Rent Increase Legality Checker
Short answer
This checker compares a proposed increase with the verified state cap only — California county-group figures for increases starting 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, Washington 2026: 9.683% and 2027: 10% with no increase in the first 12 months, and Oregon 2026: 9.5% and 2027: 10% for general tenancies. Texas has no statewide cap, so a Texas result never says “legal” — it says no statewide cap applies and directs you to check the lease and local rules. Notice is never judged in days here: no notice-day rule is stated in the rent increase guides on this site, so the notice line always reads “notice period not verified on this site — check official source”, while the cap verdict is still given.
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.
Verified caps used by this checker
| State | Verified cap used here | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California | County-group figures for increases starting 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027: Los Angeles Area 8.7%, Riverside Area 8.1%, San Diego Area 8.2%, San Francisco Area 8.8%, All Other Counties 8.6%; covered properties only | Attorney General rent caps; Civil Code 1947.12 |
| Washington | 2026: 9.683% (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026); 2027: 10% (1 January 2027 to 31 December 2027); formula min(7% + CPI, 10%); no increase in the first 12 months | HB 1217, RCW 59.18.700; Washington Commerce HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center |
| Oregon | 2026: 9.5%; 2027: 10% for general tenancies (ORS 90.323). Manufactured dwelling and marina facilities with more than 30 spaces are 6% in 2027 and return Check official source in this checker | Oregon Department of Administrative Services 2027 maximum rent increase notice |
| Texas | No statewide cap applies — check the lease and local rules | No statewide cap statute is used on this site for Texas |
| All other states | Check official source | No verified state cap is used on this site for other states |
Verdicts are only: “Within the cap”, “Over the cap — capped at $X”, “Check official source”, or, for Texas, “No statewide cap applies”. A “Notice insufficient on the stated rule” verdict would require a notice-day rule stated on this site; none is stated in the rent increase guides, so instead every result carries the notice line “notice period not verified on this site — check official source”. A within-cap result is not a ruling that an increase is lawful.
Calculator
Formula
Percentage increase = (proposed rent − current rent) ÷ current rent × 100.
California, increases starting 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, covered properties: maximum = the Attorney General area-group figure (Los Angeles Area 8.7%, Riverside Area 8.1%, San Diego Area 8.2%, San Francisco Area 8.8%, All Other Counties 8.6%), from min(5% + area-group CPI, 10%). Capped rent = current rent × (1 + maximum ÷ 100). For reference, the CPI-entry form of the same statute is min(5% + CPI, 10%): for example, $2,000 at 3% CPI = $2,160.
Washington (HB 1217, RCW 59.18.700): 2026 maximum 9.683%; 2027 maximum 10%; formula min(7% + CPI, 10%). No increase is allowed in the first 12 months of tenancy, so a proposed increase in that period is capped at the current rent regardless of the percentage figure.
Oregon (ORS 90.323), general tenancies: 2026 maximum 9.5%; 2027 maximum 10%. Capped rent = current rent × (1 + maximum ÷ 100). Manufactured dwelling and marina facilities with more than 30 spaces are 6% in 2027 and return Check official source in this checker.
Texas: no statewide cap applies. There is no capped rent to compute, and no verdict of “legal” is given; check the lease and local rules.
Notice: no notice-day threshold is applied, because no notice-day rule is stated in the rent increase guides on this site. Every result therefore carries the line “notice period not verified on this site — check official source”.
Worked examples
Example 1 — California, within the cap: Current $2,000, proposed $2,150, Orange County (Los Angeles Area, 8.7%). Capped rent = $2,000 × 1.087 = $2,174. Proposed increase = 7.5%, which is within the cap, so the result is “Within the cap” (assuming no exemption or stricter local ordinance applies), with the notice line “notice period not verified on this site — check official source”.
Example 2 — California, CPI-formula cross-check: Under the CPI-entry form used by the Rent Increase Cap Checker, $2,000 at 3% CPI gives min(5% + 3%, 10%) = 8%, capped rent $2,160. This cross-checks the same statute; this checker itself uses the county-group figures for the current period.
Example 3 — Washington, first-year freeze: Current $1,800, proposed $1,900, tenancy 6 months. No increase is allowed in the first 12 months, so the result is “Over the cap — capped at $1,800” regardless of the year percentage, with the notice line “notice period not verified on this site — check official source”.
Example 4 — Washington 2027, within the cap: Current $2,000, proposed $2,150, year 2027, tenancy 18 months. Cap = 10%. Capped rent = $2,000 × 1.10 = $2,200. Proposed increase = 7.5%, so the result is “Within the cap”, with the notice line “notice period not verified on this site — check official source”.
Example 5 — Oregon 2026, over the cap: Current $2,000, proposed $2,200, year 2026, general tenancy. Cap = 9.5%. Capped rent = $2,000 × 1.095 = $2,190. Proposed increase = 10%, so the result is “Over the cap — capped at $2,190”, with the notice line “notice period not verified on this site — check official source”.
Example 6 — Texas, no statewide cap: Current $2,000, proposed $2,300, a 15% increase. The result is not “legal” and not “within the cap”: no statewide cap applies, so the result says to check the lease and local rules, with the notice line “notice period not verified on this site — check official source”.
Limitations
- Only the California, Washington, and Oregon caps listed above are verified for this tool. All other states return “Check official source” with no numeric cap.
- Coverage and exemptions are not decided by this tool. If coverage is uncertain, the result is “Check official source” for California, Washington, and Oregon.
- Local ordinances may be stricter and may override state rules. A result of “Within the cap” does not clear a stricter city rule.
- Notice is not judged by this tool. No notice-day rule is stated in the rent increase guides on this site, so the notice line is always “notice period not verified on this site — check official source”. Check the official source for the notice rule that applies to your tenancy.
- For Oregon, manufactured dwelling and marina facilities with more than 30 spaces return “Check official source” in this checker, even though a 6% figure for 2027 is published; this checker does not apply that subtype figure.
- Texas has no statewide cap in this checker. Deposit rules in Texas Property Code Chapter 92 are a separate topic and do not set a rent increase cap.
Sources
- California Attorney General — Rent Caps (official area groups)
- California Civil Code §1947.12 (official text)
- Washington RCW 59.18.700 (HB 1217) (official text)
- Washington Commerce — HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center (2026 and 2027 figures)
- Oregon Department of Administrative Services — Annual maximum rent increase 2027
- Texas Property Code Chapter 92 (deposit context only; no rent increase cap is claimed from this chapter)
- Methodology: How rules are verified on this site.
Verify the current law and any city ordinance before acting.
Related guide: Is My Rent Increase Legal? — caps, timing, and notice, step by step. Related tools: California County Rent Cap Calculator; Rent Increase Cap Checker.
Frequently asked questions
What does Within the cap mean in this checker?
It means the proposed increase fits the verified state cap for the state and year you selected, assuming the property is covered and no stricter local ordinance applies. It is not a ruling that the increase is lawful, because coverage, notice, and city rules are checked separately.
What does Over the cap \u2014 capped at $X mean?
It means the proposed rent exceeds the verified state cap, and $X is the highest rent the state formula allows for the figures you entered. A stricter local ordinance could cap the increase lower still.
Why does this checker not give a notice verdict in days?
No notice-day rule is stated in the rent increase guides on this site, so this checker does not invent one. For every state, the notice line reads: notice period not verified on this site \u2014 check official source, while the cap verdict is still given.
Does Texas have a statewide rent increase cap?
No. Texas has no statewide rent increase cap. This checker never calls a Texas increase legal; it says no statewide cap applies and directs you to check the lease and local rules.
What happens if I select Another state, or say I am not sure about coverage or a local ordinance?
Then this checker returns Check official source. It does not apply a cap from a state it has not verified, and it does not rely on a state formula when coverage or a stricter local rule is uncertain.