Do this today
- Photograph the empty unit and the keys as you return them.
- Give a forwarding address in writing.
- Keep the lease, the deduction list, and proof of mailing.
- Open the California deposit chapter before you treat a blog as the clock.
Who sets the deposit rule in San Francisco?
Usually California — California Civil Code — hiring of real property. Some cities add their own itemization or holding rules. The San Francisco Rent Board is the local forum for covered units. Ask them whether your unit is under the Rent Ordinance. This desk names the chapter. It does not reprint a cap or a day-count.
What evidence actually matters?
Move-in and move-out photos with dates, the lease, the forwarding address you gave, proof you returned the keys, and any deduction list. A text argument without photos is a weak file.
The San Francisco layer
The San Francisco Rent Board is the local forum for covered units. Ask them whether your unit is under the Rent Ordinance.
California Civil Code — hiring of real property (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1940 to 1954.06) is the California floor. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.
San Francisco questions
How do I get my security deposit back in San Francisco?
Photograph the unit, return the keys as the lease requires, and give a forwarding address in writing. The clock and the cap live mainly in California Civil Code — hiring of real property. The San Francisco Rent Board is the local forum for covered units. Ask them whether your unit is under the Rent Ordinance.
Does San Francisco set its own deposit deadline?
Sometimes a city adds a rule; often it does not. The San Francisco Rent Board is the local forum for covered units. Ask them whether your unit is under the Rent Ordinance. Confirm with San Francisco Rent Board and the California chapter. We do not invent a day-count.
What number should I call in San Francisco?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. City services: 311. Court papers: LawHelp.org the same day. San Francisco Rent Board does not replace legal aid when a case is filed.
National answers on this desk
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org