California seller disclosures exist so buyers learn about known conditions that could affect a home’s value or desirability. In the Santa Clarita Valley, local factors make some of these disclosures especially worth preparing for early. Here’s an overview of the main requirements, where SCV-specific issues come up, and how to get your paperwork in order before you list.
Every property and transaction is different, so treat this as a starting point. Your Santa Clarita Valley agent, escrow officer, and, when needed, a real estate attorney can confirm what applies to your sale.
Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS)
Under California Civil Code § 1102 and following, most sales of residential property with one to four units require the seller to complete a Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS). The TDS asks about the home’s features and their condition, known defects, and other issues the seller is aware of. Examples include additions or repairs done without permits, neighborhood noise or nuisances, and lawsuits affecting the property.
Selling “as is” does not, by itself, remove the TDS requirement. An as-is sale means you aren’t agreeing to make repairs. You generally still have to disclose known conditions. Some transfers are exempt from the TDS by statute, including court-ordered sales such as many probate sales, foreclosures, certain fiduciary sales, transfers between co-owners, and certain transfers to a spouse or family member.
Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD)
Under Civil Code § 1103 and following, sellers in covered transactions must provide a Natural Hazard Disclosure statement. It is usually prepared with help from a third-party NHD report company. The statement shows whether the property is in any of these state- or federally mapped areas:
- A FEMA special flood hazard area, or an area of potential flooding from dam failure (dam inundation).
- A very high fire hazard severity zone, or a state responsibility area wildland fire zone.
- An earthquake fault zone or a seismic hazard zone, such as liquefaction or landslide areas.
Certain transfers are exempt from the NHD statute. An exempt seller may still have duties under the separate hazard-zone laws, though. The NHD statute itself notes that exempt sales may be subject to other disclosure requirements, and the general duty to disclose known material facts still applies.
Fire Hazard Severity Zones and Home Hardening
This area has changed recently. CAL FIRE’s Office of the State Fire Marshal updated fire hazard severity zones in two steps:
- State Responsibility Areas (SRA): Updated maps took effect April 1, 2024.
- Local Responsibility Areas (LRA), mainly incorporated cities: On March 24, 2025, CAL FIRE issued recommended maps for Los Angeles County. These LRA maps don’t take legal effect on their own. Each local agency must adopt fire hazard severity zones by ordinance, generally within 120 days. A local agency may raise a recommended designation but may not lower it. The City of Santa Clarita and Los Angeles County, which covers unincorporated communities, each run their own adoption process.
The 2025 recommended maps show expanded very high fire hazard severity zone areas in parts of the Santa Clarita Valley. Because designations are parcel-specific, check your exact address on CAL FIRE’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone viewer and confirm the designation in your NHD report. This is especially worthwhile if you live near open space, as many homes in areas like Stevenson Ranch, Sand Canyon, and Castaic do. Living in one of those communities doesn’t mean a particular home is in a high or very high zone.
If your home is in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone, two additional requirements may apply:
Home-Hardening Disclosure
Under Civil Code § 1102.6f, sellers of homes built before January 1, 2010 in a high or very high zone must provide a notice containing three things:
- A required statutory statement about wildfire building codes.
- A list of features the seller is aware of that may make the home vulnerable to wildfire and flying embers.
- A disclosure of which items on the state’s low-cost retrofit list were completed while the seller owned the home.
Defensible Space Documentation
Civil Code § 1102.19 requires sellers in high or very high zones to provide documentation of compliance with state defensible-space law or local vegetation management rules. How this works depends on whether your jurisdiction has a local ordinance and whether an agency offers inspections.
If documentation can’t be obtained before closing, the law provides for a written agreement in which the buyer obtains it after escrow closes. Your agent can help you find out what applies at your address and whether an inspection makes sense. You can also learn more on CAL FIRE’s defensible space page.
Mello-Roos and HOA Disclosures
Some Santa Clarita Valley neighborhoods, particularly newer master-planned tracts, sit within Mello-Roos community facilities districts (CFDs) that levy special taxes. Many SCV homes are not in one. Whether your home is depends on the parcel.
If your property is subject to a Mello-Roos special tax lien, or to certain assessment liens such as those under the Improvement Bond Act of 1915, sellers are generally required to make a good-faith effort to get a Notice of Special Tax from the levying agency and deliver it to the buyer.
If your home is in a homeowners association, Civil Code § 4525 requires you to give the buyer a specific set of association documents. These include:
- All governing documents.
- Required budget and financial information.
- A statement of current assessments and any unpaid amounts.
- Certain notices of violations or construction defects.
- Any rental restrictions.
There are several other required items as well. Your HOA and escrow officer can help you request the full package early, since associations need time to respond.
Other Items Sellers Commonly Address
Depending on the property and its history, some of these may apply to your sale:
- Deaths on the property. California law says a death that occurred more than three years before the buyer’s offer generally isn’t a material fact requiring disclosure. More recent deaths may need to be disclosed when material.
- Lead-based paint. For most homes built before 1978, sellers must disclose known lead-based paint or lead hazards, share any available reports, provide the EPA/HUD lead pamphlet, and give the buyer a 10-day opportunity to inspect, which the buyer may waive.
- Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and water heater bracing. These are equipment and compliance requirements, not just disclosure forms. Sellers typically provide written statements of compliance.
- Recent work by contractors. If you’re selling within 18 months of acquiring the home, additional disclosure about contractor work may apply.
- Electrical inspection advisory. Starting in 2026, covered sales include a statutory statement advising buyers to consider an electrical system inspection.
- Solar leases or financing. If your solar system is leased or financed, the agreement’s transfer terms and any related liens need to be addressed during escrow.
- Known pest damage, mold, or past water intrusion. These aren’t standalone statewide forms. If you know about them, they generally belong in your disclosures as known material facts.
When Must Disclosures Be Delivered?
Timing varies by disclosure type, and your purchase contract usually sets specific deadlines. For the TDS, state law calls for delivery as soon as practicable before transfer of title. HOA documents carry a similar statutory standard.
If a disclosure required under the TDS statute, or a material amendment to one, is delivered after the buyer’s offer is made or accepted, the buyer has a set window to terminate by written notice to the seller or the seller’s agent:
- Three days after delivery in person.
- Five days after delivery by mail.
- Five days after electronic delivery, where the parties agreed to transact electronically.
The NHD statute has a similar provision. Other disclosures and contract contingencies have their own timelines and remedies.
Delivering complete disclosures early gives buyers time to review them within the contract’s contingency periods. It also reduces the chance of surprises later in escrow.
Get Help Preparing Your Disclosure Packet
Holly Thompson and her team help Santa Clarita home sellers organize their disclosure paperwork. That includes ordering the NHD report and identifying fire hazard severity zone, Mello-Roos, and HOA items early in the process. Contact Holly to start preparing your disclosure packet before you list.
This article provides general information, not legal advice. Disclosure requirements vary by property, transaction type, and local rules, and laws change. Consult a California real estate attorney about your specific situation.
Holly Thompson Homes | (661) 714-2772 | DRE 01825192 | RE/MAX of Santa Clarita
