California Local Rent Ordinances Lookup

Annual cap: 3 % or CPI, whichever is lower (2025 cycle)

Los Angeles adopted the Rent Stabilization Ordinance in 1979 after renters experienced double-digit hikes during an inflation surge. Covered units include apartments built on or before October 1, 1978. Single-family homes and new construction remain exempt unless voluntarily enrolled. The current cap is 3 %, well below the statewide formula, and resets every July 1 using the CPI for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim region. Owners must register each unit annually and pay a $38.75 per-unit fee—half may be passed through to tenants at $3.23 monthly.

Hardship petitions allow landlords to seek additional increases by showing net-operating-income erosion; tenants can counter-petition for rent reductions due to decreased services. Typical petition timeline: filing → mediation offer (15 days) → hearing officer decision (60 days). Official forms and filing portal are hosted on the Housing Department site— housing.lacity.org.

Exemptions: single-family dwellings, condos, hotels, and buildings first occupied within the past 15 years (AB 1482 carve-out).

Annual cap: 1.9 % (60 % of CPI, 2025 cycle)

San Francisco’s rent control ordinance, enacted in 1979 and codified in Administrative Code §37, governs units built before June 13, 1979. The Rent Board sets the allowable adjustment at 60 % of CPI; for 2025 that equals 1.9 %. Registration fees total $50 per unit and are due March 1. Owners who miss the deadline may lose the right to raise rent until fees are paid. Hardship or capital-improvement passthrough petitions cost $50–$250 and take about 90 days for a decision.

The Board publishes an online Maximum Allowable Rent database so tenants can verify lawful rates. Petitions for reductions—habitability, decreased housing services, or unlawful increases—must be filed within one year of the violation. Download forms or file electronically at sfrb.org.

Exemptions mirror statewide rules for single-family homes with proper disclosure, plus post-1979 construction. Sub-tenancies in the same dwelling remain regulated.

Annual cap: 100 % of CPI, currently 3.5 %

Oakland’s RAP dates to 1980 and caps rent increases at the local CPI figure—3.5 % for 2025. Owners must file a Notice of Rent Increase (Form RAP 135) 30 days before the effective date and pay a hefty $101 per-unit annual fee. A late fee of $61 applies after March 1. Tenants may file a petition within 30 days of receiving the notice, triggering an administrative hearing. Decisions arrive within 75 days and are enforceable as a civil judgment if unpaid.

Landlords seeking larger increases must demonstrate significant capital improvements or an unusually low operating income. The RAP website offers calculators and PDF guidelines: Oakland Rent Ordinance.

Exempt: single-family homes, condos, and post-1983 buildings.

Annual cap: 65 % of CPI, 2.0 % for 2025

Berkeley voters passed Measure D in 1980, creating one of the strictest rent control schemes in the state. The Rent Board sets the annual adjustment at 65 % of CPI; thus, the 2025 allowable increase is 2.0 %. An expansive $250 per-unit registration fee funds staff attorneys, mediation, and a public decision database. Owners must file a “Certificate of Permissible Rent Level” before serving any increase notice.

Measure MM (2020) expanded coverage to many newly vacant tenancies and requires registration of nearly all rented units, even those exempt from strict caps. Hardship petitions allow temporary surcharges, but tenants can counter-petition for service reductions. Petition hearings occur within 60 days, with appeals decided by the full board in another 30 days.

Exemptions: new construction (15 years), certain owner-occupied duplexes, and single-family homes with proper AB 1482 disclosure.

Annual cap: 75 % of CPI, 2.1 % (0-3 % floor/ceiling)

Santa Monica’s rent program, founded in 1979, permits yearly increases equal to 75 % of CPI, but within a 0-3 % band. For 2025, the cap is 2.1 %. Registration fees of $194 per unit are due every July and can be passed through at $16.17 per month. The Rent Control Board publishes unit-level MAR data and requires “vacancy registration” within 30 days of any tenant turnover.

Landlords filing Owner-Occupancy Eviction petitions must personally move in for at least two years, and certain seniors or disabled tenants hold additional protection. Hardship petitions cost $100 and require detailed financial statements. Learn more at Santa Monica Rent Control.

Exempt: new construction & single-family homes with disclosure.

Annual cap: 100 % of CPI, 3.2 % in 2025

West Hollywood’s small footprint hosts one of the nation’s most tenant-friendly ordinances. Annual rent adjustments equal 100 % of CPI, set at 3.2 % for 2025. Within five business days of serving a lawful increase, landlords must mail a confirmation letter; failure voids the adjustment. The city charges a $144 per-unit registration fee, payable in two installments.

Petitions: Tenants may file decrease-in-services or illegal-increase petitions. Landlords can seek hardship increases if net operating income falls below the base-year benchmark. Visit WeHo Rent Stabilization.

Exempt: owner-occupied two-unit properties and units first occupied in the last 15 years.

Annual cap: 5 % flat

San Jose’s ARO covers buildings with three or more units constructed before September 7, 1979. Unlike CPI-based systems, the city sets a flat 5 % cap per 12 months. A $64.20 per-unit registration fee funds administration. Owners must file rent rolls annually or lose increase privileges. Capital-improvement passthroughs require pre-approval and may not exceed 3 % of rent.

Petitions: Tenants have 30 days to contest illegal increases, habitability issues, or reduced services. All hearings aim for decisions in 45 days. Official portal: San Jose Housing.

Exemptions include single-family homes, condos, and new construction.

Annual cap: 100 % of CPI, 3.2 % for 2025

Passed by voters in 2016, Richmond’s ordinance sets increases at the local CPI—3.2 % this cycle. Registration fees are $219 per unit. Petitions: tenants may file for rent-reduction, while landlords can seek Fair Return adjustments. Initial petitions cost $25; each additional unit $5. The Rent Board must issue a decision within 120 days. Link: Richmond Rent Program.

Exempt: single-family homes & post-1995 construction.

Annual cap: CPI, 2-4 % floor-to-ceiling

Measure V (2016) limits annual increases to CPI but guarantees a minimum 2 % and maximum 4 %. For 2025 the allowable is 3.0 %. Registration: $160 per unit. Capital-improvement passthroughs are prohibited unless approved by the Rental Housing Committee. Petitions: tenants may file for service reductions or illegal increases. Decisions occur within 60 days. Resource: Mountain View Housing.

Exemptions follow AB 1482 rules plus owner-occupied duplexes.

Annual cap: CPI + 3 % (10 % maximum)

Alameda’s ordinance caps increases at CPI + 3 %, never exceeding 10 %. For 2025, CPI is 2 %, making the allowable 5 %. Registration fees sit at $100 per unit. Rent-increase notices over 10 %—for exempt properties only—require a 90-day notice. Tenants may file petitions for rent reductions, habitability, or unlawful increases. More: Alameda Rent Program.

Exempt: single-family homes with disclosure and new construction (15 years).

Local ordinances always prevail when they are stricter than the statewide AB 1482 Tenant Protection Act. For example, the statewide ceiling could be 8.2 % (5 % + CPI) but San Francisco’s Rent Board might limit increases to 1.9 % during the same period. A landlord may not choose the higher number. If you live in an AB 1482-exempt single-family home inside Los Angeles city limits, however, the local RSO is still inapplicable; instead the statewide cap governs. Always check three things in order: (1) local ordinance, (2) AB 1482, (3) your lease clause. When all are silent, Civil Code §1947.12 provides fallback protection.

Most city rent caps exempt “new construction” for 15 years to encourage development, mirroring AB 1482. However, registration or anti-harassment provisions often still apply. West Hollywood, for instance, exempts post-2009 buildings from the cap but requires owners to file rent data and provide annual tenant notices. Santa Monica demands MAR registration for all units regardless of age, though the dollar amount is capped only for pre-1979 stock. Check your city ordinance’s definition section—look for “covered rental units”—and call the rent board to confirm. Even when exempt from the cap, state law still limits eviction grounds after 12 months and requires proper notice periods for rent changes.

It depends on the jurisdiction. Los Angeles allows “banking” of unused annual rent increases back to 1990, but the total applied in a single year cannot exceed 8 %. San Francisco abolished banking entirely—missed increases are lost forever. Berkeley permits banking up to two years of unused adjustments but requires a 30-day advance notice to tenants. If you receive a large raise, scrutinize the math and check the ordinance’s banking provision. Tenants can file a petition if the landlord over-calculated accumulated percentages.

Many rent boards publish searchable databases. San Francisco’s “Rent Board Database” lists the Maximum Allowable Rent and registration status by address. Los Angeles offers an “RSO Look-Up” tool, and Santa Monica posts MAR PDFs sorted by street. If your city lacks an online portal, request proof of registration in writing from the landlord. Failure to register often bars rent increases or eviction filings until compliance. Keep screenshots or official letters in your tenancy file for future disputes. Visit our Rent Increases guide for step-by-step verification tips.

Gather leases, prior rent-increase notices, photos of habitability issues, and any written complaints you sent. Obtain city inspection reports if you called code enforcement. Create a timeline of incidents and attach copies of utility bills if reduced services (e.g., laundry closure) increased your costs. Most boards require a sworn declaration plus exhibits. Check filing fees—Oakland charges $30, while Berkeley is free. Submitting a complete packet speeds your hearing and improves your odds. See our Dispute Resolution guide for a full checklist.