How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee in California?
In California, an application screening fee may not exceed $30, adjusted each year since 1 January 1998 for increases in the Consumer Price Index — the statute itself publishes no adjusted figure. This is Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.6.
| What | California |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $30, adjusted for inflation since 1998 |
Source
Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.6
Read the statute in the California Codes (California Legislative Information): leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.
Checked against the statute on September 11, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
This page states what the state allows a landlord to charge somebody applying to rent, so a fee can be checked against it before it is advertised or collected.
Guides on this rule
- FCRA Adverse Action Notices: What Landlords Must Tell Applicants — When a screening report leads you to deny an applicant or ask for more, the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires a notice. What it must say, with the statute.
- Reusable Tenant Screening Reports: When Landlords Must Accept Them — Colorado requires landlords to accept a portable screening report; California, Maryland and Washington set disclosure and fee rules; New York waives the fee.
- Tenant Screening: What Landlords Need to Know — How to screen rental applicants fairly and legally: credit and background checks, consistent criteria, the FCRA’s adverse action notice and fair housing.
Compare this rule in every state
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