Rent Collection Checklist
A free, printable checklist for California landlords who collect their own rent: 35 steps from lease setup to the 3-day notice, checked against current California law.
Collect Rent The Right Way, Every Month
California rent collection has more rules than most owners expect: which payment methods you must accept, what a late fee can be, and exactly what a 3-day notice may and may not ask for. This checklist puts them in order.
- Set up before the first paymentLease payment details, accepted payment methods, late and returned-check fees. (9 items)
- Every monthReceipts, a payment ledger, third-party and housing-assistance payments. (6 items)
- When rent is latePartial payments, payment plans, bounced checks and what never to do. (5 items)
- Serving a 3-day notice to pay rent or quitWhat it may ask for, how to count the days and how to serve it. (6 items)
- Raising the rentNotice periods and the 2026–27 rent cap for Yuba, Sutter, Placer and Butte counties. (4 items)
- Call a California attorney ifThe situations where a checklist isn't enough. (5 items)
Updated November 2026. General information, not legal advice. For a specific situation, talk to a California attorney.
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