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California rental documents

State-specific leases, notices, checklists, and addenda for a California rental. Legal notes last reviewed 2026-08-15. LeaseGen.io is not a law firm.

Deposit cap: 1× rent
Deposit return: 21 days
Pay-or-quit: 3 days
Pet deposit: Counts toward cap

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California Residential Lease AgreementA fixed-term residential rental contract built around the property’s state rules.
California Month-to-Month Rental AgreementA periodic tenancy that continues until either party gives proper notice.
California Sublease AgreementAn agreement for a tenant to rent all or part of the premises to a subtenant.
California Roommate AgreementA private agreement among occupants who share a rental. It does not replace the master lease.
California Lease AmendmentA short writing that changes named terms of an existing residential lease.
California Move-In Condition ChecklistA condition inventory completed at move-in. It is not a lease.
California Eviction NoticeA written pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or termination notice. It is not a court summons and does not authorize a lockout.
California Pet AddendumAn add-on to an existing lease that names the animals, pet deposit or rent, and care rules. Assistance animals are not pets.
California Security Deposit ItemizationA written accounting of deposit deductions and any refund due after move-out.
California Notice of Intent to EnterWritten notice that the landlord intends to enter at a stated time for a lawful purpose.
California Lease Renewal OfferA written offer to renew an existing residential lease for a new term and rent.
California Notice of Rent IncreaseWritten notice that rent will change on a stated date. It is not an eviction and not a substitute for a signed amendment or renewal.
California Guarantor / Co-Signer AddendumAn add-on to an existing lease in which another person guarantees the tenant’s rent and other lease duties. It does not make the guarantor a tenant.
California Rent ReceiptA written record that rent was paid for a stated period. It is not a lease and not a waiver of other amounts still due.
California Security Deposit ReceiptA written record that a security deposit was received. It is not the itemized accounting due after move-out.

Statewide rules of thumb

Most California landlords may collect no more than one month’s rent as a security deposit, furnished or not. A qualifying small landlord (a natural person, or an LLC owned only by natural persons, with no more than two rental properties totaling four or fewer units) may collect up to two months’ rent unless the tenant is a service member, who stays at one month. Unused deposit must generally be returned within 21 days after the tenant vacates.

For a month-to-month tenancy, 30 days’ written notice is typical if the tenant has lived in the unit less than one year; 60 days if one year or more (Civ. Code § 1946.1). Local just-cause ordinances and statewide AB 1482 can require a lawful reason to terminate.

Except in an emergency, landlords generally must give reasonable written notice before entry. 24 hours is presumed reasonable (Civ. Code § 1954).

California Civil Code section 827 generally requires 30 days’ written notice if the increase is 10% or less of the lowest rent charged in the prior 12 months, and 90 days if the increase is more than 10%. AB 1482 and local rent-control rules can also cap how much rent may go up, even when the notice period is met.

LeaseGen.io is not a law firm. These notes are educational summaries, not advice. Confirm current statutes before anyone signs.

California disclosure checklist

Last reviewed 2026-08-15. Confirm current statutes before you rely on this list.

Megan’s Law database noticeRequired
Every residential lease must include the statutory notice pointing tenants to meganslaw.ca.gov. The wording is prescribed and should not be paraphrased.
Civ. Code § 2079.10a
Bed bug informationRequired
Provide written information on bed bug identification, behavior, and how to report a suspected infestation before the tenancy begins.
Civ. Code § 1954.603
Smoking policyRequired
Disclose whether smoking is allowed on the property and in which areas, if any.
Civ. Code § 1947.5
AB 1482 / Tenant Protection Act noticeRequired
State whether the tenancy is covered by statewide rent-cap and just-cause rules, or quote the statutory exemption language if you claim an exemption.
Civ. Code §§ 1946.2, 1947.12
Lead-based paint (pre-1978)If it applies
For housing built before 1978, give the federal lead pamphlet, disclose known hazards, and get a signed acknowledgment. This generator includes the lease clause; you still must deliver the EPA pamphlet.
42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 24 CFR Part 35
Flood hazard disclosureIf it applies
Disclose if the owner has actual knowledge that the property is in a special flood hazard area or an area of potential flooding.
Gov. Code § 8589.45
Mold disclosureIf it applies
Disclose visible mold that exceeds a de minimis amount if the landlord knows of it and it is not already obvious.
Health & Safety Code § 26147
Death on the propertyIf it applies
No affirmative duty to disclose a death that occurred more than three years earlier. Deaths within three years should be disclosed if asked, and many landlords disclose them anyway.
Civ. Code § 1710.2

California rental documents

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