New Fee Transparency Rules for California Rental Listings: What the Law Actually Requires

Published August 10, 2026

There is no California law called AB 747 governing rental fee disclosure. The bill widely cited under that name is a service of process reform act. The real fee transparency requirements for South Bay landlords come from AB 12 and SB 611, both amending Civil Code section 1950.5.

The short answer

There is no California law called AB 747 that governs rental listing fee disclosure. The bill by that number in the 2025-2026 session is the Service of Process Accountability, Reform and Equity Act, unrelated to rental advertising. The real rules that limit what a South Bay landlord can charge and how a security deposit is capped come from AB 12 and SB 611, both amending Civil Code section 1950.5.

Last verified: August 10, 2026

Why "AB 747" keeps showing up in landlord blog posts

Search "AB 747 California rental" and you will find property management blogs stating it requires disclosing total monthly cost in advertising. We checked the bill directly on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. AB 747, authored by Assemblymember Kalra in the 2025-2026 session, amends the Business and Professions Code and the Code of Civil Procedure. It is about registering process servers, GPS-stamped proof of service photographs, and default judgment challenges in unlawful detainer cases. It says nothing about rent, fees, or listings.

This reads like a citation that started wrong once and got repeated across enough sites to look like settled fact. It is not. If a source cites "AB 747" for a rental fee rule, that source has not checked the bill text. We could not find a 2025-2026 bill that imposes a statewide duty to disclose total monthly cost at first advertising contact. If one exists under a different number, verify it at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov before changing your listing copy.

What actually governs fees and deposits right now

Two bills, both already law, do the real work.

AB 12 (2023-2024, Assemblymember Haney). Effective July 1, 2024, it rewrote Civil Code section 1950.5(c). The general rule: a landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit worth more than one month's rent, on top of first month's rent itself. A narrow exception lets a small landlord charge up to two months' rent. To qualify, the landlord must be a natural person, or an LLC where every member is a natural person, and must own no more than two residential rental properties totaling no more than four units. The two-month exception does not apply if the tenant is a member of the military.

SB 611 (2023-2024, Senator Menjivar). Approved September 19, 2024, it added specific fee bans. A landlord may not charge a tenant a fee for serving, posting, or delivering a notice, under Civil Code sections 1946(b) and 1946.1(i). A landlord may not charge a fee for paying rent or a deposit by check, under section 1947.3(b). SB 611 also added a service member protection to section 1950.5(c)(4): if a landlord charges a service member more than the standard or advertised deposit, the landlord must give a written statement of the higher amount and the reason, and must return the extra amount after no more than six months if the tenant is not in arrears.

The deposit cap at a glance

| Landlord type | Maximum security deposit | Source |

|---|---|---|

| Standard landlord | One month's rent | Civil Code section 1950.5(c)(1), as amended by AB 12 |

| Small landlord (natural person or all-natural-person LLC, 2 or fewer properties, 4 or fewer units) | Two months' rent | Civil Code section 1950.5(c)(5)(A), as amended by AB 12 |

| Any landlord, tenant is a service member | One month's rent, small landlord exception does not apply | Civil Code section 1950.5(c), as amended by AB 12 |

| Lease term six months or longer | Landlord may also collect advance rent of up to six months, separate from the deposit cap | Civil Code section 1950.5(c)(2) |

What SB 478's junk fee law does and does not reach

You may also see California's broader "Honest Pricing Law," SB 478, cited for rental listings. It took effect July 1, 2024 and added Civil Code section 1770(a)(29), making it unlawful to advertise a price that excludes mandatory fees, with carve-outs for government-imposed taxes and shipping. Its drafted exceptions name vehicle rentals and leases specifically. Residential tenancies are not named as covered transactions, and the Consumer Legal Remedies Act that houses section 1770 has a history of being read narrowly around real property leases. We could not confirm from the bill text that SB 478 reaches residential rental advertising. Treat that as unsettled and confirm with counsel.

What this means for your listing copy

Even without a dedicated "disclose total cost" statute, the deposit cap and fee bans already constrain what you can advertise and charge. If your deposit ad copy says "two months' security" and you are not a small landlord under the AB 12 definition, that number invites a dispute. You cannot charge a tenant to serve a notice or to accept a check. If you are renting to a service member and plan to charge above the standard deposit, you need the written explanation SB 611 requires and a six month clock on returning the difference. Fees outside these two statutes are still governed by ordinary contract principles, so put the number in the lease, not just a verbal quote.

FAQ

Is AB 747 a real California law?

Yes, but it has nothing to do with rental listings. It is the Service of Process Accountability, Reform and Equity Act, changing how legal papers are served in unlawful detainer cases, not how rentals are advertised.

What is the actual maximum security deposit in California right now?

One month's rent for most landlords, two months' rent for a qualifying small landlord, under Civil Code section 1950.5(c) as amended by AB 12, effective July 1, 2024.

Can I still charge a fee for serving an eviction notice or accepting a check?

No. SB 611 bans both, under Civil Code sections 1946(b), 1946.1(i), and 1947.3(b).

Does California require me to disclose total monthly cost the moment someone contacts me about a listing?

We could not confirm a statewide statute requiring this. If you have seen it claimed under "AB 747," that citation is wrong. Check leginfo.legislature.ca.gov for any newer bill before changing your process.

Is the security deposit cap different if my tenant is in the military?

Yes. The small landlord exception does not apply to a service member tenant, and any deposit above the standard amount requires a written explanation and a six month return clock under section 1950.5(c)(4).

This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements against the bill text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov and against your own lease with a licensed attorney before changing your listing or deposit practices.

Topics: compliance, landlord law, security deposits, South Bay, fee disclosure

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