Updated September 27, 2023
A California rental application is often used by a landlord or property management company when seeking a viable candidate for a rental property. This application will help the prospective tenant to present their information in an organized manner for approval. The landlord may require a non-refundable fee and should receive an answer from the landlord shortly (1-2 days). Once approved, the tenant will be issued a lease to sign.
Laws
- Application Fee – The maximum fee a landlord can charge a tenant is updated annually per the Consumer Price Index (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.6). In December 2022, the fee was adjusted to a maximum of $59.67 (www.caanet.org/kb/max-screening-fee/).
- Security Deposit – California landlords cannot charge an amount exceeding two (2) months’ rent for unfurnished properties, or three (3) months’ rent for furnished properties (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(c)).