California County Rent Cap Calculator
Short answer
For covered properties only, and for increases starting 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027: maximum increase = min(5% + area-group CPI, 10%) — Los Angeles Area 8.7%, Riverside Area 8.1%, San Diego Area 8.2%, San Francisco Area 8.8%, and All Other Counties 8.6%. Example: $2,000 rent in Orange County (Los Angeles Area) = maximum $2,174 at 8.7%. California publishes no per-county table, so do not use a separate county or metro figure. For any other period, the answer is Check official source.
This is general information, not legal advice. City ordinances may be stricter and may override state rules. Check the official source for your city and state before acting.
Official Attorney General area groups
| Area group | Counties | CPI | Maximum increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Area | Los Angeles, Orange | 3.7% | 8.7% |
| Riverside Area | Riverside, San Bernardino | 3.1% | 8.1% |
| San Diego Area | San Diego | 3.2% | 8.2% |
| San Francisco Area | Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo | 3.8% | 8.8% |
| All Other Counties | The other 48 counties (listed below) | 3.6% | 8.6% |
All Other Counties — the other 48 counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo, and Yuba. Note that Sacramento is in this group; there is no separate Sacramento metro figure in the official groups, so Sacramento uses 8.6% for this period.
These figures apply only to increases starting 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027. For any other period, and whenever coverage, an exemption, or a local ordinance is uncertain, the result is Check official source — never a bare yes or no.
Calculator
Formula
Maximum increase = minimum(5% + area-group CPI, 10%). Maximum rent = current rent × (1 + maximum increase ÷ 100). Capped increase = maximum rent − current rent.
Los Angeles Area: min(5% + 3.7%, 10%) = 8.7%. Riverside Area: min(5% + 3.1%, 10%) = 8.1%. San Diego Area: min(5% + 3.2%, 10%) = 8.2%. San Francisco Area: min(5% + 3.8%, 10%) = 8.8%. All Other Counties: min(5% + 3.6%, 10%) = 8.6%.
These are the figures for increases starting 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027 only, for covered properties under Civil Code §1947.12. The 10% ceiling does not bind for any group in this period, because every 5% + CPI figure is below 10%.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Orange County, maximum rent: Current $2,000, Los Angeles Area, 8.7%. Maximum rent = $2,000 × 1.087 = $2,174. Capped increase = $174.
Example 2 — Sacramento, maximum rent: Current $1,800, All Other Counties, 8.6%. Maximum rent = $1,800 × 1.086 = $1,954.80. Capped increase = $154.80. Sacramento uses the All Other Counties figure, not a separate metro figure.
Example 3 — Outside the period: Current $2,000, San Francisco Area, but the increase starts outside 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027. The result is “Check official source”, because these group figures do not apply to that period.
Example 4 — Exemption uncertain: Current $2,000, San Diego Area, but the home may be less than 15 years old. The result is “Check official source”, because coverage must be confirmed before the state figure can be relied on.
Limitations
- Only covered properties under Civil Code §1947.12 are covered by these figures. Housing less than 15 years old, qualifying single-family homes and condominiums, and deed-restricted affordable housing are among the exemptions; this tool does not decide whether a property is covered.
- Local ordinances may be stricter and may override state rules. A result from this tool does not clear a stricter city rule.
- California publishes no per-county table. If a source gives you a different figure for a single county, check it against the Attorney General area groups before using it.
- These figures apply only to increases starting 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027. They do not set the cap for any other period.
- Notice, frequency, and other procedural requirements are not covered by this calculator.
Sources
- California Attorney General — Rent Caps (official area groups)
- California Civil Code §1947.12 (official text)
- California Department of Industrial Relations — California Price Index
- CPI figures: the California Department of Industrial Relations CPI page (linked above), drawing on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics regional data.
- Methodology: How rules are verified on this site.
Verify the current law and any city ordinance before acting.
Related tools: Rent Increase Cap Checker — California and Washington caps with a CPI entry; Rent Increase Legality Checker — compare a proposed increase with the caps.
Frequently asked questions
What is the California county rent cap for increases starting 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027?
For covered properties, the maximum is 5% plus the CPI for your Attorney General area group, capped at 10%: Los Angeles Area 8.7%, Riverside Area 8.1%, San Diego Area 8.2%, San Francisco Area 8.8%, and All Other Counties 8.6%.
Does California publish a separate cap for each county?
No. California publishes no per-county table. The Attorney General publishes five area groups, and every county sits in exactly one group. Use the group figure for your county, not a city or metro headline figure.
What if my property may be exempt, or a local ordinance may apply?
Then this tool returns Check official source. Exemptions include housing less than 15 years old, qualifying single-family homes and condominiums, and deed-restricted affordable housing, and any lower local ordinance overrides the state figure.
What if my increase starts outside 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027?
Then this tool returns Check official source. These group figures apply only to increases starting in that period. For any other period, check the official source for the figures that apply.