The short answer
Check whether the home and tenancy are covered, calculate a permitted increase from the correct records, and review notice and just-cause requirements separately. Use the current California statutes and local rules.
On this page
Start with the property and tenancy
The Tenant Protection Act, originally effective January 1, 2020, addresses rent increases and reasons for ending covered residential tenancies. Its current rules appear in Civil Code sections 1947.12 and 1946.2, which include later amendments. This guide was checked against those sections on October 3, 2026; it is not a reproduction of the original 2019 bill.
Record the address, ownership, building configuration, certificate-of-occupancy date, residents, tenancy dates, applicable notices and local ordinances. Evaluate the rent cap and just-cause coverage separately because their exemptions are not identical. The current sections provide for repeal on January 1, 2030; check for later changes before acting.
Check an exemption instead of assuming one
- Newer housing: the certificate-of-occupancy exemption uses a rolling 15-year period and excludes mobilehomes from that exemption.
- A separately sellable home or condominium: review the ownership restrictions and required written statutory exemption statement. A REIT, corporation or LLC with a corporate member does not meet the ordinary ownership condition. For ordinary tenancies begun or renewed from July 1, 2020, the statement belongs in the rental agreement. Mobilehome provisions have different dates and additional conditions.
- Owner-occupied duplex: the current exemption requires two units within one structure, owner occupancy at the tenancy's beginning and continuing occupancy; neither unit may be an accessory or junior accessory dwelling unit.
- Other housing: review the precise provisions for school-operated dormitories, restricted affordable housing and other circumstances. A resident's Housing Choice Voucher alone does not make a market-rate rental exempt.
These are examples, not the complete statutory tests. An exempt property may still be subject to other state requirements and local tenant protections. Keep evidence supporting the actual exemption and copies of notices given by the owner.
Calculate the increase from the correct baseline
For covered housing, section 1947.12 limits increases over any 12 months to the lower of 5 percent plus the applicable cost-of-living change or 10 percent. Use the lowest gross rent charged during the preceding 12 months under the section's rules; identify owner-offered concessions separately in the agreement. When the same tenant remains, no more than two increments are permitted during that period, and their combined amount still must fit the cap.
Choose the statutory geographic CPI measure and observation period using the increase's effective date. The calculation changes at August 1 and uses April observations, or March where an April observation is unavailable. Do not reuse an old article's inflation figure. Preserve the rent history, source, calculation, proposed effective date and notice record, and check any stricter local limit.
When no tenant from the prior tenancy remains in lawful possession, the section allows the owner to establish the initial rent for a new tenancy; subsequent increases are subject to the cap. Check other applicable restrictions, including local and emergency rules. For a covered sublease, total rent for the premises may not exceed the section's allowable rate. That provision does not itself authorize otherwise prohibited subletting.
Treat notices and just cause as separate checks
A mathematically permitted increase still needs the proper notice under Civil Code section 827 and any applicable local requirements. Covered tenancies also require the statutory notice explaining rent limits and just-cause protections; section 1946.2 specifies its content, format and delivery options. Use the current statutory wording instead of an old paraphrase.
For covered housing, just cause generally applies after 12 months of continuous lawful occupancy. When additional adults were added before an existing tenant reached 24 months, check the rule requiring either 12 months for all tenants or 24 months for at least one. A fixed-term lease ending does not automatically remove these protections. Review the stated cause, required opportunity to cure, service method and court process before attempting to recover possession.
Review no-fault reasons and relocation carefully
The statute distinguishes at-fault reasons from specified no-fault reasons. Owner move-in and substantial remodel each have detailed conditions strengthened by later legislation. An ordinary cosmetic upgrade is not automatically a substantial remodel, and an unsupported claim that a relative will move in does not establish a valid reason.
For a covered no-fault termination, the owner must provide the required relocation payment, generally one month's rent within 15 calendar days after service, or waive the final month's rent in writing before it is due, with the required information in the notice. Local rules may provide additional protections. Obtain qualified review of the actual reason, documents, timing and obligations; a guide or software reminder does not validate an eviction.
Your next-step checklist
- Verify the property, ownership and occupancy history.
- Read the current state sections and local ordinances.
- Document coverage or the precise exemption and required statement.
- Preserve rent history, dated CPI evidence and the proposed calculation.
- Review required notices separately from the amount.
- For termination, verify just cause, cure rights and any relocation obligations with qualified local help.
- Keep copies of the reviewed documents, service records and next deadlines.
Sources and further reading
Keep learning
Archive years group longstanding rental topics. This Rentari guide was published on 2026-10-03.
Written and maintained by the Rentari team. Examples explain a decision; they are not customer results. This is general education. Confirm the rules and treatment for your property with a qualified local professional. Found an error or an unclear step? Send a correction with this page's address and the detail to review.
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