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Look up the law on your security deposit

Here's how to look up your security deposit rights with ChatGPT or Claude: the current California statute text, the 21-day deadline, allowed deductions and penalties.

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    @Firecrawl My landlord in California kept my whole security deposit. Use Alexandria to pull the exact text of the California law on deposits and tell me what they had to do and by when.

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    What came back

    Claude Code (Claude Opus 5.5) sent back, word for word:

    Your landlord had 21 calendar days after you moved out to send you an itemized statement and return anything they didn't deduct. They can keep the deposit only for costs the law allows, and they have to back each charge up with paperwork. I pulled the current text of California Civil Code section 1950.5 from California Legislative Information through Firecrawl Alexandria. It was last amended by AB 414, effective January 1, 2026.

    What the law requiresSectionIn plain words
    Deadline(h)(1)The statement and any refund are due "no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant has vacated."
    Itemized statement(h)(1)It must show the basis for and the amount of each deduction.
    Receipts(h)(2)(A) to (C)Copies of bills, invoices or receipts. If the landlord did the work, the time spent and the hourly rate.
    Photos(g), (h)(2)(D)Photos of the unit after you left, before and after repairs, sent with any repair or cleaning deduction. Move-in photos are required for tenancies starting on or after July 1, 2025.
    Small charges(h)(4), (h)(5)Receipts aren't required if repairs and cleaning total $125 or less, but you can ask for them within 14 days of getting the statement.
    • What they can deduct, (b)(1) to (4): unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, cleaning back to move-in condition, and replacing missing property if the lease allows it.
    • What they can't, (e)(2): damage that was there before you, ordinary wear and tear, or professional carpet cleaning unless it was reasonably necessary.
    • Bad faith, (h)(7) and (m): a landlord who in bad faith skips these steps "shall not be entitled to claim any amount of the security." A court can also award up to twice the deposit in statutory damages on top of actual damages, and the landlord has to prove its charges were reasonable.
    • Where to sue, (o): small claims court. Under Code of Civil Procedure section 116.221, an individual can claim up to $12,500 there.
    • Your proof, (p): a canceled check, receipt or lease showing the deposit amount all count.

    This is the statute text, not legal advice. I didn't check city rent ordinances or court cases on what counts as bad faith, and both can matter. I can draft a written request to your landlord for the statement, receipts and photos if that would help.

    Sources usedRan Nov 4, 2026

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