A California lease agreement is a written contract between a landlord and a tenant that sets the rent, the lease term, and each side’s responsibilities before the tenant moves in. Landlords, property managers, and tenants use it for houses, apartments, condos, and rooms statewide. California law adds its own rules on the deposit limit, the notice needed to end a tenancy, and how the deposit is returned. The sections below explain those rules, and the builder below creates a lease that follows them.
Last Updated: September 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current California law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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A California lease agreement typically lists the rent amount and a description of the property. It also lists the length of the tenancy and the names and contact information of the landlord and the tenant. Most rental agreement forms run at least ten pages once these details, the required disclosures, and the signature blocks are included. The builder above creates a free California residential lease agreement in PDF or Word format.
California’s lease rules come mainly from the Civil Code, especially Section 1950.5 for the security deposit and Section 1946.1 for ending a tenancy.[3][2.1] Together, these sections cover the deposit limit, the return deadline, the notice needed to end a tenancy, and the rent increase notice period. The California Department of Consumer Affairs also publishes a California Tenants guide that explains tenant and landlord rights in plain language.
California caps the security deposit at one month’s rent, in addition to the first month’s rent the tenant pays before moving in. A landlord who meets the state’s rules to count as a small landlord may instead collect up to two months’ rent.[3]
The lease cannot label any part of the deposit as nonrefundable. Once the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit, or a written list explaining any amounts taken out. This is due no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out (use our deadline calculator to count the exact date).[3]
A landlord who keeps the deposit in bad faith, or who in bad faith demands the tenant replace it, breaks this rule. The landlord can then be ordered to pay statutory damages of up to twice the deposit amount, on top of any actual damages.[3]
If the repair and cleaning costs together come to $125 or less, California excuses the landlord from some of the extra paperwork steps that apply to larger deductions.[3]
The California security deposit law for 2025 also adds a photograph requirement:[3]
If the tenant asks for it, the landlord must also do a walk-through before the final move-out check. This must happen at a fair time, no earlier than two weeks before the move-out date. The landlord must give the tenant at least 48 hours’ written notice of the date and time.[3]
California law lets a small landlord charge this higher deposit. That extra amount must then go back to a service member tenant within six months of move-in. This applies as long as the tenant is not behind on rent during that time.[3]
Ending a tenancy in California requires written notice, and the length of that notice depends on how long the tenant has lived in the unit. A landlord must give a tenant who has resided in the unit for one year or more at least 60 days’ notice before the proposed termination date.[2.2] If the tenant has lived there for less than a year, 30 days’ notice is enough.[2.3]
A tenant who wants to end a periodic tenancy, such as a month-to-month lease, must also give notice. That notice period must be at least as long as the tenancy itself, counted before the termination date.[2.1]
The lease agreement sets the rent amount and the day it is due each month. Many landlords also spell out how rent should be paid and what happens if a payment is late. It is worth reading those terms in the specific lease before signing.
A rent increase also comes with its own notice period. Add up the increase with any other increases from the past 12 months and compare the total to the rent charged at any point in that window. If the total is 10 percent or less of that rent, the landlord must deliver the notice at least 30 days before the increase takes effect.[1]
A California lease agreement can take several forms, depending on the property type and the relationship between the landlord and the tenant. Whichever type fits your case, the lease should still meet the state rules above. Common types include:
The table below summarizes this California lease agreement form: its other names, such as the California residential lease agreement template, the relevant law, the security deposit limit and return deadline, and how long the PDF takes to fill out.
| Document Name | California Rental Lease Agreement Form |
| Other Names | CA Rental Lease, California Residential Lease Agreement |
| Relevant Laws | California Guide to Residential Tenants’ and Landlords’ Rights and Responsibilities |
| Security Deposit Amount | One month’s rent, or up to two months’ rent if the landlord qualifies as a small residential landlord under state law |
| Security Deposit Return | 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 18 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 119 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
Yes, but only if the landlord qualifies as a small residential landlord under the statute. In that case, the deposit can equal up to two months’ rent, in addition to the first month’s rent paid before the tenant moves in.[3]
A landlord ending the tenancy of a tenant who has lived there for one year or more must give at least 60 days’ notice.[2.2] If the tenant has lived there less than a year, 30 days’ notice is enough.[2.3] A tenant ending a periodic tenancy must give the landlord notice for a period at least as long as the tenancy itself.[2.1]
Other Rental Lease Agreement Forms by State
General information, not legal or tax advice.
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the California Civil Code, published by the California Legislative Information.
