Former Military Ordnance Disclosure Near a South Bay Rental: What Civil Code Section 1102.15 Actually Covers

Published August 10, 2026

Civil Code section 1102.15 requires a seller with actual knowledge of a former federal or state ordnance location within one mile to disclose it before transferring title. It sits inside the residential sale disclosure article and, on its plain text, does not extend to leases.

The short answer

Civil Code section 1102.15 requires a seller of residential real property who has actual knowledge of a former federal or state ordnance location within one mile of the property to disclose that fact before transferring title. It sits inside the article governing disclosures on the sale of residential property. On its plain text, it addresses transfers of title, not leases.

Last verified: August 10, 2026

Does this apply to a South Bay rental at all

This is the question worth answering plainly before anything else: no, not directly. Civil Code section 1102.15 sits in Article 1.5 of the Civil Code, titled "Disclosures Upon Transfer of Residential Property." The section itself is written around "the seller of residential real property" and disclosure "before transfer of title." A landlord signing a new lease is not transferring title, and the statute's language does not extend the duty to a lessor.

Where this law does reach a South Bay rental is one step removed. If a rental property owner is also selling the property, whether to a new investor or converting it out of the rental pool, section 1102.15 governs that sale. A tenant asking "does my landlord have to tell me about old military sites nearby" is asking a question this statute does not answer. That is a fair thing to say plainly rather than stretch the statute to cover it.

What the statute actually requires, for a sale

For a residential sale covered by this article, the seller must disclose actual knowledge of a former federal or state ordnance location within the "neighborhood area," which the statute defines as within one mile of the residential real property. A "former federal or state ordnance location" means an area identified by a federal or state agency or instrumentality as a location once used for military training purposes that may contain potentially explosive munitions.

Two limits matter for how this actually plays out:

Actual knowledge, not constructive knowledge. The duty attaches to what the seller actually knows, not what a diligent search would have turned up. A seller who has never heard of a nearby former training site is not on the hook for failing to disclose it, based on the statute's plain "actual knowledge" language.

Timing is "as soon as practicable." The statute requires disclosure as soon as practicable before transfer of title, rather than pinning it to a specific number of days. That is looser than some of the other numbered disclosure deadlines in California real estate law.

The statute also states it does not limit or abridge any disclosure obligation created by other law, meaning a seller cannot use compliance with this one section as a shield against a separate disclosure duty that might also apply.

Quick reference

| Element | What the statute says | Citation |

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

| Who must disclose | The seller of residential real property | Civil Code 1102.15 |

| Trigger | Actual knowledge of a former federal or state ordnance location | Civil Code 1102.15 |

| "Neighborhood area" | Within one mile of the property | Civil Code 1102.15 |

| Timing | As soon as practicable before transfer of title | Civil Code 1102.15 |

| Applies to leases | Not on the statute's plain text; it governs transfer of title | Civil Code 1102.15 |

| Interaction with other disclosure duties | Does not limit or abridge other disclosure laws | Civil Code 1102.15 |

Why a South Bay owner should still care

The South Bay has a long military and industrial history along the coast, from wartime aircraft manufacturing to Navy and Air Force facilities that have since closed or changed use. That history is exactly the kind of fact pattern this statute was written for. An owner who is planning to sell a property, rather than continue renting it, should check whether any agency has designated a former ordnance location within a mile before listing, since actual knowledge triggers the duty and ignorance built on not looking is a weaker position than ignorance built on actually checking and finding nothing.

For an owner who is only leasing, not selling, this statute is not the compliance item to lose sleep over. It belongs on the pre sale checklist, not the pre lease checklist.

A practical note for landlords who also sell

If you manage South Bay rentals and also buy and sell investment property in the same corridor, keep the two workflows separate:

1. For leasing, section 1102.15 does not apply on its text. Your lease disclosure obligations come from other statutes entirely, such as lead paint, bed bugs, and the general habitability duties.
2. For selling, check whether any state or federal agency has identified a former ordnance location within one mile of the property before you have a completed disclosure package ready, and disclose actual knowledge as soon as practicable before the transfer of title closes.
3. If you are uncertain whether a property near a former military installation carries this designation, that is a question for a title company or a real estate attorney handling the transaction, not a guess to make in a disclosure form.

FAQ

Does my Hawthorne, El Segundo, or Torrance landlord have to disclose former military sites to me as a tenant?

Based on the statute's text, Civil Code section 1102.15 governs the sale of residential real property, tied to transfer of title. It does not, on its plain language, create a disclosure duty running to a tenant under a lease.

What does "neighborhood area" mean under this statute?

Within one mile of the residential real property being sold.

Does the seller have to research whether a former ordnance site exists nearby, or only disclose what they already know?

The statute's trigger is actual knowledge. It does not, on the text retrieved, impose an independent duty to investigate.

When does the disclosure have to happen in a sale?

As soon as practicable before the transfer of title.

If a seller complies with section 1102.15, are they clear of every other disclosure law?

No. The statute states it does not limit or abridge any other disclosure obligation created by other law.

Is a former ordnance location the same thing as an active military base?

No. The statute defines it as an area once used for military training purposes that may contain potentially explosive munitions, which can include a site long since converted to other uses.

This is general information, not legal advice. If you are buying, selling, or leasing property near a site with any military history, confirm the applicable disclosure duties with a licensed real estate attorney or your title company before you rely on this article.

Topics: compliance, landlord law, disclosures, South Bay, real estate

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