Take a rent increase that starts between 1 August 2026 and 31 July 2027. The AB 1482 cap is 8.7% in Los Angeles and Orange counties and 8.8% in the San Francisco area. It is 8.2% in San Diego County, 8.1% in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and 8.6% everywhere else. Those figures come from the California Attorney General's rent cap page. The rule behind them is Civil Code 1947.12. Over any 12 months, rent may rise by no more than 5% plus the local change in the cost of living, and never more than 10%. The cap is measured from the lowest rent charged in the prior 12 months. This guide reflects the law as of October 2026. Check local ordinances too, and talk to counsel before you act on a dispute.
The cap for 2026 and 2027 by region
| Area | Increase starts 1 Aug 2025 to 31 Jul 2026 | Increase starts 1 Aug 2026 to 31 Jul 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles and Orange counties | 8% | 8.7% |
| Riverside and San Bernardino counties | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| San Diego County | 8.8% | 8.2% |
| Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties | 6.3% | 8.8% |
| All other counties | 7.7% | 8.6% |
The date that matters is when the increase takes effect, not when you send the notice. A notice sent in July for an increase starting on 1 August uses the new column. San Diego is the one area where the cap went down this year.
How the cap is worked out
The percentage is 5% plus the change in the consumer price index for the area. For increases that take effect from 1 August, the statute compares April of the current year with April of the year before. Four metro areas have their own federal index. The rest of the state uses the California index published by the Department of Industrial Relations. The result is rounded to one decimal place and capped at 10%.
The base is the lowest rent in 12 months
You apply the percentage to the lowest gross rent charged at any point in the 12 months before the increase. Concessions the tenant accepted are left out. So a unit listed at $2,400 with a $100 monthly discount still has a base of $2,400. The lease must list the gross rent and any concession separately.
No more than two increases
If the same tenant stays, you may raise the rent in no more than two steps in any 12 months. Both steps together must fit under the cap.
Two examples for this year
These are fictional units used to show the arithmetic.
A Long Beach one bedroom
The gross rent has been $2,400 all year. The increase takes effect on 1 December 2026, so the Los Angeles area figure of 8.7% applies. 8.7% of $2,400 is $208.80. The highest new rent is $2,608.80. Had the increase taken effect on 1 July 2026, the old 8% figure would apply, and the limit would be $192, for $2,592.
Say the owner raises rent by $100 on 1 December 2026 instead. Within the next 12 months, one more step of up to $108.80 is allowed, because $100 plus $108.80 is $208.80.
A Fresno duplex owned by a corporation
The rent is $1,650 and the increase starts on 1 February 2027. Fresno falls under all other counties, so the cap is 8.6%. That is $141.90, for a new rent of $1,791.90. A duplex is exempt only when the owner lives in the other unit, and this owner does not.
Which homes the cap covers
The cap covers residential rentals across the state unless an exemption applies. The main exemptions in Civil Code 1947.12(d) are:
- Housing with a certificate of occupancy issued in the last 15 years. This is a rolling window. In November 2026, a building is covered if its certificate of occupancy was issued before November 2011.
- A house or condo that can be sold separately, if the owner is not a REIT, a corporation, or an LLC with a corporate member. The tenant must also get the exact written exemption notice set out in the statute.
- A duplex where the owner lived in one unit at the start of the tenancy and still does.
- Deed restricted affordable housing, and school or college dormitories.
- Units under a stricter local rent control ordinance.
A new tenancy resets the base. When no prior tenant remains, you set the starting rent freely, and the cap applies to later increases.
When a city rule is stricter
Many cities have their own rent stabilization laws, and the lower limit wins. The Attorney General's chart lists them. In the City of Los Angeles, older rent stabilized units have a 3% limit from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. In Oakland, older units are limited to 2.3% from 1 August 2026. Those local laws usually cover buildings that are much older than the state's 15 year line. Check the address against the local rules before you send a notice.
Notice and just cause
Notice of an increase follows Civil Code 827. An increase of 10% or less needs at least 30 days written notice. Under AB 1482 you cannot go above 10% on a covered unit. Our rent increase letter guide covers what the letter should say.
AB 1482 also added just cause rules in Civil Code 1946.2. Once a tenant has lawfully occupied a unit for 12 months, you need an at fault or no fault reason listed in the statute to end the tenancy. No fault reasons, such as an owner moving in, require relocation help equal to one month's rent. The lease must also tell the tenant whether the unit is covered. Our guide to California lease disclosures includes that notice. For the court process after a lawful notice, see the California eviction timeline.
What happens if you overcharge
Under Civil Code 1947.12(k), a tenant can sue for the overcharge, an injunction and, at the court's discretion, attorney's fees. If the owner acted willfully or with fraud, oppression or malice, damages can reach three times the overcharge. The Attorney General and local city attorneys can also enforce the cap. A tenant has three years to bring a claim, and any waiver in the lease is void. The law is set to expire on 1 January 2030.
Where increases go wrong
- Using the current rent as the base after a dip. If the gross rent was lowered for three months in the last year, the cap runs from that lower figure.
- Counting the concession. A tenant paying $2,300 after a $100 discount still has a gross rent of $2,400, and the cap runs from the gross figure. List both in the lease, as the statute requires, or the base is open to dispute.
- Reading the wrong column. The effective date of the increase picks the period. A notice dated in July for a 1 September start uses the 2026 to 2027 figures.
- Trusting the 15 year rule without the certificate. Keep a copy of the certificate of occupancy date for each building. Without it, an exemption claim is hard to support.
- Skipping the exemption notice. A house owned by an individual is only exempt if the tenant got the exact statutory wording in writing.
Checking every increase in RIOO
Each AB 1482 check needs the same three facts: the lowest gross rent in the past 12 months, any concessions, and the date of each past increase. In RIOO, lease records keep the rent schedule, charges and concessions with each unit, and the tenant ledger shows what was billed. Staff can pull that history before drafting a notice, instead of rebuilding it from old emails. RIOO does not set the legal cap or decide whether a unit is exempt. See how leasing management keeps lease terms in one place.
AB 1482 FAQ
What is the AB 1482 rent cap for 2026?
It depends on the county and the date the increase takes effect. For increases from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, it ranges from 8.1% in Riverside and San Bernardino counties to 8.8% in the San Francisco area.
Can I raise rent by 10% under AB 1482?
Not this year on a covered unit. The cap is 5% plus local inflation, and that sum is below 10% in every region for the current period.
Does AB 1482 apply to a single family home?
It does if a corporation, a REIT or an LLC with a corporate member owns it. An individual owner can claim the exemption only by giving the exact written notice the statute requires.
Does the cap apply when a new tenant moves in?
No. Under Civil Code 1947.12(b), when no tenant from the prior tenancy remains, you set the new starting rent. The cap then applies to increases after that.
