  The circular polarization of light that planets reflect is often neglected
because it is very small compared to the linear polarization. It could,
however, provide information on a planet's atmosphere and surface, and on the
presence of life, because homochiral molecules that are the building blocks of
life on Earth are known to reflect circularly polarized light.
  We compute $P_c$, the degree of circular polarization, for light that is
reflected by rocky (exo)planets with liquid water or sulfuric acid solution
clouds, both spatially resolved across the planetary disk and, for planets with
patchy clouds, integrated across the planetary disk, for various planetary
phase angles $\alpha$.
  The optical thickness and vertical distribution of the atmospheric gas and
clouds, the size parameter and refractive index of the cloud particles, and
$\alpha$ all influence $P_c$. Spatially resolved, $P_c$ varies between $\pm
0.20\%$ (the sign indicates the polarization direction). Only for small gas
optical thicknesses above the clouds do significant sign changes (related to
cloud particle properties) across the planets' hemispheres occur. For patchy
clouds, the disk--integrated $P_c$ is typically smaller than $\pm 0.025\%$,
with maximums for $\alpha$ between $40^\circ$ and $70^\circ$, and $120^\circ$
to $140^\circ$. As expected, the disk--integrated $P_c$ is virtually zero at
$\alpha=0^\circ$ and 180$^\circ$. The disk--integrated $P_c$ is also very small
at $\alpha \approx 100^\circ$.
  Measuring circular polarization signals appears to be challenging with
current technology. The small atmospheric circular polarization signal could,
however, allow the detection of circular polarization due to homochiral
molecules. Confirmation of the detectability of such signals requires better
knowledge of the strength of circular polarization signals of biological
sources.
