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California Tenant Protection Act · Civ. Code § 1947.12

Is your rental exempt from AB 1482?

New to the law? Read AB 1482 explained. Otherwise, answer a few questions about your property. You'll see whether it's likely exempt from California's statewide rent cap, which rule applies, and what to do next.

Last reviewed October 17, 2026

Exemption checker

Takes about a minute. Your answers stay in your browser.

1Is the property in a city or county with its own rent control law?

For example the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento, Pasadena, or Santa Ana. Unincorporated county areas usually don't count, except unincorporated Los Angeles County. See the list.

2What kind of property is it?
3Was the building first approved for people to live in within the past 15 years?

This is the date on the building's certificate of occupancy, the permit that let people first live there. If the home was built before 2011, answer No. Count back 15 years from the date the increase takes effect. For example, for a December 1, 2026 increase, a certificate issued after December 1, 2011. Your city's building department can confirm the date.

4Is the unit deed-restricted affordable housing?

Rents limited for low or moderate income households by a recorded regulatory agreement or similar document.

By using this tool you agree to the Terms of Use. It gives general information, not legal advice.

Which properties are exempt from AB 1482?

AB 1482, the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, caps yearly rent increases for most California rentals. Civil Code Section 1947.12(d) lists the properties it doesn't cover:

The single-family exemption is the one landlords most often get wrong. Owning a house isn't enough. Without the notice, the home is treated as covered, even if everything else qualifies.

Cities with their own rent control

The California Attorney General lists these jurisdictions as having local rent control that may apply instead of, or in addition to, AB 1482:

Alameda, Antioch, Baldwin Park, Bell Gardens, Berkeley, Beverly Hills, Commerce, Concord, Cudahy, Culver City, East Palo Alto, Hayward, Huntington Park, Inglewood, Larkspur, Los Angeles, unincorporated Los Angeles County, Maywood, Mountain View, Oakland, Ojai, Oxnard, Palm Springs, Pasadena, Pomona, Richmond, Sacramento (city), Salinas, San Francisco, San Jose, San Leandro, Santa Ana, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, and West Hollywood.

Source: California Attorney General, rent cap and local rent control chart (updated July 2026). Other cities have just cause or relocation rules, and local laws change often. Some local rules cover single-family homes or newer buildings that AB 1482 exempts, and many add registration or notice requirements. Check your city's rent board or housing department before you rely on a state exemption.

Common questions

Are single-family homes exempt from AB 1482?

Often, but not automatically. A single-family home or condo is exempt only if it can be sold separately from any other unit, the owner is not a real estate investment trust, a corporation, or an LLC with at least one corporate member, and the tenant has received the exact written notice set out in Civil Code Section 1947.12(d)(5)(B). Without the notice, the home is covered by the rent cap.

What is the AB 1482 exemption notice?

It is a specific statement, written into the statute, telling the tenant that the property is not subject to the rent limits of Civil Code Section 1947.12 or the just cause rules of Section 1946.2, and that the owner is not a REIT, corporation, or LLC with a corporate member. For tenancies that began or renewed on or after July 1, 2020, the law says it must be in the rental agreement.

What notice do landlords of covered units have to give?

If your unit is covered by AB 1482, Civil Code Section 1946.2(f) requires a written notice telling tenants that California law limits rent increases and requires a stated cause to end certain tenancies. It must be in at least 12-point type and included in the lease, attached as an addendum, or given as a written notice the tenant signs. Use our tenant protections notice page to create it.

Are buildings newer than 15 years exempt?

Yes. Housing with a certificate of occupancy issued within the previous 15 years is exempt from the state cap, and no special notice is required. The statute says "within the previous 15 years," which is generally read as counting back from the date of the rent increase, so each year a new group of buildings becomes covered.

Does AB 1482 apply to duplexes?

A duplex is exempt only when the owner lived in one of the two units as their principal residence when the tenancy started, still lives there, and neither unit is an accessory dwelling unit or junior ADU. Otherwise the cap applies.

Is an LLC-owned home exempt?

It can be. The exemption is lost only if at least one member of the LLC is a corporation. An LLC owned entirely by individuals can still qualify if the other conditions, including the written notice, are met.

When does AB 1482 expire?

Under current law, Civil Code Section 1947.12 is repealed on January 1, 2030. A 2025-26 bill to lower the cap and remove the expiration date, AB 1157, did not advance out of committee in January 2026. The legislature could still change the law, so check for updates.

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