Key Facts Ordinance Text Full Breakdown Violations FAQ Sources More in Napa County

Napa County, CA Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)

Q: Does Napa County have rent control?

No. Unincorporated Napa County has not adopted a local rent-control or rent-stabilization ordinance. The statewide cap at California Civil Code Section 1947.12 (AB 1482, 2019) applies on covered units: 5% plus regional CPI, capped at 10% in any 12-month period, with no more than two increases per year and no increase in the first 12 months of a tenancy.

Q: What is the maximum rent increase on a Napa County rental this year?

Under Civil Code Section 1947.12, the maximum annual increase on a covered unit is 5% plus the percentage change in the regional CPI (San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward All Urban Consumers index), with a hard ceiling of 10% in any 12-month period regardless of CPI. The exact percentage for the upcoming 12-month window depends on the most recent CPI figure available at the time the increase notice is served.

Q: Is my Napa County single-family rental exempt from the rent cap?

Single-family homes and condominiums owned by a natural person (not a corporation, LLC with any corporate member, or REIT) are exempt from the AB 1482 cap if the landlord serves the statutory written exemption notice required by Civil Code Section 1947.12(d)(5). Without that notice, the exemption is unavailable and the cap will be enforced retroactively. Housing certificated for occupancy within the previous 15 years and owner-occupied duplexes are also exempt under the statute.

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified May 2026

Rent control rules in Napa County, CA, also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances, limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.

Key Facts

Local Rent Control Ordinance: None in unincorporated Napa County
Governing Law: California Civil Code Section 1947.12 (AB 1482, 2019)
Annual Cap: 5% plus regional CPI, max 10% in any 12-month period
CPI Index Used: BLS San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward All Urban Consumers
Increases Per Year: Maximum two; none in first 12 months of tenancy
Vacancy Decontrol: Yes - rent resets to market on voluntary turnover
Key Exemptions: Natural-person SFH/condo; <15-yr-old housing; owner-occupied duplex

Summary

Unincorporated Napa County has not adopted a local rent-stabilization or rent-control ordinance. The applicable cap is the California statewide Tenant Protection Act rent ceiling at Civil Code Section 1947.12 (AB 1482, 2019), which limits annual rent increases on covered units to 5% plus the regional CPI, not to exceed 10% in any 12-month period. Single-family homes and condos owned by natural persons, units in housing less than 15 years old (rolling), and owner-occupied duplexes are exempt from the cap if the landlord serves the prescribed AB 1482 exemption notice.

City-specific rules exist: Napa has its own rent control rules that differ from Napa County's county-level regulations. If you live in Napa, check the city-specific page instead.

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 prior to the effective date of the increase. In determining the lowest gross rental amount pursuant to this section, any rent discounts, incentives, concessions, or credits offered by the owner of such unit of residential real property and accepted by the tenant shall be excluded.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Napa County has not enacted a local rent-control or rent-stabilization ordinance for the unincorporated county. 12. On any unit covered by AB 1482, the landlord may not, in any 12-month period, increase the gross rental rate by more than 5% plus the percentage change in the regional Consumer Price Index, with a hard ceiling of 10% even in a high-inflation year. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The landlord may impose no more than two increases in any 12-month period and may not raise rent during the first 12 months of a tenancy.

AB 1482 expressly does not preempt local rent ordinances enacted before September 1, 2019; because Napa County did not enact such an ordinance, the AB 1482 statewide cap is the binding ceiling in the unincorporated county. Statutory exemptions from the cap parallel the just-cause exemptions: natural-person-owned single-family homes and condominiums (with timely written notice of exemption), housing certificated for occupancy within the previous 15 years on a rolling basis, owner-occupied duplexes, dormitory housing, and deed-restricted affordable units. Vacancy decontrol applies to covered units: when a tenant voluntarily vacates, the landlord may reset the initial rent to market for the new tenancy, after which the 5%+CPI cap restarts.

Violations & Fines

An increase exceeding 5%+CPI (or the 10% absolute cap) on a covered unit is unenforceable under Civil Code Section 1947.12 and entitles the tenant to recover the overpayment, attorney's fees, and statutory damages where the violation is willful. Tenants may pursue private rights of action in Napa County Superior Court. Local non-profit legal aid (Legal Aid of Napa Valley) commonly represents tenants on AB 1482 overcharge disputes. A landlord who fails to serve the statutorily required exemption notice (Civil Code Section 1947.12(d)(5)) cannot rely on the single-family-home or condo exemption against a tenant, and the cap will be applied retroactively. Wrongful collection above the cap, combined with a no-fault termination intended to reset rent to market in bad faith, can support trebled damages under the just-cause provisions of Civil Code Section 1946.2(h).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Napa County have rent control?

No. Unincorporated Napa County has not adopted a local rent-control or rent-stabilization ordinance. The statewide cap at California Civil Code Section 1947.12 (AB 1482, 2019) applies on covered units: 5% plus regional CPI, capped at 10% in any 12-month period, with no more than two increases per year and no increase in the first 12 months of a tenancy.

What is the maximum rent increase on a Napa County rental this year?

Under Civil Code Section 1947.12, the maximum annual increase on a covered unit is 5% plus the percentage change in the regional CPI (San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward All Urban Consumers index), with a hard ceiling of 10% in any 12-month period regardless of CPI. The exact percentage for the upcoming 12-month window depends on the most recent CPI figure available at the time the increase notice is served.

Is my Napa County single-family rental exempt from the rent cap?

Single-family homes and condominiums owned by a natural person (not a corporation, LLC with any corporate member, or REIT) are exempt from the AB 1482 cap if the landlord serves the statutory written exemption notice required by Civil Code Section 1947.12(d)(5). Without that notice, the exemption is unavailable and the cap will be enforced retroactively. Housing certificated for occupancy within the previous 15 years and owner-occupied duplexes are also exempt under the statute.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Napa County

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All Napa County rules

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Rent Control in Cities Across Napa County

Napa, CA