Details
California security deposit deductions are limited to four things: unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, cleaning back to move-in condition, and, if the lease says so, restoring or replacing personal property. That list comes from Civil Code 1950.5(b), and every charge on your itemized statement has to fit one of those four boxes. For the deposit cap and the 21-day return rule themselves, see our California security deposit law guide.
Quick answer: A California landlord can deduct only unpaid rent, repairs for damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, cleaning needed to return the unit to its move-in level of cleanliness, and lease-authorized replacement of personal property. Charges must be a reasonable amount, professional cleaning is allowed only when reasonably necessary, and if repair and cleaning deductions total more than $125 the landlord must attach receipts, invoices or a description of their own labor, plus before-and-after photos.
What California security deposit deductions are allowed
Section 1950.5(b) defines “security” as any payment, fee, deposit or charge collected at the start of the tenancy, and it lists what that money can be used for:
- Unpaid rent. Rent you owe when you leave can come out of the deposit.
- Repairs. Damage to the unit “exclusive of ordinary wear and tear,” caused by you or by a guest or licensee.
- Cleaning. Only the cleaning “necessary to return the unit to the same level of cleanliness it was in at the inception of the tenancy.” This standard applies to tenancies that began after January 1, 2003.
- Personal property. Restoring, replacing or returning furniture, keys, appliances or other items the landlord provided, but only if the lease authorizes using the deposit for that.
Anything outside those categories is not a lawful deduction. Under 1950.5(e)(1), even inside them, the landlord may keep “only those amounts as are reasonably necessary.”
What landlords can’t deduct
Subdivision (e)(2)(A) rules out three kinds of claims:
- Damage or defects that preexisted the tenancy.
- “Ordinary wear and tear or the effects thereof, whether the wear and tear preexisted the tenancy or occurred during the tenancy.”
- “The cumulative effects of ordinary wear and tear occurring during any one or more tenancies.”
The last point matters in older units. A landlord cannot bill you for the fact that a floor, countertop or carpet has aged over several tenancies, only for damage you or your guests caused on top of that.
A lease also cannot label any part of the deposit “nonrefundable” (1950.5(n)). Because the statute treats “any payment, fee, deposit, or charge” as security, a so-called move-in fee, cleaning fee or pet fee is still security and is still subject to these rules.
Wear and tear vs. damage: where the line usually falls
The statute never defines “ordinary wear and tear” and gives no examples. There is no list of nail holes, carpet lifespans or paint schedules in the code. What follows is editorial judgment about how the rule is usually applied, not statutory text. For a fuller treatment, see normal wear and tear in California.
| Item | Usually treated as wear and tear | Usually treated as damage |
|---|---|---|
| Walls | A few small nail holes from hanging pictures; faded or lightly scuffed paint | Large holes, many anchor holes, crayon or marker, unapproved paint colors |
| Carpet | Traffic paths, matting, fading from sunlight | Burns, pet urine, large stains, tears |
| Floors | Light surface scratches from normal use | Deep gouges, water damage from a left-running tub |
| Fixtures | Loose handles, worn finishes | Broken blinds, cracked sinks, missing screens |
Two statutory points shape every one of these calls. First, the landlord cannot charge for defects that were there when you moved in, which is why move-in photos and a move-in checklist matter. Second, 1950.5(e)(2)(B) limits any claim to “a reasonable amount necessary to restore the premises back to the condition it was in at the inception of the tenancy.” If a carpet was already worn when you arrived, charging you for brand-new carpet puts the unit in better shape than it was at the start, which is hard to square with that limit.
Cleaning charges and the professional cleaning rule
The cleaning standard is relative, not absolute. The landlord can charge for cleaning only to get the unit back to how clean it was when you moved in. If the oven was greasy on day one, a greasy oven at move-out is not a deduction.
AB 2801 (Stats. 2024, ch. 280) added a specific limit in 1950.5(e)(2)(C). The landlord may not require you to pay for, or deduct for, “professional carpet cleaning or other professional cleaning services, unless reasonably necessary to return the premises to the condition it was in at the inception of tenancy, exclusive of ordinary wear and tear.” A lease clause requiring automatic professional carpet cleaning at move-out does not override that. The landlord has to show the professional cleaning was actually needed to restore move-in condition.
Receipts, the $125 threshold and photos
Within 21 calendar days after you move out, the landlord must send an itemized statement with the refund (1950.5(h)(1)). When repair or cleaning deductions are taken, subdivision (h)(2) requires backup:
- Landlord or employee did the work: a reasonable description of the work, the time spent and the reasonable hourly rate.
- Outside vendor did the work: a copy of the bill, invoice or receipt, plus the vendor’s name, address and phone number if the invoice lacks them.
- Materials: a copy of the bill, invoice or receipt, or a vendor price list for items bought on an ongoing basis.
If a repair cannot reasonably be finished within 21 days, the landlord may deduct a good-faith estimate and must send the actual documents within 14 calendar days of finishing the work or receiving the paperwork (1950.5(h)(3)).
The $125 threshold. Under 1950.5(h)(4)(A), the landlord does not have to attach documentation if repair and cleaning deductions together total $125 or less. You can still ask for it: if you request documentation within 14 calendar days after receiving the itemized statement, the landlord must provide it within 14 calendar days of your request (1950.5(h)(5)).
Photos. AB 2801 also added a photo requirement in 1950.5(g):
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- Beginning April 1, 2025, the landlord must photograph the unit within a reasonable time after you return possession, before any repairs or cleaning that will be deducted, and again after the repairs or cleaning are done.
- For tenancies that begin on or after July 1, 2025, the landlord must also photograph the unit immediately before or at the start of the tenancy.
- When deductions are taken for repairs or cleaning, the photos go to the tenant along with the itemized statement, by mail, email, flash drive or an online link (1950.5(h)(2)(D)).
Worked examples with dollar figures
These are hypothetical, to show how the rules fit together.
Example 1: deductions over $125
Say your rent is $2,400 and your deposit is $2,400. You move out with the oven and refrigerator dirtier than they were at move-in, a cigarette burn in the bedroom carpet, and marker on one wall. The landlord’s statement lists:
- Cleaning the oven and refrigerator, done by the landlord: 2 hours at $45 per hour, $90
- Patching the burned carpet section, done by a vendor: $300
- Repainting the marked wall, done by a vendor: $180
That is $570 in repair and cleaning deductions, well over $125, so the statement must include the landlord’s time and rate for the cleaning, copies of both vendor invoices, and before-and-after photos. The refund is $2,400 minus $570, or $1,830. If the photos or invoices are missing, you can point to 1950.5(h)(2) when you ask for the rest of the money back.
Example 2: deductions under $125
Say the only deductions are $60 to replace two broken blind slats and $50 to clean a stained stovetop, $110 in total. No receipts are required up front. If you want them, ask in writing within 14 days of receiving the statement, and the landlord then has 14 days to send them.
Example 3: a charge that shouldn’t be there
Say the statement lists $250 for “professional carpet cleaning per lease,” and the carpet has only normal traffic wear. Under 1950.5(e)(2)(C), a lease clause alone does not justify that charge. The landlord would have to show professional cleaning was reasonably necessary to restore move-in condition. Our security deposit demand letter guide covers how to dispute a line item like this.
Pet deposits count toward the deposit cap
Because 1950.5(b) covers “any payment, fee, deposit, or charge,” a pet deposit is part of the security, not a separate pot. Since AB 12 (Stats. 2023, ch. 733), total security is capped at one month’s rent in addition to the first month’s rent (1950.5(c)(1)). The cap does not apply to security collected before July 1, 2024.
Say your rent is $2,000. A landlord who collects a $2,000 security deposit plus a $500 pet deposit is holding $2,500, which is over the one-month cap. The exception is a small landlord under 1950.5(c)(5): a natural person, or an LLC whose members are all natural persons, who owns no more than two residential rental properties with no more than four units in total may collect up to two months’ rent. That exception does not apply when the tenant is a service member.
Pet damage itself, such as chewed trim or urine-soaked carpet, is a repair deduction like any other and must meet the same reasonableness and documentation rules. Assistance animals are treated differently; see emotional support animals and pet deposits.
Questions people ask
Can a landlord charge for painting after I move out in California?
Only if the painting is needed to repair damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, and only a reasonable amount. Paint that has simply aged or faded is wear and tear under 1950.5(e)(2)(A).
Can a landlord keep my deposit for carpet cleaning?
Only if professional cleaning is reasonably necessary to return the carpet to its move-in condition, excluding wear and tear (1950.5(e)(2)(C)). A lease clause requiring it automatically is not enough.
Does a landlord need receipts for deposit deductions?
Yes, when repair and cleaning deductions total more than $125. At $125 or less, receipts are not required up front, but you can request them within 14 days of receiving the itemized statement.
What happens if a landlord keeps a deposit in bad faith?
A court may award statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the deposit, in addition to actual damages (1950.5(m)). The landlord carries the burden of proving the deductions were reasonable.
Related California renter guides
- California security deposit law: the cap and the 21-day rule
- How to get your security deposit back, step by step
- Free California security deposit demand letter template
- Security deposit deadline and cap calculator
- Can a landlord charge for normal wear and tear?
- How to sue in California small claims court
Security deposit suits can be filed in small claims court, where an individual can claim up to $12,500 (1950.5(o); Code of Civil Procedure 116.221).
This page explains what the cited California law says. It is not legal advice. Last verified September 28, 2026.