Sacramento County, CA Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)
Rent control rules in Sacramento County, CA, also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances, limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
Key Facts
- Local Cap
- None in unincorporated county
- State Law
- AB 1482
- Cap
- 5 percent + CPI or 10 percent max
- Just Cause
- After 12 months
- Sunset
- January 1, 2030
Summary
Unincorporated Sacramento County has NO local rent cap. Statewide AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019) applies: annual rent increases capped at 5 percent plus CPI, or 10 percent maximum, whichever is lower. Just-cause eviction required for tenants of 12+ months. Single-family homes owned by individuals and buildings under 15 years old are generally exempt.
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. The gross per-month rental rate and any owner-offered discounts, incentives, concessions, or credits shall be separately listed and identified in the lease or rental agreement or any amendments to an existing lease or rental agreement.
(2) If the same tenant remains in occupancy of a unit of residential real property over any 12-month period, the gross rental rate for the unit of residential real property shall not be increased in more than two increments over that 12-month period, subject to the other restrictions of this subdivision governing gross rental rate increase.
(b) For a new tenancy in which no tenant from the prior tenancy remains in lawful possession of the residential real property, the owner may establish the initial rental rate not subject to subdivision (a). Subdivision (a) is only applicable to subsequent increases after that initial rental rate has been established.
(d) This section shall not apply to the following residential real properties:
(4) Housing that has been issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years.
Full Breakdown
Sacramento County has not enacted local rent control or rent stabilization in unincorporated areas. The City of Sacramento (separate jurisdiction) has its own Tenant Protection and Relief Act. For unincorporated county tenants, California AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019), codified at Civil Code 1946.2 and 1947.12, applies. AB 1482 caps annual rent increases at 5 percent plus the regional CPI, or 10 percent, whichever is lower. It also requires just-cause eviction for tenants who have lived in a unit for 12 months or more. Just causes include nonpayment, lease breach, nuisance, and at-fault reasons; no-fault terminations (owner move-in, withdrawal from market, substantial remodel) require relocation assistance equal to one month's rent. Exemptions include single-family homes owned by individuals (not corporations) if proper notice is given, condos, buildings less than 15 years old (rolling), and deed-restricted affordable housing. The law sunsets January 1, 2030 unless extended.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can my landlord raise my rent?
Is my single-family rental covered by AB 1482?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sacramento County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sacramento County to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
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