The rule
- Grace period
- None required
- Cap
- No set cap
- Grace period
- No statutory grace period.
- Limits on the fee
- No numeric cap. A late fee is a liquidated-damages clause in a residential lease and is void unless actual damages would be impracticable or extremely difficult to fix, so courts require a reasonable estimate of the landlord’s costs.
Law: Cal. Civ. Code § 1671(c)–(d)
Last reviewed September 30, 2026
Not legal advice. Statutes change; check the linked section.