Ontario, CA Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)
Rent control rules in Ontario, CA, also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances, limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
Key Facts
- Local rent control
- None in Ontario
- State cap
- 5% + CPI, max 10%
- Just cause
- After 12 months
- Exempt
- Units under 15 years old
Summary
Ontario has no local rent-control ordinance, but most rentals fall under California AB 1482 capping annual rent increases at 5 percent plus CPI (max 10 percent) and requiring just cause after 12 months.
Civil Code - CIV. 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. (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: (1) Housing restricted by deed, regulatory restriction contained in an agreement with a government agency, or other recorded document as affordable housing... (4) Housing that has been issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years, unless the housing is a mobilehome.
Full Breakdown
12). AB 1482 caps annual rent increases on covered units at 5 percent plus the regional Consumer Price Index, not to exceed 10 percent total in any 12-month period. It also requires just cause for termination after a tenant has occupied a unit for 12 months (or 24 months for multi-tenant moves), with at-fault reasons such as nonpayment or nuisance and no-fault reasons such as owner move-in triggering relocation assistance equal to one month of rent. Exemptions include single-family homes owned by natural persons (not LLCs or corporations) when proper notice is given, units built within the last 15 years, and duplexes where the owner lives in one unit. Mobile home park rent is separately regulated under California Civil Code 798. Tenants should consult a housing-rights attorney or contact HUD-approved counselors for disputes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my Ontario landlord raise rent 15 percent?
Is my single-family rental covered?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ontario
California rules heatmap·Compare Ontario to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
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Rent Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle rent control.