Security Deposit Deadline Calculator
Find your 21-day deadline, the 14-day follow-up dates and what must go in the itemized statement.
Deposit deadline calculator
Enter the move-out date to see the deadline.
Have a question about your situation, want tips, or need a referral? Email the CLRC team at [email protected]. We share general information, not legal advice, and we’re not a law firm.
You have 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out to send the itemized statement and any refund. Weekends and holidays count. If you deduct more than $125, attach receipts or invoices and photographs. If a repair or invoice cannot be ready in time, you can use a good-faith estimate and send the final documents within 14 calendar days after the work is done or the documents arrive. Civ. Code § 1950.5
The rules, in order
- Day 21. Within 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates, furnish an itemized statement of deductions and return the remaining deposit (§ 1950.5(h)(1)).
- Documents. If deductions for repairs and cleaning are more than $125, include copies of the invoices or receipts, or a description of your own work with the time spent and a reasonable hourly rate (§ 1950.5(h)(2)).
- Photographs. Take photographs when possession is returned, before any repair or cleaning you will charge for, and after the work is done. AB 2801 (Stats. 2024, ch. 280) added photo requirements; for tenancies that began on or after July 1, 2025, move-in photographs are also required (§ 1950.5(g)).
- Estimates. If the repair cannot reasonably be finished, or an invoice is not yet in hand, within 21 days, you may deduct a good-faith estimate and send it with the statement. Within 14 calendar days after completing the work or receiving the document, send the final statement and documents (§ 1950.5(h)(3)).
- Small deductions. Deductions for repairs and cleaning of $125 or less do not need receipts and photos unless the tenant asks within 14 days after receiving the statement; then you have 14 calendar days to provide them (§ 1950.5(h)(5)).
Day 21 can land on a weekend or court holiday. Code Civ. Proc. § 12a could move a deadline to the next court day, but it is not settled that it applies to a security deposit, so the calculator also shows the last court day on or before day 21. Mail early.
What can come out of the deposit?
A landlord may use the deposit only for unpaid rent, cleaning to return the unit to the condition it was in at move-in, repair of damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, and certain other items listed in § 1950.5(e). Since July 1, 2024, a landlord generally cannot collect more than one month’s rent as a deposit (§ 1950.5(c)), with exceptions for some small landlords; check the statute. See the security deposit guide for the full picture and the notice date calculator for notice timing.
Wrongfully withholding a deposit can expose a landlord to a penalty of up to twice the deposit amount in addition to the amount owed (§ 1950.5(m)).
Frequently asked questions
When do the 21 days start?
On the day the tenant vacates, not the day you finish repairs. Day 21 is 21 calendar days later.
Do weekends and holidays count toward the 21 days?
Yes. They are calendar days. If day 21 is a weekend or court holiday, send the statement on or before the last court day before it.
Do I need photos?
Yes, if you deduct for repairs or cleaning. You must take photos when possession is returned and after the work is done, and send them with the itemized statement. For tenancies that began on or after July 1, 2025, move-in photos are also required.
What if the repair is not finished in 21 days?
Send the statement with a good-faith estimate by day 21, then send the final statement and documents within 14 calendar days after the work is complete or the invoice arrives.
Can I email the statement?
Only if you and the tenant agreed to email in writing, and only to the address the tenant provided. The refund itself must still be returned by an allowed method.
Sources
- Civ. Code § 1950.5 (security deposits)
- AB 2801 (2024), bill text
- Code Civ. Proc. § 12a
- California DRE: Landlord-Tenant guide
- Judicial Council self-help — landlord eviction information
This tool applies general California rules to the dates you enter. It cannot see your lease, your city’s ordinance or the facts of your situation. Check your local rent rules and consult a qualified attorney before you serve a notice or withhold a deposit. Read the disclaimer.