Is there rent control in California?
Yes — California has statewide rent control that caps annual increases at about 10% for most covered units.
Step-by-step answer
- Step 1
What that means for you
Most residential units in California are covered by the 10% cap, though newer buildings and some single-family homes are exempt. Read your lease or ask the landlord in writing whether your unit is covered.
- Step 2
How to find your local rules
Search your city name plus "rent stabilization ordinance" or "rent control." A local tenant-rights or legal-aid organization can confirm whether your building is covered.
Yes — California has statewide rent control that caps annual increases at about 10% for most covered units.
The numbers that decide it
- Statewide formula
- 5% + regional CPI
- Cal. Civ. Code §1947.12
- Hard ceiling
- 10%
- The total can never exceed 10% in any 12-month period for covered units
- Typical 2026 cap in most metros
- ≈8–10%
- Depends on your regional CPI figure — check yours before relying on it
- Notice
- 30 or 90 days
- 90 days when the 12-month increase is more than 10%
Figures change — verify against the official source before relying on them.
Statewide cap vs. local rent control in California
AB 1482 is a statewide cap, not rent control — it limits how fast rent rises on covered units but does not register your unit with a board. Local rent stabilization in cities like Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco is separate, usually applies to older buildings, and often sets a lower yearly allowance than the state formula. When both could apply, the stricter one generally governs, so checking your city's rent board is worth doing before you accept a state-level number.
Worked example
Worked example: $2,000 rent in Los Angeles
- Start with the current rent: $2,000 per month.
- Check coverage. AB 1482 generally covers units at least 15 years old; many new builds, some single-family homes, and owner-occupied duplexes are exempt, and your notice should state which applies.
- Look up your regional CPI figure. If it is 3.5%, the cap is 5% + 3.5% = 8.5%.
- Apply it: $2,000 × 0.085 = $170, so the highest covered rent would be about $2,170.
- Compare the ceiling: 10% of $2,000 is $200, so even a high CPI year would stop around $2,200.
- If the notice says $2,400, that is 20%. On a covered unit that appears to exceed the statutory cap, and because the increase is over 10% it would also generally require 90 days' notice rather than 30.
- If your city has its own stabilization ordinance (Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Oakland, San Francisco, Berkeley), the local cap is often lower and controls instead.
Two numbers decide most California cases: your regional CPI and whether the unit is covered at all. Get both before responding in writing.
Where these rules come from
- Cal. Civ. Code §1947.12 (AB 1482)
The statewide cap: 5% plus regional CPI, never more than 10% total, for most covered units at least 15 years old.
- Cal. Civ. Code §827(b)
Notice rules on month-to-month tenancies: generally 30 days, or 90 days when the increase over 12 months is more than 10%.
- California CPI figures used for the cap
The regional CPI series landlords must use when calculating the 5% + CPI figure for your area.
Check your specific situation
Where do you rent?
Free legal help in California
Walk through three quick steps to find the right tenant-rights program for your situation.
State listings sourced from the federal Legal Services Corporation (LSC) grantee directory. Educational information, not legal advice or endorsement.
Other common questions about California
State source
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