Los Angeles, CA Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)
Rent control rules in Los Angeles, CA, also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances, limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
Key Facts
- Annual increase cap
- 4% max, 90% of CPI, 1% floor
- Coverage cutoff
- Certificate of occupancy by Oct. 1, 1978
- Exempt
- Single-family homes, condos (no duplex)
- Overcharge remedy
- 3x damages plus attorney fees
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
- Administered by
- LA Housing Dept. & Rent Adjustment Commission
Summary
Los Angeles's Rent Stabilization Ordinance makes it unlawful to charge more than the maximum adjusted rent on covered units, and limits the annual automatic increase to 90% of the CPI change for the LA-Long Beach-Anaheim area, with a 1% floor and a hard 4% ceiling under LAMC § 151.06.D.
A. It shall be unlawful for any landlord to demand, accept or retain more than the maximum adjusted rent permitted pursuant to this chapter or regulation or orders adopted pursuant to this chapter. ... D. (Amended by Ord. No. 188,795, Eff. 2/2/26.) The maximum rent or maximum adjusted rent may be increased annually based on 90 percent of the difference between the average of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for All items in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA for the most recent consecutive 12-month period ending on September 30 and the average of the same index for the prior consecutive 12-month period ending on September 30... If the allowable annual rent adjustment is less than one percent, a landlord may increase the maximum or maximum adjusted rent by up to one percent. In no event, however, may an annual rent increase under this subsection exceed four percent.
Full Breakdown
02). A, it is unlawful for a landlord to demand, accept, or retain rent above the maximum adjusted rent. D, most recently amended by Ord. No. 188,795 (eff. 2/2/26), ties the annual automatic adjustment to 90 percent of the year-over-year change in the CPI for All Urban Consumers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area (September-to-September), rounded to the nearest whole percent, with a guaranteed floor of 1 percent if the calculated figure is lower, and a ceiling that may never exceed 4 percent in a given year.
C also permits full vacancy decontrol: once a covered unit is voluntarily vacated by all tenants, the landlord may reset the rent to any amount on re-rental. The Los Angeles Housing Department and the Rent Adjustment Commission administer registration, notices, and individual rent adjustment petitions under the same chapter. 06.
Violations & Fines
Overcharging rent triggers a civil action under § 151.10.A for treble damages, three times the amount collected above the legal maximum, plus reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. Section 151.10.B separately makes any violation of the RSO's requirements a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in county jail, or both, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my Los Angeles apartment covered by rent control?
How much can my landlord raise the rent each year?
What can I do if my landlord charges more than the legal maximum?
Can my landlord reset the rent to market rate after I move out?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
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Rent Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle rent control.