California Move-In Cost Calculator Excel, Security Deposit Cap Checker, Screening Fee Refund Tracker, CA Landlord

Check the California deposit cap and screening fee before move-in. Excel for CA landlords. Example: cap $5,200, charges $5,950, over by $750.

Before you sign a California lease, you need to know how much you are allowed to collect. This workbook adds up everything that counts as security (deposit, pet deposit, last month's rent, admin and move-in fees), compares it with the cap, and shows the result in one cell: PASS or OVER BY $x. It also checks your tenant screening fee, works out refund-by dates, and prints a one-page move-in cost summary for your tenant.

WHO IT IS FOR
Small California landlords who manage their own rentals and want to check the numbers before they collect them.

WHAT IT CHECKS
- Deposit cap: rent, owner type, number of properties and units, and whether the tenant is a service member give a cap of 1 or 2 months. Every charge is listed and totalled against it. A row the lease calls "nonrefundable" is flagged. A lease that starts before 2024-07-01 is labelled instead of checked.
- Screening fee: the fee limit per applicant (an input you can change), your actual cost, and the allowed amount. Pick the first-come or full-refund process and each applicant gets a refund amount and a refund-by date. It also lists the credit report copy date and flags a missing itemized receipt.
- First month: prorated rent for a lease that starts mid-month, 30-day or actual-day basis.
- Move-in cost summary: one printable page with the itemized charges, the total due, the due date and signature lines. If the security total is over the cap, a red warning on that page says not to hand it to the tenant until you fix the charges, so an over-cap total does not go out unflagged.
- Move-In Photo Log and Checklist: a simple list for the move-in photos and the steps to finish before keys are handed over.

WHAT YOU GET
- Example workbook with sample data (tagged EXAMPLE DATA)
- Blank workbook with the same formulas, ready for your unit
- HOW-TO-USE.pdf (2 pages)
- 8 tabs: Start Here, Inputs, Deposit Cap Check, Screening Fee Check, Move-In Cost Summary, Move-In Photo Log, Rules, Checklist
- Excel only. No macros. Plain formulas.

EXAMPLE FIGURES (sample data, not an average)
Rent $2,600. Cap 2 months = $5,200. Charges add up to $5,950, so the result reads OVER BY $750.00. First month prorated $1,386.67; total due at move-in $7,336.67.

SOURCES (statute points, with the section letters; read 2026-10-29)
- Civ. Code 1950.5(b), (c)(1): what counts as security and the one-month cap
- 1950.5(c)(5)(A) and (B): the two-month exception for small owners, and the service member exclusion
- 1950.5(c)(4) and (c)(6): higher amount for a service member (written statement), and the July 1, 2024 start
- 1950.5(g)(1): move-in photos for tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025
- 1950.5(n): a lease may not call any security "nonrefundable"
- Civ. Code 1950.6(b), (c)(1), (c)(2)(A)-(B), (d), (e), (f): screening fee limit, the two processes, itemized receipt, unused portion, credit report copy
The Rules tab shows these in plain words with the official links. The statute text was read on a public mirror, not the official site, so check the official text before you rely on it.

Not legal advice. State law only. Check your city: some cities set lower amounts or add rules such as deposit interest.

Pairs with the Security Deposit Tracker (sold separately), which follows each deposit through move-out.

FAQ
Q: Does it tell me what I am allowed to charge?
A: It checks the numbers you enter against the points of the statute listed on the Rules tab and shows PASS or OVER BY $x. The decision, and any legal question, stay with you and your attorney.

Q: Is the screening fee figure official?
A: The state publishes no figure. The example uses $68.96 from the Berkeley Rent Board page, read 2026-10-29. It is an input: type the current number you have confirmed.

Q: Do pet deposits and last month's rent count?
A: The workbook counts every charge you mark as security, including pet deposit, last month's rent paid in advance and admin or move-in fees. Check the Rules tab for the reading used.

Q: What about city rules?
A: The workbook covers state law only. Some cities add limits. Check yours.

Q: Does it work in Google Sheets?
A: Built and checked for Excel. The formulas are plain, so it should open in Sheets, but that is not tested here.

Moving someone out later? The California Security Deposit Deadline Cheat Sheet ($0.20) counts the 21 days.

Scope: this checker follows California state law only; city rules may differ.