California earnest money deadline
When the buyer's good-faith deposit has to reach escrow. Miss it and the seller may be able to cancel, so it's usually the first deadline on any deal.
C.A.R. California Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA)
Current RPA. Revision not confirmed.
Initial deposit into escrow
By default it is 3 business days after the Effective Date (¶3D(1)). The deadline is 11:59 PM local time.
Source: brokerriskmanagement.com · checked 2026-10-16
If it falls on a weekend or holiday
- Initial deposit into escrow: If it lands on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day.
'Days' are calendar days, and Acceptance is day 0. After Acceptance, the last day for performing any act, including Close of Escrow, can't be a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday and moves to the next day. The initial deposit is the exception: it's counted in business days. 'Days After' periods end at 11:59 p.m.
Worked example: C.A.R. California Residential Purchase Agreement
C.A.R. California Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA). Effective Date Friday, October 16, 2026. Calculated with the same rules as the calculator.
| Deadline | Date |
|---|---|
| Initial deposit into escrow | Wednesday, October 21, 2026 |
Negotiated a different number?
Change it in the calculator and every date that depends on it recalculates.
Open the California calculatorFrequently asked questions
How is the "Initial deposit into escrow" calculated on the C.A.R. California Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA)?
By default it is 3 business days after the Effective Date (¶3D(1)). If it lands on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day. It ends at 11:59 PM local time.
Do weekends count for this deadline in California?
'Days' are calendar days, and Acceptance is day 0. After Acceptance, the last day for performing any act, including Close of Escrow, can't be a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday and moves to the next day. The initial deposit is the exception: it's counted in business days. 'Days After' periods end at 11:59 p.m.
Something missing or incorrect?