Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

California law has specifc treatment of deposits. The answer is , it depends on what has happened to the apartment... Make sure it is clean and you have not damaged the property...

You are entitled to receive your deposit back within 21 days after you move out, less any legal deductions for unpaid rent (if any), damage to the property (if any), and reasonable cleaning charges (the landlord will almost always insist on a professional cleaning; you may want to get an agreement with your landlord for you to hire a mutually agreed cleaning service and you pay them directly).