How the AB 1482 cap is calculated
Maximum percentage = 5% + regional CPI change, capped at 10%. Maximum rent = lowest gross rent in the prior twelve months × (1 + maximum percentage). The CPI figure is the percentage change from April of the previous year to April of the current year for the metropolitan area where the property is, or the California average where no regional index exists. A new figure therefore takes effect each August.
The limit is over any twelve-month period, so two increases in one year count together. If you raised the rent by 3% in March, the room left in September is the cap minus that 3%, measured from the pre-March rent — which is why the calculator asks for the lowest rent of the period separately from the current rent.
A worked example
A Long Beach tenant has paid $2,000 a month all year. Long Beach falls in the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim CPI region; say that index rose 3.0% over the relevant April-to-April period. The cap is 5% + 3.0% = 8.0%, so the maximum new rent is $2,000 × 1.08 = $2,160. A proposed rent of $2,200 would be $40 over the cap.
Had the regional CPI risen 6%, the formula would give 11%, but the 10% ceiling applies, so the maximum would be $2,200. Use the real published figure for your region and year; the example numbers are only for illustration.
Notice: 30 days or 90 days
California Civil Code §827 requires at least 30 days' written notice for a rent increase on a month-to-month tenancy, and 90 days when the increase, alone or added to others in the past twelve months, is more than 10% of the lowest rent charged in that period. On units covered by AB 1482 the increase cannot exceed 10%, so 30 days is the usual answer; the 90-day rule matters mainly for exempt units. A fixed-term lease generally cannot be increased mid-term unless the lease allows it.
Our guide to California rent increase laws covers serving notice and the common mistakes, and rent increase laws by state compares California with other states.
Which units AB 1482 does not cover
The main exemptions are housing built in the last 15 years (a rolling window), single-family homes and condominiums owned by individuals rather than corporations or REITs — provided the required exemption notice is in the lease — a duplex where the owner lives in one unit, deed-restricted affordable housing, and dormitories. Units under a stricter local rent control ordinance, such as in Los Angeles, San Francisco or Oakland, follow the local rule instead.
If you are unsure whether a unit is covered, California rent control explained walks through the coverage rules city by city. This tool is general information, not legal advice.
Common questions
What is the maximum rent increase in California?
For units covered by AB 1482, 5% plus the regional CPI change over any twelve months, with an absolute ceiling of 10%. Local rent control can set a lower limit.
Which CPI do I use for AB 1482?
The April-to-April percentage change in the consumer price index for the metropolitan region where the property is, or the statewide California figure if the area has no regional index.
How much notice do I need to give for a rent increase in California?
At least 30 days' written notice on a month-to-month tenancy, or 90 days if the increase is more than 10% over the prior twelve months.
Does AB 1482 apply to single-family homes?
Not when the home is owned by an individual and the lease contains the required exemption notice. Homes owned by corporations or REITs are covered.
Done by hand once. Done automatically from now on.
Track every lease's rent history and renewal date so the next increase is calculated from the right base.