Civil Code §1947.12 · CPI checked Oct 15, 2026
How much can a landlord raise rent in California?
For rent increases taking effect August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027, the most a landlord can raise the rent of a covered unit over any 12 months is 8.1% to 8.8%, depending on the county — 5% plus the local CPI change, never more than 10%.
- 8.7% — Los Angeles and Orange counties
- 8.1% — Riverside and San Bernardino counties
- 8.2% — San Diego County
- 8.8% — Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties
- 8.6% — the other 48 counties
California rent cap by county: the CPI behind each number
§1947.12(g) names the index for each area: the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U for four metro areas, and the Department of Industrial Relations’ California CPI everywhere else. Where BLS has no April figure (it publishes these two areas every other month), the statute uses March.
| Area (counties) | Index | CPI 2025 → 2026 | Change | Cap | $2,000 → max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles–Long Beach–AnaheimLos Angeles and Orange counties | BLS CPI-U, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (CUURS49ASA0) | April: 342.565 → 355.166 | 3.7% | 8.7% | $2,174.00 |
| Riverside–San Bernardino–OntarioRiverside and San Bernardino counties | BLS CPI-U, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario (CUURS49CSA0) | March: 136.511 → 140.728 | 3.1% | 8.1% | $2,162.00 |
| San Diego–CarlsbadSan Diego County | BLS CPI-U, San Diego-Carlsbad (CUURS49ESA0) | March: 384.880 → 397.284 | 3.2% | 8.2% | $2,164.00 |
| San Francisco–Oakland–HaywardAlameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties | BLS CPI-U, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (CUURS49BSA0) | April: 355.707 → 369.215 | 3.8% | 8.8% | $2,176.00 |
| Rest of Californiathe other 48 counties | California CPI-U, Department of Industrial Relations | April: 352.063 → 364.746 | 3.6% | 8.6% | $2,172.00 |
Increases that took effect August 1, 2025 – July 31, 2026 used the 2024→2025 figures: Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim 8% (CPI +3%); Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario 7.5% (CPI +2.5%); San Diego–Carlsbad 8.8% (CPI +3.8%); San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward 6.3% (CPI +1.3%); Rest of California 7.7% (CPI +2.7%).
Counties in “rest of California”: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo, Yuba. CPI data retrieved from BLS.gov on Oct 15, 2026 (BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov) and from the DIR California CPI on Oct 4, 2026.
Which rentals the cap covers
The Tenant Protection Act cap covers most residential rentals in California. §1947.12(d) leaves out:
- Housing with a certificate of occupancy issued in the previous 15 years (mobilehomes excepted).
- A single-family home or condo that can be sold separately, if the owner is not a REIT, a corporation or an LLC with a corporate member and the tenant received the statutory exemption notice.
- A duplex where the owner lived in the other unit when the tenancy began and still does (neither unit an ADU or junior ADU).
- Deed-restricted or subsidized affordable housing for very low, low or moderate income households.
- Dormitories of colleges and K-12 schools.
- Units under a local rent control that limits increases below the state cap — those follow the local rule.
The section is in effect until January 1, 2030 (§1947.12(o)). A new tenancy, with no tenant from the previous one in possession, starts at whatever rent the owner sets (§1947.12(b)).
Rent increase notice in California
Civil Code §827(b) sets the notice for month-to-month and shorter tenancies: 30 days when the increase, added to any other in the previous 12 months, is 10% or less of the rent charged in that period, and 90 days when it is more — which, for a unit under the cap, can only happen if the unit is exempt. The notice is delivered personally or mailed under CCP §1013, which adds 5 calendar days inside California and 10 when mailed to or from another state. If the new rent starts in the middle of a rental period, the days before it are charged at the old rate (§827(a)).
The rent increase calculator picks the right CPI pair for the date the new rent starts (before or after August 1), adds the notice and mailing days, and writes the notice with the §1947.12 statement and a proof of service page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum rent increase in California for 2026–27?
For increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027: 8.7% in Los Angeles and Orange counties; 8.1% in Riverside and San Bernardino counties; 8.2% in San Diego County; 8.8% in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties; 8.6% in the other 48 counties. Each is 5% plus that area’s April-to-April (or March-to-March) CPI change, rounded to a tenth, never above 10%.
Is the cap per year or per increase?
Per any 12-month period. All increases in 12 months together cannot exceed the cap, measured from the lowest rent charged during the 12 months before the new rent takes effect, and there can be at most two increases in that period (§1947.12(a)). Discounts or concessions the tenant accepted do not lower that base.
How much notice is required for a rent increase in California?
At least 30 days before the new rent takes effect if the increase — together with any other in the previous 12 months — is 10% or less, and 90 days if it is more (Civil Code §827(b)). If the notice is mailed, Code of Civil Procedure §1013(a) adds 5 calendar days (10 if it is mailed to or from outside California).
Does the cap apply to a single-family home?
Not if the home (or condo) can be sold separately, the owner is not a real estate investment trust, a corporation or an LLC with a corporate member, and the tenant received the exemption notice the statute quotes word for word (§1947.12(d)(5)). Without that written notice, the cap applies.
Can a landlord raise the rent as much as they want for a new tenant?
Yes. When no tenant from the previous tenancy remains, the owner can set the initial rent freely; the cap applies to increases after that (§1947.12(b)).
What happens if a landlord charges more than the cap?
The tenant can sue for the excess, injunctive relief and, if the owner acted willfully, up to three times the excess; the Attorney General and the city attorney or county counsel can also enforce it. The action must be brought within three years (§1947.12(k)). A waiver of these rights is void (§1947.12(l)).
Not legal advice. Statute: Cal. Civ. Code §1947.12 (SB 567, operative April 1, 2024). City and county rent control can set a lower limit; the California Attorney General’s landlord-tenant page covers the statewide rules.