California sets no fixed dollar or percentage cap on rent late fees, but a late fee in a residential lease is treated as liquidated damages. Under Civil Code § 1671, such a fee is valid only if it reasonably estimates the landlord's actual loss from late payment; arbitrary penalty fees are unenforceable.
California has no statute setting a maximum late fee. Instead, a late fee is a liquidated-damages clause governed by Civil Code § 1671(d), which makes such provisions in residential leases "void except that the parties... may agree... upon an amount which shall be presumed to be the amount of damage sustained by a breach thereof, when, from the nature of the case, it would be impracticable or extremely difficult to fix the actual damage." California courts (e.g., Orozco v. Casimiro) have voided late fees that function as penalties rather than genuine estimates of the landlord's costs, such as administrative expense and lost use of funds. A fee unrelated to actual damages is unenforceable even if the lease recites it.
An unenforceable penalty late fee cannot be collected, and amounts already paid may be recoverable by the tenant. Relying on an unlawful penalty fee in an eviction can defeat the unlawful detainer if it inflates the rent demanded.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Santa Clarita, CA
Vehicles cannot be parked in the same street spot for more than 72 hours per state law (CVC 22651). RV use as housing prohibited.
Santa Clarita, CA
Santa Clarita restricts large commercial vehicles in residential zones. Heavy trucks, construction equipment, and oversized commercial vehicles may not be pa...
Santa Clarita, CA
Vehicles parked 72+ hours without moving on public streets may be reported as abandoned per CVC §22651. LA County Sheriff and city code enforcement handle co...
Santa Clarita, CA
Santa Clarita enforces street parking rules under SCMC Title 10. Vehicles may not park on residential streets for more than 72 hours. Posted restrictions var...
Santa Clarita, CA
EV charging supported by state mandates. AB 2097 prohibits parking minimums near transit. CALGreen requires EV-ready infrastructure in new construction.
Santa Clarita, CA
Pool barriers must meet CA Building Code requirements: 60-inch minimum height with self-closing, self-latching gates plus one additional safety feature.
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