California rent increase notice rules, and what changes for landlords in 2027
Updated November 1, 2026. Written for California owners, workers and freelancers; not legal or tax advice.
Getting the amount right is half the job. The other half is the notice. A rent increase served too late doesn't take effect on the date you wanted.
How much notice?
For month-to-month tenancies, Civil Code §827(b) sets the minimum written notice:
| Increase (counting all increases in the prior 12 months) | Minimum notice |
|---|---|
| 10% or less | 30 days |
| More than 10% | 90 days |
For a unit covered by AB 1482, an increase over 10% isn't allowed anyway, so 30 days is the usual answer. The 90-day rule matters mainly for exempt units. For a fixed-term lease, the rent generally can't change until the term ends unless the lease says otherwise.
Serving the notice
Section 827 lets you serve the notice in person or by mail. If you mail it, the time is extended under Code of Civil Procedure §1013. Landlords commonly add five calendar days for mail within California. Personal delivery with a signed proof of service is the cleanest record. Electronic delivery is allowed only if the tenant has agreed to it in writing.
Example timeline
You want a 6% increase effective February 1, 2027:
- Personal delivery: no later than January 2, 2027 (30 days before)
- First-class mail: mail by about December 28, 2026 (30 + 5 days)
Build in a few extra days of margin. Being a day short can mean redoing the notice and losing a month of the increase.
What to include
- Tenant names and unit address
- Current rent, new rent and the effective date
- A line separating gross rent from any concessions, as §1947.12(a)(1) requires in the lease
- Any notice your city requires (several cities require extra language or registration first)
2027: written pet policy (SB 1296)
Starting April 1, 2027, new Civil Code §1942.7.5 requires every residential landlord to:
- Have a written pet policy or pet addendum, even if the policy is “no pets” or “no restrictions”
- Give a copy with every rental application (electronically, if the application is online)
- Link to it from the property website, from digital ads you control, and from rental search listings where the platform allows a link
- Include a space on the application where the applicant acknowledges receiving it
If you charge an application fee without disclosing the policy and the applicant drops out or becomes ineligible because of it, you must refund the fee within seven business days of a written request. A tenant's failure to sign a pet addendum can't be the sole basis for an eviction. Service and support animal rules don't change.
Every August: new caps
The statewide caps reset each August 1 using April CPI data. Put a reminder in your calendar for early August 2027 to check the Attorney General's updated chart before planning increases that take effect after July 31, 2027.
The Landlord Kit helps you plan the latest serve date for each notice and includes a checklist of what a notice must contain (no fill-in template) and a 2027 compliance calendar.