AB 1482 Explained: Does California's Rent Cap Apply to Your Property?

By JDW Management · Published July 24, 2026 · 9 min read

If you own rental property in Southern California, AB 1482 — the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 — is probably the single most important law shaping what you can charge and when you can end a tenancy. It is also one of the most misunderstood. Some owners assume it doesn’t apply to them when it does; others leave money on the table assuming caps that don’t apply to their property at all.

This matters especially in the Inland Empire and most of Orange County: because no city in San Bernardino or Riverside County has its own rent control ordinance, AB 1482 is the rent law for owners there. There is no stricter local layer — but there is also no exemption just because your city never passed rent control.

What AB 1482 actually does

AB 1482 added two core protections to California law, codified at Civil Code sections 1947.12 and 1946.2. It took effect January 1, 2020, and is currently set to expire January 1, 2030 (unless extended). For covered properties it imposes:

A rent cap. Annual increases are limited to 5% plus the change in the regional Consumer Price Index, with a hard ceiling of 10% — whichever is lower.
Just-cause eviction. Once a tenant has lawfully occupied the unit for 12 months, you can only end the tenancy for a reason the statute lists.

The rent cap, in practice

The cap is 5% + regional CPI, capped at 10% total, over any 12-month period. Three details trip owners up:

The CPI figure is regional and changes annually. The statute uses the percentage change in the CPI for your metropolitan area (measured April to April). The allowable increase for a Riverside County property can differ from one in Orange County in the same year. Verify the current figure for your county before noticing an increase.
The 12-month lookback uses the lowest rent. The cap is measured against the lowest rent charged during the previous 12 months — you cannot stack two increases to get around it. You may raise rent at most twice in a 12-month period, and the combined total must stay within the cap.
There is no vacancy control. When a tenant moves out voluntarily, you may set the next tenancy at market rent. The cap governs increases during a tenancy, not between tenancies.

Notice mechanics still apply on top of the cap: under Civil Code section 827, increases require at least 30 days’ written notice (90 days for increases above 10%, which is only possible on exempt properties).

Just-cause eviction

After 12 months of occupancy, a covered tenancy can only be ended for a listed reason. The statute splits them into two groups:

At-fault causes — nonpayment of rent, material breach of the lease, nuisance, criminal activity, refusing to sign a renewal on similar terms, denying lawful entry, and similar tenant conduct. No relocation assistance is owed.
No-fault causes — the owner or a close family member moving in, withdrawing the property from the rental market, complying with a government order, or a substantial remodel. For these, the owner owes relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent (or a waiver of the final month).

Since April 1, 2024, SB 567 has tightened the no-fault grounds considerably: owner move-ins must actually occur within 90 days and continue for at least 12 months, “substantial remodel” has a real definition (work requiring permits that can’t be done safely with the tenant in place), and owners who misuse these grounds face actual damages, treble damages plus punitive damages for bad faith, and enforcement by the Attorney General and local city attorneys. Treat no-fault terminations as a compliance exercise, not a formality.

Which properties are exempt

The exemptions matter as much as the rule. The big ones:

Newer construction. Housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years is exempt. This is a rolling window — a building that turned 15 last year is covered now.
Single-family homes and condos — conditionally. They are exempt only if the owner is not a real estate investment trust, a corporation, or an LLC with at least one corporate member, and the lease contains the specific exemption notice language the statute requires. An individually owned rental house with the right lease language is exempt; the same house held in an LLC with a corporate member is not. And without the written notice, even a qualifying owner loses the exemption.
Owner-occupied duplexes. If the owner lives in one unit of a duplex as their principal residence, the other unit is exempt.
Deed-restricted affordable housing and certain other categories (dormitories, some shared-occupancy arrangements).

The most common — and most expensive — mistake we see: an owner of a single-family rental assumes it is exempt, but the home sits in an entity that disqualifies it, or the lease never included the exemption notice. Increases served above the cap in that situation are unlawful, and under SB 567 a tenant can recover overcharges (and more, if bad faith is found).

Where local ordinances take over

AB 1482 does not override stricter local rent control. In Southern California that includes the City of Los Angeles RSO, unincorporated Los Angeles County, Santa Ana, Bell Gardens, and Pomona, each with its own (generally lower) caps and rules. If your property is covered by one of those, the local ordinance is your operative law.

Everywhere else in our service area — nearly all of Orange County and every city in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties — AB 1482 is the rulebook. (For what it’s worth: JDW Management does not manage properties subject to the City of Los Angeles RSO, a qualification we apply in LA County.)

An owner’s compliance checklist

Classify the property. Covered, exempt, or under a local ordinance? Re-check when the 15-year window rolls, when ownership entities change, and when local councils act.
Get the lease language right. Covered tenancies require the statutory notice of AB 1482 rights; exempt single-family homes and condos require the exemption notice. Both belong in the lease.
Calculate increases against the current regional CPI and the lowest rent in the prior 12 months — then serve a compliant section 827 notice.
Document just cause before any termination, and budget relocation assistance for no-fault terminations.

This is the kind of work a property manager should simply handle. We track applicability for every property we manage, calculate each year’s allowable increase with the correct regional figure, and serve compliant notices — it’s part of the flat 7% management fee, not an add-on.

Common questions

How much can I raise rent under AB 1482?

For covered properties, the most you can raise rent in any 12-month period is 5% plus the change in the regional Consumer Price Index for your area, with an absolute ceiling of 10% — whichever is lower. The allowable percentage changes each year and varies by region, so check the current figure for your county before serving a notice.

Is my single-family rental exempt from AB 1482?

Often, but not automatically. A single-family home or condo is exempt only if it is not owned by a corporation, a real estate investment trust, or an LLC with a corporate member — and only if the lease includes the specific exemption notice required by the statute. Miss the notice, and the property is treated as covered.

Does AB 1482 apply in cities that already have rent control?

Where a local ordinance is stricter — such as the City of Los Angeles RSO or Santa Ana's rent stabilization ordinance — the local rules control. AB 1482 fills the gap everywhere else, which is why it is the operative law for most of Orange County and essentially all of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.

Can I reset rent to market when a tenant moves out?

Yes. AB 1482 has no vacancy control. When a tenant voluntarily leaves, you can set the new tenancy at market rent. The cap then applies to increases during that new tenancy.

This article is general information about California law as of its publication date, not legal advice, and laws change. Cities and counties may impose stricter local requirements than state law. For advice about a specific property or situation, consult a qualified California landlord-tenant attorney.