California Tenants
A professional demand letter citing California's security deposit law (Civil Code § 1950.5), the 21-day return deadline, the bad-faith penalty — and the new photo-evidence rules most landlords are still violating. Ready in minutes.
Deadline
21 days
to return your deposit after move-out
Penalty
up to 2×
bad-faith penalty, plus actual damages
Statute
§ 1950.5
California Civil Code
Under California Civil Code § 1950.5, your landlord has 21 days after you move out to return your security deposit or provide a written, itemized statement of any deductions, with receipts for work over $125.
If the landlord withholds your deposit in bad faith, you may recover:
So a $2,000 deposit wrongfully withheld can support a court judgment of up to $6,000 (the deposit back, plus up to 2× as the penalty). Most landlords settle quickly once they realize you know the law.
New photo-evidence rules (AB 2801): For move-outs since April 1, 2025, a landlord deducting for repairs or cleaning must photograph the unit after you leave (before any work) and again after the work is done — and deliver those photos with the itemized statement. A landlord who in bad faith skips these requirements is barred from making a claim against the deposit. Since January 1, 2026 (AB 414), you can also request your refund electronically when rent was paid electronically.
Deposit cap (AB 12): Since July 1, 2024, deposits are capped at one month’s rent for most tenancies. A small-landlord exception (a natural person or LLC owning no more than two properties totaling no more than four units) may charge up to two months’ rent.
Every letter follows the structure courts expect — your facts, the statute, a specific demand, and a deadline. Here's the skeleton; the generator fills the brackets from your answers and computes California's deadlines under § 1950.5.
[Date]
[Your name]
[Your forwarding address]
[Landlord's name and address]
RE: Security Deposit — Formal Demand for Return of $[Amount]
I am the former tenant of [rental property address]. You accepted a security deposit of $[Amount], and my tenancy ended on [move-out date]. My forwarding address for return of the deposit is stated above, which I am providing to you in writing.
Under § 1950.5, you were required to [return the deposit or provide an itemized statement] within [the statutory period]. That period has passed, and you have done neither. [The specific consequence California law attaches, cited by section.]
I demand return of $[Amount] no later than [deadline]. If I do not receive it, I am prepared to pursue all remedies available under [statute], including filing suit in the appropriate court.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Some cities layer their own security deposit rules on top of state law — and some don't. Here's where California's major cities stand.
San FranciscoExtra local rules
San Francisco adds an annual deposit-interest requirement (with a penalty if unpaid) on top of California's § 1950.5 rules.
See the San Francisco rule →
BerkeleyExtra local rules
Berkeley requires annual deposit interest at the city-published Berkeley Bank Rate — and if last year’s interest is unpaid by Jan 31, it is recomputed at a 10% rate and deductible from rent — on top of California's § 1950.5 rules.
See the Berkeley rule →
Los AngelesExtra local rules
For rent-stabilized units, Los Angeles requires annual interest on deposits held a year or longer, at the rate set by the Rent Adjustment Commission — on top of California's § 1950.5 rules.
See the Los Angeles rule →
West HollywoodExtra local rules
For rent-stabilized units, West Hollywood requires annual deposit interest at the city-published rate — on top of California's § 1950.5 rules.
See the West Hollywood rule →
Santa MonicaExtra local rules
Santa Monica's rent-control charter (§ 1803(s)) requires deposits for controlled units to sit in an interest-bearing account, and Board Reg. § 14002 adds a city deposit ceiling — on top of California's § 1950.5 rules.
See the Santa Monica rule →
21 days after you move out.
A landlord who retains the deposit in bad faith is liable for statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the security deposit, in addition to the tenant’s actual damages, under § 1950.5(m).
California Civil Code § 1950.5. We verify these against the statute text itself; the date we last checked is shown on this page.
San Francisco, Berkeley, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Santa Monica have local ordinance rules on top of (or instead of) the state default.
Sources & verification
The California rules on this page were verified against the statute text itself:
Last verified against primary sources on .
How we verify this →Laws change. If you spot something out of date, tell us at support@gettenantshield.com and we'll correct it.
Properly formatted, addressed to your landlord by name, citing the exact California statutes that apply to your situation.
California Civil Code § 1950.5 and any others triggered by your circumstances — not generic legalese.
The letter computes the exact dollar amount you're entitled to demand based on your deposit and the deductions at issue.
Download instantly, print, sign, and send via USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt.
Most California landlords return the deposit within days of receiving a properly drafted demand letter.
Generate my letter — $39