Rental application & screening fee law in California
Dollar cap indexed to inflation
California caps tenant screening fees by statute and re-indexes the maximum to inflation every December. The fee must also reflect the landlord's actual out-of-pocket screening cost.
What the law says
California Civil Code section 1950.6 sets a statewide maximum on what a landlord may charge an applicant for tenant screening. The cap is adjusted to the Consumer Price Index every December, so the exact dollar limit changes from year to year. The statutory figure is a ceiling, not a default: the fee must reflect the landlord's actual out-of-pocket cost of gathering information about the applicant, and may be less than the cap.
Recent legislation (AB 2493) layered additional obligations on top of the cap, including refund rules and requirements around processing applications in the order qualified applicants apply.
Recent changes
The maximum re-indexes to inflation every December, so the current figure is published separately from the statute and moves annually.
Beyond the fee limit
The price rule is only part of the law. California also imposes these obligations:
- Landlords must accept an applicant's reusable (portable) tenant screening report in qualifying situations.
- Refund rules apply when an application is not processed (AB 2493).
- Applicants are entitled to an itemized receipt for the fee.
Read the law
Local rules in California
These California cities add their own screening-fee rules on top of state law:
- Berkeley — Berkeley sets its own maximum tenant screening fee, separate from — and currently higher than — California's statewide cap.
What's the actual limit in California?
Fee limits change with inflation adjustments, local ordinances, and new legislation. Use our free calculator to look up the current limit for your rental's ZIP code.
Calculate your fee limitsThis page is provided for general information only and is not legal advice. Fee rules change — caps re-index to inflation, new legislation takes effect, and cities adopt their own ordinances — so always confirm against the official statutory text linked above before relying on it. The federal Fair Housing Act applies everywhere, regardless of state or local fee rules.