How much can a landlord raise rent in California?

For most California apartments more than 15 years old, the Tenant Protection Act (Civil Code section 1947.12) limits annual rent increases to 5% plus regional inflation, never more than 10%, with at most two increases in 12 months. Local rent control can be stricter, and increases require written notice under Civil Code section 827.

For most covered apartments: 5% plus local inflation, capped at 10% per year. The Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (Civil Code section 1947.12) limits annual rent increases for residential property more than 15 years old to 5% plus the regional consumer price index, never exceeding 10%, with no more than two increases in any 12 months. Key exemptions: housing built within the last 15 years (a rolling window), single-family homes and condos owned by individuals, not corporations or REITs, when the tenant received the statutory exemption notice, and owner-occupied duplexes. The statewide cap is a floor for tenant protection, not a ceiling on local law: rent-controlled cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Monica impose stricter limits that govern where applicable. Increases also require proper written notice under Civil Code section 827, 30 days for increases up to 10%, and 90 days above that. The companion just-cause statute (section 1946.2) restricts terminations used to dodge the cap.

Authority: Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12