Free California Tenant Welcome Letter Template

Last reviewed July 2026

Written by LawLease Editorial

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California Tenant Welcome Letter

This Tenant Welcome Letter is built with California as the governing state. These are the California landlord-tenant rules that most often bear on it, with the statute for each.

California rules at a glance

California rules for a Tenant Welcome Letter
Landlord entry	24 hours’ written notice, during business hoursCiv. Code §1954
Late fees	No fixed cap; must be a reasonable estimate of actual lossCiv. Code §1671(d)
Returned-check fee	$25 for the first bounced check and $35 for each one after (§1719).
Security deposit limit	1 month’s rent (up to 2 for small landlords who own ≤2 properties / ≤4 units); one cap covers any pet depositCiv. Code §1950.5 (AB 12)
Deposit return	21 days with an itemized statement and move-out photosCiv. Code §1950.5(g)
No separate pet deposit	Pet deposits must fit inside the one-month cap; service and assistance animals are exempt from any pet deposit or pet rent.

Security deposits in California

As of July 1, 2024 (AB 12), most California landlords may collect no more than one month’s rent as a security deposit — furnished or unfurnished — and a single cap covers any pet deposit.

Small-landlord exception — A landlord who is a natural person (or an LLC of natural persons) owning no more than two properties totaling four or fewer units may charge up to two months’ rent — but servicemembers are always capped at one month (§1950.5(c)).
No separate pet deposit — Pet deposits must fit inside the one-month cap; service and assistance animals are exempt from any pet deposit or pet rent.
Return — The deposit and an itemized statement are due within 21 days of move-out, with copies of receipts for any repair or cleaning charge over $125 (§1950.5(g)).
Photos — Landlords must take timestamped move-out photos (and, for tenancies starting on or after July 1, 2025, move-in photos) to support any deductions (AB 2801).
Pre-move-out inspection — The tenant may request an inspection up to two weeks before leaving; the landlord gives 48 hours’ notice and a list of deficiencies so the tenant can fix them first (§1950.5(f)).
Bad-faith penalty — Wrongfully withholding a deposit exposes the landlord to up to twice the amount withheld, plus actual damages (§1950.5(l)).

Rent, late fees & rent caps

For units covered by the statewide Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482), rent increases are limited to 5% plus the regional CPI, capped at 10% in any 12-month period, with only one increase per year (§1947.12). Single-family homes and condos owned by an individual, and buildings under 15 years old, are generally exempt from the cap — but the notice rules below still apply.

Increase notice — 30 days’ written notice for an increase of 10% or less over the prior year; 90 days if the increase is more than 10% (§827).
Late fees — No statutory number — California treats late fees as liquidated damages that must reasonably approximate the landlord’s actual loss, or they’re void as a penalty (§1671(d)).
Returned-check fee — $25 for the first bounced check and $35 for each one after (§1719).
No junk fees — Since July 2025, a landlord can’t charge a fee for paying rent by check or for serving a legal notice (SB 611).
Local rent control — Costa-Hawkins limits how far cities can go, but places like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Monica run their own stricter ordinances — check the local rent board.

Landlord entry & access

A California landlord must give reasonable written notice — 24 hours is presumed reasonable — stating the date, approximate time, and purpose, and may enter only during normal business hours (§1954). No notice is required in a genuine emergency. Any lease clause that waives the tenant’s entry-notice rights is void (§1953).

Tenant protections you can’t waive

Non-waivable rights — A lease can’t make a tenant waive their security-deposit or entry-notice rights, or the right to sue the landlord (§1953).
No separate pet deposit — Beyond the one-month cap (§1950.5(c), post-AB 12).
No check or notice fees — SB 611 bars charging tenants to pay by check or to receive a legal notice.
Source of income — Refusing a tenant because they pay with a Section 8 voucher is illegal statewide (Gov. Code §12955).

California Tenant Welcome Letter FAQs

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in California?

Since July 1, 2024, most landlords may charge no more than one month’s rent, furnished or unfurnished (AB 12). A small landlord — a natural person owning two or fewer properties totaling four or fewer units — may charge up to two months, except for servicemembers, who are always capped at one month (§1950.5).

How long does a landlord have to return a deposit in California?

21 days after move-out, with an itemized statement, receipts for repair or cleaning charges over $125, and move-out photos. Withholding in bad faith can cost the landlord up to twice the amount wrongfully kept (§1950.5).

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