California doesn't require a written lease for every rental, but a month-to-month agreement is still a contract, and a lease of more than a year must be in writing. A written lease that covers the points below protects both sides and makes every later conversation easier.
The basics
- Parties: the landlord or manager, and every adult who will live there. Each adult should sign.
- Property: address, unit number, parking spaces, storage, and any furniture or appliances included.
- Term: a fixed term with start and end dates, or month-to-month.
- Rent: the amount, the due date, and where and how to pay. A landlord must allow at least one way to pay that isn't cash or electronic transfer, and can require cash only in limited cases after a bounced payment (Civil Code 1947.3).
- Manager and notices: the name and address of the person authorized to manage the property and receive notices and rent (Civil Code 1962).
Money terms
- Security deposit within the legal cap, refundable, with how it will be returned. See our deposit guide.
- Late fee, if any, written as a reasonable estimate of the landlord's costs. See our late fee guide.
- Returned payment fee within the legal limit.
- Utilities: which ones the tenant pays, and a disclosure if meters are shared with other units (Civil Code 1940.9).
Fill in California rental forms
Rental agreements, 3-day notices to pay or quit, notices of entry, receipts and more, filled in from your property details.
See documents →Rules for living there
- Pets: allowed or not, limits, pet deposit and pet rent, and a note that assistance animals are handled separately. See our pets guide.
- Repairs and maintenance: how to request repairs, who handles yard care, filters and smoke alarm batteries.
- Entry: the landlord's right to enter with notice under Civil Code 1954.
- Occupancy and subletting: who may live there and whether subletting needs written consent.
- Smoking: multi-unit buildings must state where smoking is and isn't allowed (Civil Code 1947.5).
- Owner move-in: for covered units, if you might ever need the home back for yourself or family, the lease should say so. See legal reasons for eviction.
Required disclosures
Depending on the property, California and federal law require disclosures such as:
- Lead-based paint, for homes built before 1978 (federal law)
- Known mold that exceeds permissible limits
- Bed bug information (Civil Code 1954.603)
- Pesticide use by a licensed pest control operator
- The Megan's Law database notice (Civil Code 2079.10a)
- Whether the property is in a special flood hazard area, if known (Government Code 8589.45)
- Demolition permits that have been applied for
- Former military ordnance locations nearby, if known
- A death in the unit within the past three years, if asked (Civil Code 1710.2)
The AB 1482 exemption notice
A single-family home or condo owned by an individual can be exempt from the state rent cap and just cause rules, but only if the lease includes the exact notice the law requires (Civil Code 1947.12). For leases signed since July 1, 2020, it must be in the lease itself. Without it, the home is treated as covered.
What's new for 2026
- Stove and refrigerator (AB 628). For leases signed, renewed or amended on or after January 1, 2026, the landlord must provide a working stove and refrigerator. The tenant can agree when signing to supply their own refrigerator.
- Deposit refunds (AB 414). If the tenant paid the deposit or rent electronically, the refund generally goes back electronically unless both agree otherwise in writing.
- Translation. If you negotiated the lease mainly in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese or Korean, you must offer a translation in that language before signing (Civil Code 1632).
Your city may require more, such as a rent registry number or a notice of tenant rights. Many landlords start from a current California association form and have an attorney review any custom terms.
Ask Tello about California rental rules
Tello, the AI assistant inside EC Rental, knows California rental law and your account, and points you to the rule behind each answer.
Meet Tello →Last checked October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can be stricter, so check the current law or ask a California landlord-tenant attorney before acting.