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Do California landlords have to offer an inspection before the tenant moves out?

DoorKeeping team

3 min read

Yes. Under California Civil Code section 1950.5(f), the landlord must tell the tenant in writing that the tenant may request an initial inspection, no earlier than two weeks before the lease ends. The landlord gives at least 48 hours of written notice of the date and time, then gives the tenant an itemized statement of repairs and cleaning, so the tenant can fix those items before leaving and avoid a deduction.

What subdivision (f) requires

California Civil Code section 1950.5 is the state's security deposit statute. Subdivision (f) is the initial inspection rule, and it reads like a short procedure.

  1. The landlord notifies the tenant in writing of the tenant's option to request an initial inspection.
  2. If the tenant asks, the inspection happens at a reasonable time, no earlier than two weeks before the termination or end of lease date.
  3. The landlord gives at least 48 hours of prior written notice of the date and time.
  4. The landlord proceeds with the inspection whether the tenant is present or not.
  5. Based on the inspection, the landlord gives the tenant an itemized statement specifying repairs or cleanings that are proposed as deductions.
  6. The tenant has the opportunity, after the inspection, to remedy the items listed, and a deduction can then be avoided for what the tenant fixes.

The statute ties the list to what it allows as deductions in the first place: damage to the premises beyond ordinary wear and tear, and cleaning needed to return the unit to the same level of cleanliness it had at the start of the tenancy.

Why landlords should like this rule

The inspection lets you see the unit before the real move-out. A tenant who fixes a damaged blind or cleans the oven has done your work for free. A tenant who ignores the list has been warned in writing, which helps your deposit statement later. Disputes shrink because both sides saw the same list.

After the tenant leaves

Subdivision (h) sets a deadline of no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates to return the deposit, with an itemized statement of deductions. Receipts or bills are required for repairs and cleaning, with photographs, unless the deductions for repairs and cleaning together do not exceed $125. Subdivision (g) requires photographs before and after any repair or cleaning that supports a deduction.

A bad-faith retention can lead to statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the security, in addition to actual damages, under subdivision (m).

Example a made-up tenant's lease ends June 30. The notice of the right to an inspection goes out June 10, and the tenant asks for one. The landlord sends written notice on June 12 for an inspection at 10 a.m. on June 14, at least 48 hours ahead. The list shows $90 of carpet spot cleaning and a $35 blind. The tenant fixes both by June 28, so the deductions are $0. If the tenant had not, the landlord would deduct $90 + $35 = $125, supported by photos, and would be at the $125 threshold where receipts are not required.

What to put on the inspection list

  • Each item you propose to charge, with its room, a photo and a plain description.
  • Whether the item is damage or ordinary wear, so you do not list wear as a deduction.
  • A note that the tenant may fix it before leaving, and by what date.
  • An estimate of the cost if the tenant does not fix it, kept to a reasonable amount.

How DoorKeeping handles it

Store the notice of the right to an inspection, the 48-hour notice, the itemized list and the photos with the lease in the unit's documents, and email the tenant copies. The dates are the property's local calendar days, so the 21-day count starts on the day the tenant vacated. A deposit refund is a payment, so it waits for your one-tap approval.

Sources

  1. California Civil Code section 1950.5, security deposits, read Oct 30, 2026

Questions

Does the tenant have to take the inspection?
No, it is the tenant's option. The landlord must offer it in writing, and must proceed whether the tenant is present or not.
Can I charge for items I find after the initial inspection?
Only for damage that is new after the inspection, such as damage on the way out. Anything you could have listed at the inspection is harder to charge later.
Is this the same in other states?
No. Virginia, for example, lets a tenant ask in writing to be present at a move-out inspection within 72 hours of delivery of possession, which is a different process. Check your state.

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