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What Is a California Commercial Lease Agreement?

A California commercial lease agreement is a contract for renting business property such as retail, office, restaurant, warehouse, or industrial space. California commercial leases require more state-specific drafting than most states, particularly around disability-access disclosures, environmental conditions, and hazardous-substance notifications.

When to Use a Commercial Lease in California

  • Leasing retail, office, restaurant, medical, or service space in California.
  • Renting space where customers or the public will enter the premises.
  • Allocating responsibility for ADA/accessibility compliance and build-out work.
  • Leasing older property where hazardous-substance or asbestos issues may exist.
  • Documenting landlord and tenant responsibility for compliance costs and disclosures.

Key California Commercial Lease Provisions

  • CASp Disability-Access Disclosure: Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1938, covered commercial property leases must state whether the premises have been inspected by a Certified Access Specialist (CASp). If a CASp inspection report exists but is not provided at least 48 hours before signing, the tenant may have a 72-hour rescission right. The statute also creates a presumption that accessibility corrections are the landlord's responsibility unless the lease says otherwise.
  • CASp Notice Language: If no disability-access inspection certificate exists, the lease should include the statutory § 1938 notice telling the tenant that a CASp can inspect the premises and that the parties must agree on inspection timing, fees, and repair costs.
  • Hazardous-Substance Disclosure: Under Cal. Health & Saf. Code § 78700, an owner who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a release of a hazardous substance is located on or beneath the property must give written notice before sale, lease, or rental. Willful failure can trigger a civil penalty up to $5,000 per violation.
  • Asbestos in Older Buildings: For buildings constructed before 1979 with known asbestos-containing materials, Cal. Health & Saf. Code §§ 25915–25919.7 require notice and record availability regarding surveys, locations, health risks, and management-plan materials.
  • Energy Benchmarking: Certain larger buildings (generally over 50,000 square feet) are subject to annual benchmarking and public disclosure under Pub. Res. Code § 25402.10 and 20 CCR § 1683, which can affect lease diligence and negotiations for full-building or major-space leases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a California commercial lease need a CASp disclosure?

Usually, yes for covered commercial property. Cal. Civ. Code § 1938 requires the lease to state whether the premises were inspected by a CASp and, if so, whether applicable accessibility standards were met.

Who pays for ADA or accessibility corrections in California commercial space?

Under Civ. Code § 1938(c), repairs needed to correct accessibility violations are presumed to be the landlord's responsibility unless the parties agree otherwise. The lease should allocate that cost explicitly.

Does a California landlord have to disclose hazardous contamination before leasing business property?

Yes. Health & Safety Code § 78700 requires written notice before lease if the owner knows, or has reason to know, of a hazardous-substance release on or beneath the property.

Is asbestos a real California commercial lease issue?

Yes, especially in older buildings. Health & Saf. Code §§ 25915–25919.7 make asbestos surveys, locations, notices, and management-plan information legally important, so commercial leases often address asbestos reports and who bears abatement risk during improvements.

Does California require energy-use disclosures in commercial leases?

Not as a direct pre-lease duty to a prospective tenant. The current rule is that certain large buildings are subject to annual benchmarking and public disclosure under Pub. Res. Code § 25402.10, which can affect lease diligence for full-building or major-space leases.