California · Amendment · Free to generate and download
California Lease Amendment
Change one or two terms without rewriting the whole lease. In California, rent increases, term extensions, and added occupants are the usual reasons. If the property is under AB 1482 or local rent control, a rent hike still has to fit those limits.
- Unchanged terms of the original lease stay in force.
- Both parties (all landlords and all tenants on the original lease) should sign.
- Do not use an amendment to waive habitability or required disclosures.
Related California documents
- California Residential Lease Agreement. A fixed-term residential rental contract built around the property’s state rules.
- California Notice of Rent Increase. Written 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 Addendum. An 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 Pet Addendum. An add-on to an existing lease that names the animals, pet deposit or rent, and care rules. Assistance animals are not pets.
- California Lease Renewal Offer. A written offer to renew an existing residential lease for a new term and rent.
Frequently asked questions
Plain-language answers about California amendment papers. LeaseGen.io is not a law firm. Confirm current statutes before anyone signs.
- What is a lease amendment?
- A lease amendment is a short writing that changes specific terms of an existing lease — rent, end date, occupants, pets, or parking — without rewriting the whole contract.
- Do both parties have to sign an amendment in California?
- Yes. An unsigned draft does not change the lease. Keep the original lease and attach signed amendments so the full agreement is clear later.
- Can an amendment waive deposit-return rules?
- No. 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. An amendment cannot strip away mandatory California landlord-tenant protections.