Rent Increase Cap & Notice Period Legality Calculator (AB 1482 & Local Caps)
Check whether your landlord's proposed rent hike exceeds statutory rent-cap limits (e.g., California AB 1482 5% + CPI or max 10%) and verify required advance notice.
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2. Your result Live Output
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3. How the rule works
Who this is for
Tenants who have received a rent increase notice and want to know whether the size of the increase and the amount of notice comply with state law, especially in California and Oregon, which have statewide caps.
It does not cover local rent control in detail. If your city has its own ordinance, its limits usually apply instead of or on top of the state cap.
What to have ready
- The rent increase notice and the date you received it.
- Your current rent and the date of the last increase.
- The year the building was built, if you can find it.
- Your lease, to check for an exemption notice or a fixed term.
The rule
California's Tenant Protection Act, Civil Code § 1947.12, limits increases over any 12-month period to 5% plus the regional change in the cost of living, and never more than 10% in total. It covers many, but not all, units: housing built in the last 15 years is exempt, and so are some single-family homes and condominiums owned by individuals if the lease includes the required exemption notice. Separately, Civil Code § 827 sets notice periods for month-to-month tenancies: 30 days for an increase of 10% or less, and 90 days for a larger one.
Oregon's ORS 90.323 caps annual increases at 7% plus the consumer price index, with a 10% maximum, requires 90 days' written notice, and exempts buildings whose first certificate of occupancy was less than 15 years ago. New York has no statewide cap for market-rate apartments; rent-stabilized units follow yearly guidelines set by the local Rent Guidelines Board, and Real Property Law § 226-c requires 30, 60 or 90 days' notice of a 5%-or-more increase depending on how long the tenant has lived there.
Read the official text:
- California Civil Code § 1947.12
- California Civil Code § 827
- Oregon ORS Chapter 90 (see 90.323)
- New York Real Property Law § 226-c
Worked example: $2,200 to $2,500 in California
A tenant in a covered 1980s apartment building pays $2,200 and receives a notice raising rent to $2,500.
Increase = ($2,500 - $2,200) / $2,200 = 13.6% Statewide ceiling = 10% maximum -> $2,420 at most Excess = $2,500 - $2,420 = $80 per month Notice needed for a lawful increase of 10% or less: 30 days (§ 827) If the unit were exempt from § 1947.12, the 13.6% increase would be allowed but would need 90 days' notice.
Common mistakes
- Assuming every unit is covered. Check the building's age and whether your lease contains an exemption notice.
- Using 5% alone. The California cap is 5% plus the regional cost-of-living change, published each year, with 10% as the hard ceiling.
- Counting only the most recent increase. The cap covers all increases in a 12-month period.
- Stopping rent payments. Keep paying the lawful amount and dispute the excess in writing.
Limits of this tool
- Rent rules vary by state and city; many states have no cap at all, and some prohibit local rent control.
- The cost-of-living figure changes every year, so check the current number for your region.
- The tool checks math and notice length; it cannot confirm whether your unit is exempt.
Sources were last checked in October 2026. Statutes are amended often; if the official text differs from this page, the official text controls.
4. Clear Next Steps & Statutory Action Plan
- Work out the percentage increase and compare it with the cap that applies to your unit.
- Check that the notice period matches the size of the increase and your tenancy type.
- If the increase is too large, write to the landlord, pay the lawful amount, and contact a local tenant organisation if it is not corrected.
5. Frequently Asked Statutory Questions (Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12 (Tenant Protection Act AB 1482) & § 827)
Which California units are covered by the cap?
Most multi-family rentals more than 15 years old. Exemptions include newer buildings, many single-family homes and condos owned by individuals (if the lease gives the required notice), some owner-occupied duplexes and certain affordable housing.
How much notice is needed in California?
For month-to-month tenancies, 30 days for increases of 10% or less and 90 days for increases over 10%, under Civil Code § 827. A fixed-term lease generally cannot be raised mid-term unless the lease allows it.
Does New York cap market-rate rent increases?
No statewide cap applies to unregulated apartments, but RPL § 226-c requires advance notice of increases of 5% or more. Rent-stabilized apartments follow the Rent Guidelines Board's annual orders.