California Rent Increase Rules: Caps, Notice Periods & Limits (2026)

How much a landlord can raise rent, and what notice they must give

At a glance

• Rent cap: 任何连续 12 个月内，涨租不得超过「5% + CPI 变动」或「10%」中的较低者。
• Statewide notice law: Yes — see the notice rules below
• Governing statute: Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12(a)(1), (a)(2)

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers rent increases in California for a residential tenancy — whether there is a cap, and what notice a landlord must give.

It does not cover commercial leases, subsidised housing (which follows federal rules), or any city whose local ordinance differs from the state rule.

Is there a rent cap?

任何连续 12 个月内，涨租不得超过「5% + CPI 变动」或「10%」中的较低者。

基数为该单元此前 12 个月内任何时点的最低 gross rental rate。计算时须排除房东提供、租客接受的折扣、优惠与 credits。同一租客连续占有超过 12 个月的，12 个月内涨幅不得超过两次。

Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12(a)(1), (a)(2) ↗

Notice a landlord must give

Exemptions from the cap

六类住房不受 §1947.12 上限约束，其中最常被引用的是「近 15 年内取得 occupancy certificate」的住房。

完整清单：(1) 受契据、政府协议或备案文件限制为可负担住房；(2) 高等教育机构或 K-12 自有自营宿舍；(3) 受公共实体依 Chapter 2.7 实施的更严格 rent/price control 约束的住房；(4) 前 15 年内取得 occupancy certificate 的住房（mobilehome 除外）；(5) 可与其他单元产权分离、且业主不是 REIT/公司/LLC/mobilehome park 管理方的住宅不动产；(6) 单一结构内两个独立单元且业主在其中一单元居住为主要住所。另有 §1947.12(j)：mobilehome 自有房主不适用。

Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12(d)(1)-(6), (j) ↗

Local rules that override the state rule

§1947.12 明示不限制地方政府依 Chapter 2.7 设立本地租金政策，但不授权地方政府设定该条不允许的限制。

Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12(m) ↗

Rent registration

加州无全州性租金登记制度，但多处城市（如 Los Angeles、Oakland）设有地方 rent registry。

注意不要把 §1950.5 当作租金登记依据 —— 该条是押金条款（21 日返还、initial inspection、照片要求、bad faith 2 倍赔偿），其 subdivision (f) 涉及的是 move-out 初始检查。地方 rent registry 需逐市核验，本数据集不收录。

Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 (deposit provision, not rent registry) ↗

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text or a state court opinion, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked.

Statute	Last verified	Source
Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12(a)(1), (a)(2)	2026-10-09	official text ↗
Cal. Civ. Code § 827(b)(1)	2026-10-09	official text ↗
Cal. Civ. Code § 827(b)(2)	2026-10-09	official text ↗
Cal. Civ. Code § 827(b)	2026-10-09	official text ↗
Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12(d)(1)-(6), (j)	2026-10-09	official text ↗
Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 (deposit provision, not rent registry)	2026-10-09	official text ↗
Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12(m)	2026-10-09	official text ↗

Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Where a provision admits of more than one reading, that is flagged rather than smoothed over.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help guide is the right starting point for understanding your position. Get legal help if:

• You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
• The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
• Your landlord has filed anything in court already
• You are unsure whether a local ordinance changes the state rule

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More California guides

California Security Deposit Return · California Security Deposit Rules · California Eviction Process · California Repairs & Habitability · California Landlord Retaliation

→ All California tenant rights topics

Common questions