2025 New California Tenant Laws
Most new state laws take effect 1/1/202, some take effect later. Here are some of the most significant ones.
Assembly Bill 2347 - Eviction timelines
Extends the time a tenant has to respond to an unlawful detainer (eviction) from 5 days to 10 days. Weekends and holidays where the courts are closed do not count towards the 10 day deadline.
Afterwards, when the case is in court, AB 2347 shortens the time for a tenant's attorney to file certain types of motions in court.
Full text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2347
Assembly Bill 2493 - Application Screening Fees
Landlords must either:
1. Rent to the first qualified tenant that applies:
- Completed applications are considered, as provided for in the landlord’s established screening criteria, in the order in which the completed applications were received. The landlord’s screening criteria shall be provided to the applicant in writing together with the application form.
- The first applicant who meets the landlord’s established screening criteria is approved for tenancy.
- Applicants are not charged an application screening fee unless or until their application is actually considered.
OR
2. If using any other selection process: Return the entire screening fee to any applicant who is not selected for tenancy, regardless of the reason, within 7 days of selecting an applicant for tenancy or 30 days of when the application was submitted, whichever occurs first.
Also, application fees cannot be charged if no unit is currently available or available within a reasonable period of time.
Full text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2493
Assembly Bill 2757 - Credit Reporting
Tenants may now request that their landlord report their positive rental payment information reported to at least one nationwide consumer reporting agency, so that their history of on-time rent payments can help build their credit.
Notes:
Goes into effect April 1, 2025.
Landlords may charge tenants the cost of providing this service, up to $10 a month.
AB 2757 does not apply to a landlord of a building with 15 or fewer dwelling units, unless the landlord owns more than one residential rental building, and is a REIT, corporation, or an LLC where at least one member is a corporation.
Full text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2747
Assembly Bill 2801 - Security Deposits
Limits claims against the tenant or the security deposit to the amount necessary to restore the premises back to the condition it was in at the inception of the tenancy, exclusive of ordinary wear and tear.
Landlords cannot charge for professional carpet cleaning or other professional cleaning services, unless reasonably necessary to return the premises to the condition it was in at the inception of tenancy, exclusive of ordinary wear and tear.
Photo Documentation required for security deposit deductions starting later this year:
Starting April 1, 2025, landlords are required to take photos after the tenant moves out but before repairs/cleaning, and also after the work is done.
Starting July 1, 2025, landlords are also required to take photos immediately before or right when new tenants move in.
For full details of AB 2801, please see https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2801
Senate Bill 611 - Bans certain junk fees and also requires disclosures if landlord charges a military service member a higher security deposit
Landlords cannot charge a fee for paying by check, and are also prohibited from charging fees for certain notices.
Requires a landlord that charges a higher security deposit on a service member tenant based on the service member’s history of poor credit or of causing damage to rental property to clearly disclose the amount and the reasoning in the lease agreement. The landlord is required to refund the additional amount within six months if the tenant is not in arrears for any rent due and that date shall also be set forth in the lease agreement.
Full text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB611
Senate Bill 1051 - Expands the right for domestic violence survivors to change have locks changed
Landlord must change locks within 24 hours after tenant provides a Tenant Statement and Qualified Third Party Statement (See link here for standard text for such a statement).
If landlord doesn't meet the 24-hour deadline, tenant can change locks, notify property owner, provide landlord the new key, and be reimbursed for their cost.
Full text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB1051
Senate Bill 1465 - Protections for tenants living in non-residential spaces
Clarifies that habitability protections and landlord tenant protections apply to properties even if the space isn't officially housing, such as a shed or warehouse. Protections would apply to any unit rented by a tenant for human habitation (living in), regardless of the zoning designation or approved uses of the building.
Code enforcement officer to work with a property owner to identify code enforcement violations and bring the properties up to code.
Tenants in these nonresidential buildings are entitled to relocation assistance and retaliation protections for raising habitability complaints.
Full text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB1465