Details
California caps how much most landlords can raise the rent. The cap comes from the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, better known as AB 1482, and is written into Civil Code section 1947.12. It is not a flat number, it does not cover every unit, and in a number of cities a stricter local ordinance replaces it entirely. This page explains AB 1482 in plain English: what it limits, who it covers, who it leaves out, and when it ends.
Quick answer: Under AB 1482, a covered landlord can raise the rent by no more than 5% plus regional inflation, or 10%, whichever is lower, over any 12 months. For increases taking effect between August 1, 2026 and July 31, 2027, that works out to between 8.1% and 8.8% depending on the county. Newer buildings, many single-family homes and condos, and owner-occupied duplexes are exempt.
What AB 1482 actually does
AB 1482 did two things at once. It capped annual rent increases (Civil Code 1947.12), and it required landlords to have a legally recognised reason — a “just cause” — to end most tenancies once a tenant has been in place for a year (Civil Code 1946.2). The two work as a pair: a rent cap without eviction protection could be sidestepped by ending the tenancy and re-renting at market rate.
What it does not do is set rents at the start of a tenancy. When a unit turns over to a new tenant, the landlord can set any starting rent. The cap only limits increases for the tenant already living there.
The cap: 5% plus inflation, never more than 10%
Section 1947.12 limits the increase to 5 percent plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower. The 10 percent figure is a ceiling, not the normal number. In a year when regional inflation runs at 3.7 percent, the cap is 8.7 percent — not 10.
Three details decide the real number:
- The base is the lowest rent in the past 12 months. The percentage is applied to the lowest gross rent charged at any point in the 12 months before the increase, not the rent after a temporary discount ended.
- No more than two increases in 12 months. Two smaller increases are allowed; together they cannot exceed the cap.
- Inflation is regional. The statute names which price index each county uses, and the figures change every August 1.
The 2026 numbers by region
| Area (counties) | Increases Aug 1, 2025 – Jul 31, 2026 | Increases Aug 1, 2026 – Jul 31, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles and Orange | 8.0% | 8.7% |
| San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo | 6.3% | 8.8% |
| San Diego | 8.8% | 8.2% |
| Riverside and San Bernardino | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| Every other county, including Santa Clara, Sacramento, Ventura and Fresno | 7.7% | 8.6% |
These match the chart published by the California Attorney General. Santa Clara County is a frequent source of confusion: it is not part of the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward index, so it uses the statewide California figure. The full breakdown, with the inflation figure behind each cap and worked examples, is in how much a landlord can raise rent in California in 2026. To run your own numbers, use the rent increase calculator — pick your county and the date the increase takes effect.
Who AB 1482 covers
By default, AB 1482 covers most residential rentals in California that are more than 15 years old: apartments in buildings of any size, and single-family homes and condos owned by corporations, real estate investment trusts, or LLCs with a corporate member. If none of the exemptions below applies, the cap applies.
Which units are exempt
Section 1947.12(d) exempts:
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- Deed-restricted or subsidized affordable housing, which has its own rent rules.
- Dormitories run by a college or a K-12 school.
- Units under a local rent control ordinance with a lower cap — the stricter local rule governs instead.
- Housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years. This is a rolling window, not a fixed cutoff year: a building whose certificate was issued in October 2011 stays exempt until October 2026 and is covered after that, so each year another group of buildings ages into the cap.
- Single-family homes and condominiums, but only if both conditions are met: the owner is not a corporation, a REIT, or an LLC with at least one corporate member, and the tenant was given the written exemption notice the statute prescribes. For tenancies that began or renewed on or after July 1, 2020, that notice must be in the lease.
- An owner-occupied duplex — two units in one structure, where the owner lived in one unit when the tenancy began and still does. Neither unit can be an ADU or junior ADU.
The single-family exemption is the one most often claimed incorrectly. Corporate ownership defeats it, and so does a missing notice. The step-by-step test, including the exact notice wording, is in is my California rental exempt from the rent cap?
How much notice a landlord must give
The cap limits the size of the increase; a separate statute, Civil Code 827, sets the notice. An increase of 10% or less over 12 months needs at least 30 days’ written notice. More than 10% needs 90 days. Mailing the notice adds five days within California. A properly noticed increase is still unlawful if it exceeds the cap. See California rent increase notice rules.
Your city may have a stricter rule
A local rent stabilization ordinance with a lower cap overrides the state figure for the units it covers. The City of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Santa Monica and San Jose all run their own programs, each with its own coverage rules and annual allowable increase. If your unit is covered locally, the local number is the one that applies:
- Los Angeles rent control (RSO)
- San Francisco tenant rights and the Rent Board
- Oakland rent control and Berkeley rent control
- San Jose rent control and Santa Monica rent control
- San Diego tenant rights — no rent control, but local eviction protections
If a landlord charges more than the cap
Check three things in order: whether the unit is exempt, whether a local ordinance covers it, and whether the increase exceeds the cap for your county and date. Under section 1947.12(k), a tenant can recover the overcharge and, where the landlord acted willfully, oppressively, fraudulently or maliciously, up to three times the amount. The Attorney General, city attorney or county counsel can also enforce the section. Any lease clause waiving these rights is void. Where a local ordinance applies, the city’s rent board handles disputes; otherwise local legal aid organizations are the usual starting point.
AB 1482 expires in 2030
Section 1947.12 states that it “shall remain in effect until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.” The just cause statute carries the same date. A 2025 bill that would have removed the sunset, AB 1157, died in January 2026. Local ordinances are separate and are not affected by the 2030 date. See what happens when AB 1482 expires.
Questions people ask
Does AB 1482 apply to single-family homes?
Sometimes. A single-family home owned by an individual is exempt only if the tenant received the statutory exemption notice. A home owned by a corporation, REIT or corporate-member LLC is covered regardless of notice.
Can a landlord raise rent by 10% in California?
Only where regional inflation reaches 5% or more. For increases taking effect from August 1, 2026, the highest cap in the state is 8.8%, so a 10% increase on a covered unit exceeds the limit everywhere.
Does AB 1482 apply when a new tenant moves in?
No. The landlord may set the starting rent for a new tenancy. The cap governs increases after that.
Related California renter guides
- 2026 rent increase limits by region
- Is my rental exempt from the rent cap?
- Rent increase notice: 30-day vs 90-day rules
- Just cause eviction in California
- Cash for keys and tenant buyouts
- What happens when AB 1482 expires in 2030
- Rent increase calculator
This page explains what the cited California law says. It is not legal advice. Last verified September 28, 2026.