10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 9 cities in Orange County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Orange County has no local rent control ordinance. Tenants are protected by California's statewide Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482), which caps annual rent increases at 5% plus local CPI or 10%, whichever is lower. AB 1482 applies to most residential rental units built more than 15 years ago.
California Civil Code § 1947.12 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019)
1947.12. (a) (1) Subject to subdivision (b), an owner of residential real property shall not, over the course of any 12-month period, increase the gross rental rate for a dwelling or a unit more than 5 percent plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower, of the lowest gross rental rate charged for that dwelling or unit at any time during the 12 months...
Unincorporated Orange County has no local just cause eviction ordinance. California's Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482, Civil Code §1946.2) provides statewide just cause eviction protections for tenants who have occupied a unit for 12 or more months. Landlords must cite a specific at-fault or no-fault reason to terminate tenancy.
California Civil Code § 1946.2 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019)
1946.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, after a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied a residential real property for 12 months, the owner of the residential real property shall not terminate a tenancy without just cause, which shall be stated in the written notice to terminate tenancy. If any additional adult tenants are added to the lease before an existing tenant has continuousl...
Unincorporated Orange County does not require rental property registration. There is no countywide rental registry, landlord licensing, or rental inspection program for unincorporated communities. Within Orange County, only the City of Santa Ana has implemented a rental registration program as part of its Rent Stabilization Ordinance.
California Civil Code § 1947.12 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019)
1947.12. (a) (1) Subject to subdivision (b), an owner of residential real property shall not, over the course of any 12-month period, increase the gross rental rate for a dwelling or a unit more than 5 percent plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower, of the lowest gross rental rate charged for that dwelling or unit at any time during the 12 months...
Orange County landlords using a no-fault eviction under AB 1482 must pay relocation assistance equal to one month of current rent, or waive the tenant's final month, regardless of tenant income or household size. OC has no enhanced county-level relocation tier.
California AB 12 caps security deposits at one month's rent for nearly all Orange County residential tenancies starting July 2024, regardless of furnished or unfurnished status. Small mom-and-pop landlords retain a limited two-month exception.
Under California AB 1482, no-fault evictions in Orange County rental units (owner move-in, withdrawal from market, substantial remodel, government order) require landlords to provide one month's rent in relocation assistance or waive the final month's rent.
California Civil Code 1940.2 prohibits Orange County landlords from using force, threats, fraud, utility cutoffs, or repeated false-eviction filings to coerce tenants into vacating. OC has not adopted a separate county-level tenant-anti-harassment ordinance like LA's TAHO.
California prohibits Orange County landlords from refusing to rent to applicants because they use a Section 8 housing-choice voucher or other government rental subsidy. Source-of-income protection became statewide under SB 329 in 2020.
The Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA) administers Section 8 housing-choice vouchers for most unincorporated areas and many cities. Landlords are required to accept voucher applicants under California source-of-income protection law, with OCHA setting payment standards.
California Government Code § 12955 (Fair Employment and Housing Act)
12955. It shall be unlawful: (a) For the owner of any housing accommodation to discriminate against or harass any person because of the race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, disability, veteran or military status, or genetic information of that person. (b) For ...
California AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019) requires landlords countywide in Orange County to provide written notice of statewide rent caps and just-cause eviction protections, or to certify a property's exemption status, in every lease and renewal.
California Civil Code § 1946.2 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019)
“This property is not subject to the rent limits imposed by Section 1947.12 of the Civil Code and is not subject to the just cause requirements of Section 1946.2 of the Civil Code. This property meets the requirements of Sections 1947.12 (d)(5) and 1946.2 (e)(8) of the Civil Code and the owner is not any of the following: (1) a real estate investment trust, as defined by Section 856 of the Inte...
9 cities in Orange County have their own rental property rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
11 verified rules • AB-1482 Notice Disclosure, Eviction Moratorium History
12 verified rules • AB-1482 Notice Disclosure, Cash-for-Keys Agreements
3 verified rules • Just Cause Eviction, Rent Control
3 verified rules • Just Cause Eviction, Rent Control
3 verified rules • Just Cause Eviction, Rent Control
3 verified rules • Just Cause Eviction, Rent Control
3 verified rules • Just Cause Eviction, Rent Control
3 verified rules • Just Cause Eviction, Rent Control
3 verified rules • Just Cause Eviction, Rent Control
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