California · Move-out checklist · Free to generate and download
California Move-Out Condition Checklist
Walk the California unit at surrender and write down condition before you send the deposit accounting. Unused deposit is generally due within 21 days (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 (AB 12, effective July 1, 2024)). Compare this list to the move-in checklist.
- Usual return clock: 21 days.
- Ordinary wear and tear is not deductible.
- Ask for a written forwarding address and record whether keys were returned.
Related California documents
- California Move-In Condition Checklist. A condition inventory completed at move-in. It is not a lease.
- California Security Deposit Itemization. A written accounting of deposit deductions and any refund due after move-out.
- California Security Deposit Receipt. A written record that a security deposit was received. It is not the itemized accounting due after move-out.
- California Notice to Vacate. Written notice that a tenancy will end on a stated date. It is not a pay-or-quit, not a court filing, and not a lockout.
- California Residential Lease Agreement. A fixed-term residential rental contract built around the property’s state rules.
Frequently asked questions
Plain-language answers about California move-out checklist papers. LeaseGen.io is not a law firm. Confirm current statutes before anyone signs.
- What is a move-out checklist?
- It records unit condition when the tenant surrenders possession. Use it alongside the move-in list before you send the deposit accounting. 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.
- When is the deposit due back in California?
- Unused deposit money is generally due within 21 days after the tenancy ends, with an itemized list of lawful deductions (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 (AB 12, effective July 1, 2024)). Ask for a forwarding address in writing.
- Is the move-out checklist the same as deposit itemization?
- No. The checklist documents condition. Itemization is the formal accounting that states what you kept from the deposit and why. You may need both.