The Move In Inspection Checklist a Torrance Landlord Should Use

Published August 10, 2026

California landlords have documented move-in condition informally for years, but Civil Code section 1950.5 now requires photographs at the start of tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025. That move-in photo duty is separate from the pre move-out initial inspection the same section has long required. A Torrance landlord needs both, done correctly and at the right time.

The short answer

Two different inspections get confused constantly. Civil Code section 1950.5(g) requires photographs at move-in for tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025. Section 1950.5(f) requires a separate pre move-out initial inspection, offered when either party gives notice to end the tenancy, with an itemized statement of proposed deductions and a chance for the tenant to fix problems before they leave. A Torrance landlord needs a process for both.

Last verified: August 10, 2026

Two provisions, two purposes, one section

The confusion is understandable because both duties live in the same statute, Civil Code section 1950.5, the security deposit law. But they serve opposite ends of the tenancy and different goals.

The move-in photograph requirement, subdivision (g). For tenancies that begin on or after July 1, 2025, the landlord must take photographs of the unit immediately before, or at the inception of, the tenancy. This creates a contemporaneous record of condition before the tenant moves anything in, so later disputes over damage versus preexisting condition have something better than memory to rely on. This duty runs at the start of the tenancy and has nothing to do with the tenant leaving.

The pre move-out inspection, subdivision (f). This is the older, more established process. Within a reasonable time after either party gives notice of intent to end the tenancy, or before the end of a lease term, the landlord must notify the tenant in writing of the option to request an initial inspection and the right to be present. That inspection happens no earlier than two weeks before the termination or lease end date. Based on what it finds, the landlord gives the tenant an itemized statement of proposed repairs or cleaning that could become deductions, and the tenant gets the opportunity, from that inspection until move-out, to fix the problems and avoid the deduction.

Put simply: the move-in photographs happen on day one and protect against a false damage claim later. The pre move-out inspection happens near the end and gives the tenant a warning and a chance to cure before you touch their deposit. Treating them as the same event, or skipping one because you did the other, misses the point of both.

There is also a third, related photograph duty on the move-out side. Beginning April 1, 2025, the landlord must photograph the unit within a reasonable time after possession is returned, and again after any repairs or cleanings tied to a claimed deduction are completed. That duty comes from the same AB 2801 amendment that added the move-in photo requirement, but it is a move-out duty, not a move-in one. This research did not pull the complete verbatim text of subdivision (g) beyond these confirmed points, so verify exact wording, including any duty to deliver copies to the tenant, before relying on a compliance script.

Quick reference

| Requirement | When it applies | Trigger | Citation |

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

| Move-in photographs | Tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025 | Immediately before, or at the inception of, the tenancy | Civil Code 1950.5(g)(1) |

| Move-out photographs, before repairs | All covered tenancies, beginning April 1, 2025 | Within a reasonable time after possession is returned | Civil Code 1950.5(g)(2) |

| Move-out photographs, after repairs | Only where a deduction is claimed | After repairs or cleanings are completed | Civil Code 1950.5(g), per AB 2801 |

| Pre move-out written notice of inspection option | Every tenancy where either party gives notice to terminate | Within a reasonable time after notice, or before lease end | Civil Code 1950.5(f)(1) |

| Pre move-out inspection itself, if requested | Same tenancies | No earlier than two weeks before termination or lease end | Civil Code 1950.5(f)(1) |

| Itemized statement after pre move-out inspection | Same tenancies | Following the inspection | Civil Code 1950.5(f)(2) |

| Tenant's cure window | Same tenancies | From the inspection until termination | Civil Code 1950.5(f)(3) |

The move-in checklist for a Torrance rental

Run this at the start of every new tenancy, before or at the moment you hand over keys.

1. Photograph every room, before the tenant's belongings are inside if possible. Section 1950.5(g)(1) requires this for tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025. Doing it for every tenancy regardless of start date is simply good practice.
2. Include close-ups of existing wear, damage, or defects. Scuffed floors, worn counters, a chip in the tile. The point is to establish what was already there, not to prove the unit was flawless.
3. Photograph appliances, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and any fixture you will later be asked whether it worked. A photo showing a detector installed is worth more than a memory of having checked it.
4. Timestamp the photo set and store it with the lease file for that unit, not a personal phone album that will not survive a staff change.
5. Pair the photos with a written condition checklist the tenant signs at move-in, room by room, noting anything not obvious from a photo, like a slow drain. This is not a separate statutory requirement, it is what makes the photos useful in a dispute.
6. Give the tenant a copy of the signed checklist so there is no later argument about which version is authoritative.

The pre move-out inspection process for a Torrance rental

Run this separately, near the end of the tenancy, whenever either you or the tenant gives notice to end it.

1. Send written notice of the tenant's right to request an initial inspection within a reasonable time after notice to terminate, or before the lease term ends, per section 1950.5(f)(1).
2. If requested, schedule the inspection no earlier than two weeks before termination or lease end.
3. Give at least 48 hours' written notice of the inspection date and time, unless both sides sign a written waiver.
4. Walk the unit with the tenant present and note anything that would become a deduction if left unaddressed.
5. Send the itemized statement of proposed repairs or cleaning promptly after the inspection, so the tenant has real time to act.
6. Let the tenant fix what they can before move-out. Section 1950.5(f)(3) gives them that window so a deduction is not a surprise later.
7. After move-out, photograph the unit before any repairs, and again after repairs tied to a claimed deduction are finished, per the move-out photograph duty in the same statute.

FAQ

Are the move-in photos and the pre move-out inspection the same thing?

No. The move-in photographs, under section 1950.5(g), happen at the start of the tenancy and apply to tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025. The pre move-out inspection, under section 1950.5(f), happens near the end of the tenancy for any tenancy where either party gives notice to terminate, and predates the newer photo duty.

Do I have to offer a pre move-out inspection if the tenant is being evicted for cause?

Section 1950.5(f) contains exceptions for certain termination types. Confirm whether your scenario falls under one before skipping the inspection, since getting this wrong risks the deposit deduction being challenged.

What if my tenant's lease started before July 1, 2025? Do I still need move-in photos?

The duty in section 1950.5(g)(1) is tied to tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025. For an existing older tenancy it would not apply retroactively, though photographing the unit at any point is still useful documentation.

Does the tenant have to be present for the move-in photographs?

The statute requires the landlord to take the photographs and does not condition that duty on the tenant's presence. Pairing the photos with a signed move-in checklist while the tenant is present is a practical addition, not a separate statutory requirement.

Can I use the same photo set for both the move-in record and to fight a deposit dispute?

Yes. The move-in photos establish the baseline condition, and the move-out photographs required under the same statute establish the condition when the tenant left, which is what makes a deduction defensible.

What happens if I skip the itemized statement after the pre move-out inspection?

Section 1950.5(f)(2) requires it based on the inspection. This research did not confirm the specific penalty language for a landlord who inspects but skips the statement. Confirm current consequences with a licensed attorney.

This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the complete current text of Civil Code section 1950.5, including subdivision (g) in full, at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov and with a licensed attorney or property manager before building your own inspection process.

Topics: playbook, landlord law, security deposits, South Bay, inspections

Get a free management quote

Back to the Schofield Properties blog

Schofield Properties is a family run property management company at 323 Richmond St, El Segundo, CA 90245. We have managed the South Bay since 1972 and personally oversee about 186 doors today. Book a call to talk about your property.