each linked to the law it cites

Security Deposit Limits

What is the security deposit limit in California?

Effective July 1, 2024, landlords may not demand or receive a security deposit exceeding 1 month's rent for residential units, regardless of whether furnished or unfurnished. All deposits (pet, cleaning, last month's rent) count toward this cap. Exception: small landlords who are natural persons or LLCs with all natural-person members owning no more than 2 residential rental properties with a combined total of 4 or fewer units may collect up to 2 months' rent. The exception does not apply if the tenant is a military service member.

California Civil Code § 1950.5 (as amended by AB 12, Stats. 2023, Ch. 659)

Last checked Jul 2026

Eviction Notice Requirements

What are the eviction notice requirements in California?

Once all tenants have continuously and lawfully occupied a unit for 12 months, or at least one tenant has occupied it for 24 months, the landlord must have just cause to terminate the tenancy. Just cause reasons are categorized as 'at-fault' (e.g., nonpayment of rent, lease violation, criminal activity) or 'no-fault' (e.g., owner move-in, substantial repairs, demolition). No-fault terminations require at least 60 days' notice and relocation assistance equal to 1 month's rent. Exemptions include most single-family homes and condos (with proper notice), units built within 15 years, and owner-occupied duplexes.

California Civil Code § 1946.2 (AB 1482, Stats. 2019, Ch. 597)

Last checked Jul 2026

Rent Increase Notice Periods

How much notice is required for rent increases in California?

Landlords must provide written notice before raising rent on a month-to-month tenancy. A minimum 30 days' written notice is required when the increase is 10% or less of the lowest rent charged in the preceding 12 months. A minimum 90 days' written notice is required when the increase exceeds 10% of the lowest rent charged in the preceding 12 months, either individually or cumulatively with prior increases over that period.

California Civil Code § 827

Last checked Jul 2026

Rent Control / Rent Increase Caps

Is there rent control in California?

Under the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482), landlords may not increase rent more than 5% plus the percentage change in the regional Consumer Price Index (CPI) for All Urban Consumers, or 10%, whichever is lower, in any 12-month period. Rent may not be raised more than twice in a 12-month period, and the combined increases cannot exceed the cap. Exempt properties include those built within the last 15 years, single-family homes and condos where the owner provided a required statutory exemption notice, and units subject to a stricter local rent ordinance. This law expires January 1, 2030.

California Civil Code § 1947.12 (AB 1482, Stats. 2019, Ch. 597)

Last checked Jul 2026

Move-Out & Lease Termination Notice

What is the move-out notice requirement in California?

For month-to-month tenancies, tenants must provide at least 30 days' written notice to terminate. Any lease clause requiring more than 30 days' notice from the tenant is void under Civil Code § 1953. Landlords must provide 30 days' notice if the tenant has resided in the unit for less than 1 year, or 60 days' notice if the tenant has resided in the unit for 1 year or more. These are minimum termination notice requirements; separately, just cause eviction requirements under AB 1482 may apply for tenants with 12+ months of occupancy.

California Civil Code §§ 1946, 1946.1

Last checked Jul 2026

Local Jurisdictions with Additional Rules

Alameda County County Los Angeles County County Sonoma County County Antioch City Chula Vista City Concord City Los Angeles City Oakland City Sacramento City San Diego City San Francisco City San Jose City

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