California Security Deposit Demand Letter
A free California security deposit demand letter that follows California law. Fill in the boxes, check the rules below, then print or copy it. Keep a copy and proof of how you sent it.
What California law says
| Deposit return deadline | No later than 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates. The landlord must return the remaining deposit with an itemized statement. Source: Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(h)(1) |
|---|---|
| Itemized deductions | The landlord must give an itemized statement of deductions. For deductions over $125, it must include copies of receipts or invoices, or the landlord's own time and hourly rate. If work cannot be finished within 21 days, a good-faith estimate is allowed, with documents due within 14 days of completion. Deductions for repairs or cleaning must include photographs. The tenant may also request a pre-move-out initial inspection, at which the landlord lists proposed deductions so the tenant can fix them. |
| Penalty for withholding | Bad-faith retention can bring statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the deposit, plus actual damages. A landlord who in bad faith fails to comply with the itemization and documentation rules may claim no part of the deposit. |
| Wear and tear / move-out charges | The statute does not define ordinary wear and tear, but the landlord may not charge for it, its effects, or conditions that existed before the tenancy, including the cumulative effects of wear across tenancies. Deductions are limited to reasonable amounts to repair damage caused by the tenant or the tenant's guests and to clean the unit back to its move-in level of cleanliness. Professional carpet or other professional cleaning may be charged only if reasonably necessary to restore move-in condition, excluding ordinary wear and tear. Landlords must photograph the unit at move-out (from April 1, 2025) and at move-in (tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025). |
Fill in your letter
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To: [landlord or manager name], [landlord address]
From: [your name], former tenant at [rental address]
I moved out and returned the keys on [move-out date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount]. I gave you my forwarding address in writing on [date you gave your address].
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(h)(1), a landlord must return the deposit, or send an itemized list of lawful deductions, by the deadline set in that law. I have not received [the deposit / an itemized list].
Please send $[amount owed] to [forwarding address] within [number] days of this letter.
If I do not receive it, I plan to file a claim in small claims court and ask for any additional amount allowed by Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(h)(7), (m).
Date: [today's date]
Tenant: [your name]
Signature: ____________________
How to send it: use a method you can prove — certified mail with return receipt, or email/text if your lease allows notices that way. Write down the date.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.