California AB 12, effective July 2024, caps residential security deposits at one month of rent for most Riverside County landlords. Small landlords owning two or fewer properties may collect up to two months on unfurnished units.
Civil Code section 1950.5 governs deposits statewide. The pre-2024 rule allowed two months for unfurnished and three for furnished units, but AB 12 reduced the standard cap to a single month regardless of furnishing. Landlords with no more than two residential rental properties totaling no more than four units retain the higher two-month cap if they hold title in their personal name or through a revocable trust. Itemized deductions are required within twenty-one days of move-out, and tenants in Riverside County may sue for the deposit plus statutory damages of up to twice the deposit if the landlord acts in bad faith.
Withholding more than allowed exposes landlords to small-claims judgments for the full deposit plus up to two times the deposit as bad-faith damages.
See how Temecula's security deposit rules rules stack up against other locations.
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