How Much Can a Landlord Raise Rent in California in 2026?

The short answer

For most covered California rentals, the most a landlord can raise the rent in any 12 month period is 5 percent plus the regional change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower (Civil Code section 1947.12). Ten percent is the absolute ceiling under state law, even in a year with high inflation.

If you live in a unit under a local rent control law, such as the Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance, the local limit applies instead when it is lower. For the year from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, the allowed increase for most RSO units in the City of Los Angeles is 3 percent.

How the 5 percent plus inflation rule works

The cap is measured against the lowest rent charged for your unit at any time in the 12 months before the increase takes effect. Discounts or move in specials you accepted are left out, so a landlord cannot offer a free month and then treat the full price as the base.

• The cost of living figure is the percentage change in the regional Consumer Price Index for your area.
• The rent can be increased in no more than two steps in any 12 month period, and the total of both still has to fit under the cap.
• The cap counts every increase in the 12 months before the effective date, not just the latest one.

The statewide cap is scheduled to stay in effect until January 1, 2030 unless the Legislature extends it.

Which homes are exempt from the cap

The statewide cap does not cover every rental. The main exemptions in Civil Code section 1947.12 include:

• Housing that received its certificate of occupancy within the last 15 years
• Single family homes and condos that can be sold separately, when the owner is not a corporation, a real estate investment trust or an LLC with a corporate member, and the tenant received the specific written exemption notice the statute requires
• Certain duplexes where the owner lived in the other unit when your tenancy began
• Dormitories and certain affordable housing with its own restrictions
• Units under a local rent control law that is stricter than the state cap

The written notice matters. If your landlord relies on the single family home exemption but never gave you the required statement, the exemption may not apply.

How much notice your landlord must give

Even a legal increase needs proper notice. For a month to month tenancy, Civil Code section 827 requires at least 30 days of written notice for an increase of 10 percent or less, and at least 90 days for an increase of more than 10 percent, counting all increases in the prior 12 months (Civil Code section 827). During a fixed term lease, the rent is generally set by the lease until it ends, unless the lease itself allows changes.

A notice that arrives too late does not usually cancel the increase. It delays the date the new rent can take effect.

Los Angeles rent control is stricter

The City of Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance generally applies to rental properties first built on or before October 1, 1978. Under the RSO, rent can be raised once every 12 months by the allowable percentage the city publishes each year. The Los Angeles Housing Department posts the current figure and a calculator on its RSO overview page.

Other cities in the region, such as Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and West Hollywood, have their own rent rules. Always check which city your unit is in, not just your mailing address.

A step by step example

Here is how the math works for a covered unit, using made up numbers. Say the lowest rent you paid in the 12 months before the increase was $2,500 a month.

• If the regional cost of living rose 3 percent, the cap is 5 percent plus 3 percent, or 8 percent. The most your rent could rise in that 12 month period is $200, to $2,700.
• If the regional cost of living rose 6 percent, 5 plus 6 would be 11 percent, but the 10 percent ceiling applies. The most your rent could rise is $250, to $2,750.
• If your landlord already raised the rent $100 six months ago, that increase counts toward the same cap.

The real cost of living figure depends on your region and the date of the increase, so check the current number before you rely on any estimate.

Increases that come with other changes

Watch for increases disguised as something else. A new monthly fee for parking you already had, a charge for a utility the landlord used to cover or a cut in services such as laundry access can raise your real housing cost without the word "rent" appearing on the notice. Whether those changes are allowed depends on your lease, the rent cap and any local ordinance, so keep a copy of your lease and every notice in one place.

Also keep in mind that a rent increase is not a reason to stop paying the rent you agree is owed. Falling behind can give the landlord grounds for a 3 day notice, which is a much harder problem than a disputed increase.

What to do if an increase looks illegal

• Find the rent you paid 12 months before the increase, and check the math against the cap.
• Check whether your building is covered and whether you ever received an exemption notice.
• Check the date the notice was served and the date the new rent starts.
• Keep paying the rent you know is owed and keep proof of every payment.
• Put your concerns to the landlord in writing and keep a copy.

An increase that comes right after you asked for repairs or complained to the city can also raise a retaliation issue under Civil Code section 1942.5. Our tenant rights page explains how a free case review works.