Enter the date the tenant moved out to calculate day 21 of the Civil Code §1950.5 accounting timeline, plus a downloadable calendar reminder. The tool shows unadjusted day 21 so you can plan to send the statement and return any remaining deposit by then.
By Deposit Docket · Reviewed against California Civil Code §1950.5 as of .
The date the tenant vacated or returned the keys — not the lease end date.
Count every calendar day after the tenant vacates, including weekends and holidays in between. This calculator does not adjust day 21 for last-day holiday rules. Check Code of Civil Procedure §12a before relying on an extension. For the accounting and refund requirements, see Civil Code §1950.5(h). General information, not legal advice.
Count 21 calendar days, including intervening weekends and holidays. This tool shows unadjusted day 21 as a planning date. California Code of Civil Procedure §12a provides an extension when the last day is a qualifying holiday, including Saturday; check the applicable rule before relying on extra time.
Civil Code §1950.5(h)(1) measures from the date the tenant vacates. Enter that date; if the vacate date or return of possession is disputed, resolve it before relying on this calculation.
Provide the itemized statement and return any remaining deposit within the statutory timeline. Repair and cleaning deductions together exceeding $125 generally require supporting cost documents; §1950.5(h) also covers photographs, documentation exceptions, delivery methods, and estimates.
Missing the deadline can expose a landlord to a claim for return of the deposit. Section 1950.5(h)(7) bars claims against the deposit for bad-faith noncompliance, and §1950.5(m) permits additional statutory damages for bad faith.
California law permits a good-faith estimate in specified circumstances when the work or documentation cannot reasonably be completed within 21 calendar days, with follow-up documentation generally due within 14 calendar days after completion.
Property managers, landlord associations, and California tenant-law writers are welcome to drop this into a post. No key, no tracking script, no account — paste the snippet and it works. All we ask is that the attribution link stays.
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Bring the itemized statement, deduction totals, photos, and cost records into one PDF.
Follow the accounting, refund, and estimate follow-up timeline.
Document the starting condition and the required before-and-after repair photos.
Build a record of each charge, its evidence, and the amount returned.
Check draft deductions for possible gaps in amounts, records, photos, and timing.
Check the combined repair and cleaning threshold, documentation, and estimate rules.
Start the packet on move-in day, so the 21-day deadline is a formality, not a scramble.