Does a home seller have to disclose the property’s condition in California?
In California, the seller of single-family residential property must deliver the completed Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement to the buyer as soon as practicable before title transfers, and a buyer who receives it after making an offer may terminate the offer by written notice within three days of delivery in person or five days of delivery by mail or electronic record. Any waiver of these requirements is void as against public policy. They do not apply to court-ordered and foreclosure sales, to most sales by a fiduciary administering a trust or estate, or to transfers between co-owners or to a spouse or a relative by blood. Federal law separately requires a lead-based paint disclosure when selling most homes built before 1978. This is Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1102, 1102.2, 1102.3, 1102.6.
| What | California |
|---|---|
| Seller disclosure | Required before closing; 3 days to cancel if late |
| Kind of rule | A written property condition statement is required |
What the statute says
“The seller of any single-family real property subject to this article shall deliver to the prospective buyer the completed written statement required by this article, as follows: (a) In the case of a sale, as soon as practicable before transfer of title.”
Quoted word for word from the section’s text.
Source
Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1102, 1102.2, 1102.3, 1102.6
Read the statute in the California Codes (California Legislative Information): leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.
Checked against the statute on November 15, 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 the state’s rule so the costs and paperwork of a sale can be checked against it before a contract is signed. An owner on Seayora keeps each property’s owners of record and its documents in one place.
Guides on this rule
- Seller Disclosure Requirements by State — Whether a home seller must give a written property condition disclosure, with the rule in each of the 48 jurisdictions with a statute.
Compare this rule in every state
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