AB 1482 Exemptions: Is Your Rental Actually Exempt?

Quick Answer

California AB 1482 applies to most residential rental properties in San Diego County that are more than 15 years old and not otherwise exempt. For covered properties, the maximum allowable rent increase is 8.2%, effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 — calculated as 5% plus San Diego County's CPI change of 3.2%. Single-family homes and condos where the owner provided written exemption notice in the lease at signing are exempt. The City of San Diego applies stricter local rules — Just Cause from day one, two months relocation assistance for No-Fault evictions, and notice to the San Diego Housing Commission.

TL;DR

• AB 1482 caps rent at 5% + local CPI — maximum 10% — for most covered California residential properties
• San Diego County cap: 8.2%, effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 (5% + 3.2% CPI)
• Properties built within the last 15 years are exempt on a rolling basis — currently properties built after January 1, 2011
• Single-family homes and condos not owned by a corporation, REIT, or LLC are exempt only if a written exemption notice was in the lease at signing — not retroactively
• Just Cause eviction required after 12 months of occupancy for covered properties statewide
• Most of San Diego County — including La Mesa, El Cajon, and Santee — has no local ordinance; state AB 1482 is the whole rulebook
• City of San Diego, Chula Vista, and Imperial Beach add just-cause and relocation requirements on top of state law
• Violations since April 1, 2024 can result in actual damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees

What Is California AB 1482?
California AB 1482 — the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 — is a statewide law that functions as a dual compliance system: a rent cap that limits how much a landlord can increase rent in any 12-month period, and a Just Cause eviction framework that restricts the reasons a landlord may terminate a tenancy. It is codified at California Civil Code Sections 1947.12 (rent cap) and 1946.2 (Just Cause). It took effect January 1, 2020 and applies to most California residential rental properties built more than 15 years ago.

What Is the AB 1482 Rent Cap?
The AB 1482 rent cap is a state-mandated pricing limit that restricts how much a landlord can increase rent within any 12-month period for covered properties. The cap is calculated as 5% plus the regional Consumer Price Index percentage change, with a hard ceiling of 10% regardless of CPI. For San Diego County, the cap is 8.2%, effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. The cap resets each August 1 using March-to-March CPI data specific to San Diego and Riverside Counties. Full calculation and sourcing: 2026 San Diego rent cap guide.

What Is Just Cause Eviction Under AB 1482?
Just Cause eviction under AB 1482 is a legally mandated requirement that limits the reasons a landlord may terminate a tenancy for covered properties after a tenant has occupied a unit for 12 months or longer. Just Cause is divided into At-Fault causes — non-payment, lease violations, illegal activity — where no relocation assistance is required, and No-Fault causes — owner move-in, remodel, withdrawal from rental market — where relocation assistance is mandatory. Under the City of San Diego's local ordinance, Just Cause applies from the first day of tenancy rather than after 12 months.

What Is an AB 1482 Exemption Notice?
An AB 1482 exemption notice is a legally required written disclosure that a landlord must include in the lease at the time of signing to establish that a qualifying property is exempt from AB 1482's rent cap and Just Cause eviction requirements. The exemption notice is a prerequisite for exempt status — it cannot be added to an existing tenancy retroactively. Without a valid notice in the lease at signing, an otherwise qualifying property is treated as covered under AB 1482.

What Is the San Diego Tenant Protection Ordinance?
The San Diego Tenant Protection Ordinance (San Diego Municipal Code §§98.0701–98.0709) is a local law that applies to properties inside City of San Diego limits — which includes Mission Valley and every other city neighborhood. It requires Just Cause for eviction from the first day of tenancy rather than after 12 months, relocation assistance of two months' rent for No-Fault terminations (three months if the tenant is 62 or older or disabled), paid within 15 days, and notice to the San Diego Housing Commission for both At-Fault and No-Fault terminations. The City of San Diego does not add its own rent cap — state AB 1482 still governs the 8.2%.

What Is a No-Fault Eviction Under AB 1482?
A No-Fault eviction under AB 1482 is a tenancy termination where the tenant has not violated the lease — the landlord seeks to end the tenancy for ownership reasons such as an owner move-in, substantial remodel, or withdrawal from the rental market. No-Fault evictions require relocation assistance: one month's rent under state AB 1482, two months' rent within the City of San Diego.

Coverage under AB 1482 is determined by property type, age, ownership structure, and whether the exemption notice was included in the lease at signing. The most important rule: if a qualifying property did not include the exemption notice in the lease at signing, it is treated as covered — regardless of property type or ownership structure. Exemption notices cannot be added retroactively.

The AB 1482 rent cap formula is: 5% + regional CPI percentage change = maximum allowable increase (not to exceed 10%). For San Diego County, the CPI change is calculated using March-to-March data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state statute specifies April CPI, but where no April figure is published for the area — which is the case for San Diego — the March-to-March change applies instead. The current San Diego cap is 8.2% — effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, based on the 12 months ending March 2026.

Step-by-step calculation:

1. Confirm the property is covered by AB 1482 and not exempt

2. Verify the current CPI figure at BLS.gov — do not assume last year's number still applies

3. Add 5% + the CPI percentage change. If result exceeds 10%, the cap is 10%

4. Multiply current monthly rent by the cap percentage and round down to the nearest dollar

5. Confirm all increases in the prior 12 months do not cumulatively exceed the cap

6. Issue 30 days written notice for increases at or below 10%

For most San Diego rentals between $2,800 and $4,000 per month, applying the full AB 1482 cap adds roughly $2,748 to $3,936 in annual revenue. That is real money — but it is also the ceiling on what getting this right is worth, and a single overcharge can cost more than a year of it once damages, attorney fees, and turnover are counted. Compliance is not a cost. It is the condition under which the increase is legally yours to keep.

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Just Cause eviction under AB 1482 is a legal protection system that prevents covered landlords from terminating a tenancy without a documented, legally recognized reason after 12 months of occupancy. At-Fault Just Cause allows termination without relocation assistance. No-Fault Just Cause requires relocation assistance — the amount varies by jurisdiction. See RMG's eviction coordination services for how this process is managed.

Where a local ordinance exists, landlords must follow whichever rule gives the tenant more protection. Most of San Diego County has no local rent or eviction ordinance at all — La Mesa, El Cajon, and Santee are governed by state AB 1482 alone, and the 8.2% cap is the whole rent story there. Three jurisdictions add requirements on top: the City of San Diego, Chula Vista, and Imperial Beach. Verify your property's jurisdiction before relying on any of them — city limits do not always match mailing addresses.

Chula Vista (CVMC 9.65). The Residential Tenant Protection Ordinance requires just cause for termination and relocation assistance for no-fault terminations, and the landlord must notify the City within three business days of a no-fault termination notice — miss that window and the notice is invalid. Substantial-remodel terminations require a minimum spend of $40 per square foot. Chula Vista landlords comply with both state and city rules and cannot combine relocation benefits from the two. Critically, Chula Vista also requires its own exemption notice language: under CVMC §9.65.040(C), an otherwise qualifying single-family home or condominium is exempt from the local Ordinance only if the tenant received notice that also cites Chapter 9.65. The operative phrase the state form does not contain is "and Chapter 9.65 of the Chula Vista Municipal Code." The notice may be provided in the rental agreement or by addendum, and is required for tenancies commenced or renewed on or after March 1, 2023. Note too that CVMC just cause attaches from day one of an established tenancy — the Ordinance has no 12-month threshold. An owner using only the state form inside Chula Vista has a state exemption and no local one.

Imperial Beach (IBMC Chapter 9.90). Effective March 22, 2025, Imperial Beach requires just cause with a stricter substantial-remodel definition than state law, additional relocation assistance at properties of 15 or more units, and the filing of a Mandatory Termination of Tenancy Form with the City within three business days of serving any termination notice.

Some managers treat AB 1482 as paperwork to get through. Others treat it as a tracking system that has to be right every time. The difference shows up in how they answer one question: can you show me the calculation behind my last rent increase? How a property manager handles this is a fair signal of how they handle everything else.

Effective April 1, 2024, the consequences for AB 1482 violations were significantly strengthened. A landlord who raises rent above the cap can be liable for actual damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees. The practical exposure from a single illegal increase that causes tenant departure can far exceed the revenue the increase was designed to generate.

1. AB 1482 does not expire in 2026. It sunsets January 1, 2030. That date is written into the bill text and restated in the Senate Judiciary Committee analysis of SB 567. Several California property management and legal information pages currently publish a 2026 expiry, which is incorrect — the Legislative Analyst's Office is required to report to the Legislature on the Act's effectiveness before the sunset, which is the likely source of the confusion. Plan on the cap being in force through 2029.

2. San Diego uses a March CPI figure, not April. Civil Code §1947.12 directs landlords to the regional CPI change for the 12 months ending in April. For San Diego that figure does not exist. Following the 2018 CPI Geographic Revision, the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the San Diego–Carlsbad CPI bi-monthly — covering periods ending in January, March, May, July, September, and November. Because no April figure is published for this area, the March-to-March change applies, which is where the 3.2% comes from. The same is true of Riverside County. A useful consequence: the March data is released in April, so next year's cap is knowable roughly three months before it takes effect.

The following five mistakes account for the majority of AB 1482 compliance failures among San Diego County landlords. Each is avoidable with a documented process. Each can generate legal exposure that substantially exceeds the cost of getting it right.

Mistake 1 — Using last year's CPI figure. The AB 1482 cap resets every August 1 using updated CPI data. This is the single most common calculation error in San Diego County, and it is live right now: the cap dropped from 8.8% to 8.2% on August 1, 2026. Any notice served today using 8.8% exceeds the legal limit. Check the current figure at BLS.gov before every notice.

Mistake 2 — Missing the exemption notice at lease signing. A single-family home or condo that qualifies for an AB 1482 exemption but did not include the exemption notice in the lease at signing is treated as a covered property. The exemption cannot be established after the lease is signed. This error is irreversible until the next lease signing.

Mistake 3 — Assuming your city has no local rules, or assuming it does. La Mesa, El Cajon, and Santee have no local ordinance — state law is the whole picture, and inventing extra requirements costs owners money for nothing. The City of San Diego, Chula Vista, and Imperial Beach do have ordinances, and applying state law alone there is a compliance failure. Confirm which jurisdiction the property actually sits in.

Mistake 4 — Overlooking ADU multi-unit classification. A single-family home with an ADU or JADU on the lot may lose its single-family exemption under AB 1482. Confirm with a California-licensed real estate attorney before assuming an ADU property qualifies for the single-family exemption.

Mistake 5 — Not tracking cumulative 12-month increases. AB 1482 allows two rent increases per 12-month period — but the cumulative total cannot exceed 8.2% of the rent in effect at the start of that period. Two increases of 5% and 4% in the same 12-month window total 9%, exceed the cap by 0.8%, and constitute a violation. Each unit requires a 12-month cumulative tracking log, not just individual increase records.

Most AB 1482 compliance failures happen not because a landlord misunderstood the law but because they treated it as a one-time event rather than an ongoing operational system. AB 1482 compliance requires four active tracking obligations that reset or update on different cycles.

Per-unit rolling 12-month increase log. Each rental unit requires a log that tracks the date, amount, and cumulative total of every rent increase applied.

Annual CPI verification. The CPI percentage must be verified at BLS.gov each August before any rent increase notice is issued. The cap changes every year. Using last year's figure is not a safe default — it is a liability.

Documented calculation per notice. Every rent increase notice must be tied to a documented calculation showing the CPI source, the formula applied, and the resulting maximum. This is your primary defense in any dispute and the first thing a tenant's attorney will request.

Lease-version exemption audit. Exemption status must be tied to a specific lease version with the correct notice language verified at signing. An exemption that was valid under a prior lease is not automatically valid under a renewal if the notice language was not carried forward.

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✓  If your rent increase exceeds 8.2% in any 12-month period, it is automatically non-compliant — regardless of CPI interpretation or negotiation with the tenant.

✓  If exemption language is missing from the lease at signing, the property is legally treated as covered — no exceptions, no retroactive correction.

✓  If two rent increases in the same 12-month period cumulatively exceed 8.2%, the second notice is invalid and the excess amount is an illegal overcharge.

✓  If your property is within City of San Diego limits and your eviction notice does not cite a Just Cause reason, it is defective from the first day of tenancy — not after 12 months.

✓  If your property has an ADU on the lot and you have not confirmed exemption status with legal counsel, do not issue an AB 1482-exempt rent increase notice.

Rule 1: If your single-family home or condo qualifies for an AB 1482 exemption but the exemption notice was not in the lease at signing, the property is covered — you cannot fix this retroactively. Include the proper notice at the next lease signing.

Rule 2: If you are calculating a rent increase using last year's CPI figure, stop. The cap dropped to 8.2% on August 1, 2026. Verify the current figure at BLS.gov before issuing any notice.

Rule 3: If your property is within City of San Diego limits, Just Cause eviction applies from day one of tenancy. Any no-cause termination generates legal liability regardless of tenancy length.

Rule 4: If you plan a No-Fault eviction within City of San Diego limits, relocation assistance is two months' rent — three if the tenant is 62 or older or disabled — paid within 15 days, and you must notify the San Diego Housing Commission. In Chula Vista and Imperial Beach, notify the City within three business days or the notice is invalid.

Rule 5: If your property has an ADU on the lot, confirm with a California attorney whether the single-family exemption applies before issuing any rent increase notice or exemption-based termination.

Rule 6: If your property manager is percentage-based, every AB 1482 rent increase you apply automatically increases your management cost. At $3,500/month under a 9% agreement, applying the full 8.2% cap adds about $26/month — roughly $312/year — in management fees with no change in service. A flat fee management agreement is unaffected by any rent increase applied.

☐  Confirmed AB 1482 coverage or exemption status for each property

☐  Confirmed which jurisdiction each property sits in — state-only, City of San Diego, Chula Vista, or Imperial Beach

☐  Verified exemption notice language is in the lease at signing for every exempt property

☐  Verified current San Diego CPI at BLS.gov before calculating any rent increase

☐  Confirmed all increases in the prior 12 months do not cumulatively exceed 8.2%

☐  Confirmed 30-day written notice for all increases at or below 10%

☐  Confirmed properties with ADUs on lot have verified exemption status with legal counsel

☐  Documented Just Cause reason for any pending tenancy terminations

☐  Confirmed correct relocation assistance amount and city notification for any No-Fault evictions

☐  Reviewed AB 628 appliance compliance for any upcoming lease renewals

What is the maximum rent increase in San Diego right now?

The maximum allowable rent increase for most covered San Diego County rental properties under California AB 1482 is 8.2%, effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 — calculated as 5% plus the San Diego County CPI change of 3.2% for the 12 months ending March 2026. The cap resets each August 1. Properties exempt from AB 1482 — including qualifying single-family homes and condos with the proper exemption notice in the lease at signing — are not subject to this limit.

Does La Mesa have rent control?

No. La Mesa has no local rent control or just-cause ordinance. La Mesa rentals are governed by state AB 1482 only, which caps increases on covered properties at 8.2% from August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. The same is true of El Cajon and Santee. Within San Diego County, only the City of San Diego, Chula Vista, and Imperial Beach layer local tenant-protection rules on top of the state law.

Does AB 1482 apply to single-family homes in San Diego?

Single-family homes in San Diego may be exempt from AB 1482 if they are not owned by a corporation, REIT, or LLC, and the owner provided written exemption notice in the lease at signing. Without the notice in the lease at signing, AB 1482 applies regardless of property type.

When does Just Cause eviction protection begin in San Diego?

Under California AB 1482, Just Cause eviction protection begins after 12 months of occupancy. Within the City of San Diego, the local Tenant Protection Ordinance requires Just Cause from the first day of tenancy. Landlords must apply whichever law provides greater protection to the tenant.

How do I calculate the AB 1482 rent cap for my San Diego property?

Multiply your current monthly rent by 0.082 and round down to the nearest dollar to calculate the maximum allowable increase under the current cap of 8.2%. A $2,800/month unit may be increased by up to $229/month. Verify the current CPI at BLS.gov each August before the cap resets. Document your calculation — CPI source, formula, and resulting maximum — as your primary protection in any dispute.

What properties are exempt from AB 1482 in San Diego County?

Common AB 1482 exemptions include properties built within the last 15 years (rolling — currently buildings with certificate of occupancy after January 1, 2011), single-family homes and condos not owned by a corporation, REIT, or LLC with a proper written exemption notice in the lease at signing, and owner-occupied duplexes where the owner lives on site. Properties with ADUs may lose the single-family exemption — confirm with a California attorney.

What are the consequences of violating AB 1482 in California?

Effective April 1, 2024, a landlord who raises rent above the AB 1482 cap can be liable for actual damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees. The tenant can recover the overcharge itself, and if the increase prompts the tenant to leave, the owner also absorbs vacancy and make-ready costs that typically exceed a full year of the increase the notice was meant to capture.

What is the difference between AB 1482 and the San Diego Tenant Protection Ordinance?

AB 1482 requires Just Cause for eviction after 12 months and one month's relocation assistance for No-Fault evictions. The San Diego Tenant Protection Ordinance requires Just Cause from day one, two months' relocation assistance (three if the tenant is 62 or older or disabled) paid within 15 days, and notice to the San Diego Housing Commission. It does not add a local rent cap. Landlords must comply with whichever law provides greater protection.

Does AB 1482 apply to ADUs in San Diego?

Possibly. If a property has more than one unit on the lot — including an ADU or JADU — the single-family home exemption may not apply. The presence of an ADU can eliminate the exemption and make the primary unit subject to AB 1482. Confirm with a California-licensed real estate attorney before assuming an ADU property qualifies for the single-family exemption.

How does AB 1482 affect property management fees?

For percentage-based management agreements, AB 1482 rent increases automatically raise the manager's monthly fee. On a $2,800/month unit under an 8% agreement, applying the 8.2% cap adds about $18/month — roughly $216/year — in management fees with no change in service. A flat fee management agreement is unaffected by any rent increase. See the full flat fee vs. percentage cost comparison.

Can I raise rent twice per year under AB 1482?

Yes. AB 1482 allows two rent increases per 12-month period — but the cumulative total cannot exceed 8.2% of the rent in effect at the start of that period. The two increases are measured against that original rent rather than compounded — so 4% followed by 4.2% is permitted, while applying 4.1% on top of a prior 4.1% would exceed the cap. Each unit requires 12-month cumulative tracking, not just individual increase records.

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AB 1482 is not complicated. The formula is public, the thresholds are fixed, and the exemptions are clearly defined. What separates owners who stay compliant from owners who get caught out is not knowledge of the law — it is the discipline to check the current number, document the math, and do it the same way on every unit, every time.

About the Author
Scott Engle is a California licensed real estate broker (DRE #01332676, Corp DRE #02075336), licensed since 2003, and Broker/Owner of Realty Management Group, a flat fee San Diego property management company serving San Diego County since 2005. RMG manages single-family homes and multi-family properties with 1 to 16 units throughout San Diego County. Flat fee: $199/month for 1–3 units, $179/month per unit for 4–16 units — no leasing fees, no renewal fees, no maintenance markups.

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