The biggest California rental changes now in effect are electronic deposit refunds (AB 414), a required stove and refrigerator in leases signed or renewed since January 1, 2026 (AB 628), a tenant right to opt out of bulk internet (AB 1414), and rent relief during disaster evacuations (SB 610). Coming next: a disclosure rule for altered photos in rental ads and a wider emergency rent-gouging limit on January 1, 2027, new eviction service rules mostly operative the same day, and a written pet policy for every listing and application from April 1, 2027 (SB 1296).

This tracker lists the dated changes we verified as of October 19, 2026. Laws change and new bills are signed every year, so check back before relying on it.

This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; confirm the current text and your situation with a California attorney.

At a glance

ItemRule
Biggest 2026 changesElectronic deposit return, stove and refrigerator, bulk internet opt-out, disaster rent rules
Next effective dateJanuary 1, 2027
Last date trackedApril 1, 2027 (pet policies), plus the August 1, 2027 rent-cap update
SunsetsRent cap and just cause end January 1, 2030 unless extended

In effect

LawWhat changesEffective dateWho it affects
SB 1103 (Civ. §§ 827, 1946.1)Both sections amended; the current rules are 30 days for a rent increase of 10% or less in 12 months, 90 days above 10%; 60 days to end a month-to-month tenancy, or 30 if the tenant has lived there under a yearJan 1, 2025Month-to-month tenancies
AB 2493 (Civ. § 1950.6)A screening fee may be charged only with a first-come, first-qualified policy or a refund to every applicant not selectedJan 1, 2025Landlords who charge application fees
SB 611 (Civ. §§ 1946.1, 1947.3; CCP § 1161)No fee for paying rent by check; no fee for serving, posting or delivering noticesJan 1, 2025 (CCP § 1161 text operative Feb 1, 2025)All landlords
AB 2747 (Civ. § 1954.07)Offer to report on-time rent to a credit bureau, fee capped at the lesser of cost or $10 a monthJan 1, 2025; offers due by Apr 1, 2025 for existing leasesCovered landlords (see rent payments and rent reporting)
AB 2347 (CCP § 1167)Tenants have 10 court days to respond to an eviction complaint (was 5)Jan 1, 2025Parties to unlawful detainer cases
SB 611 (Civ. § 1950.5(c)(4))Service member charged a higher-than-standard deposit gets a written statement and return of the extra within six months if not in arrearsApr 1, 2025Landlords renting to service members
AB 2801 (Civ. § 1950.5(g))Photos after move-out, before and after repairs or cleaningApr 1, 2025All landlords holding deposits
AB 2801 (Civ. § 1950.5(g))Photos immediately before or at the start of the tenancyTenancies beginning Jul 1, 2025All landlords holding deposits
AB 1529 (Civ. § 1946.2)The just-cause tenant notice may go in the lease itselfJan 1, 2026Landlords of covered tenancies
AB 1170 (Civ. § 1950.6)Screening-fee section amended again; AB 2493 rules unchanged in substanceJan 1, 2026Landlords who charge application fees
AB 414 (Civ. § 1950.5(h))If deposit or rent was paid electronically, the deposit balance must be returned electronically unless agreed otherwise in writing; tenant must get written notice of this rightJan 1, 2026All landlords holding deposits
AB 628 (Civ. § 1941.1)Working stove and refrigerator required; narrow refrigerator opt-out; recalled units fixed or replaced within 30 days of noticeLeases entered, amended or extended from Jan 1, 2026Most residential landlords
AB 1414 (Civ. § 1942.8)Tenant may opt out of paying for a bundled third-party internet subscriptionTenancies commenced, renewed or month-to-month from Jan 1, 2026Landlords offering bulk internet
SB 610 (Civ. §§ 1941.8, 1941.9)Disaster remediation duties; rent discharged during a mandatory evacuation order, prepaid rent returned within 10 calendar days after it liftsJan 1, 2026All landlords
AB 246 (Civ. § 1946.3)Social Security hardship defense in nonpayment evictions; the court stays the case, and rent is still owedJan 1, 2026 (repealed Jan 20, 2029)Nonpayment eviction cases
AB 325 (B&P §§ 16729, 16756.1)Unlawful to use or distribute a common pricing algorithm as part of a conspiracy to restrain tradeJan 1, 2026Anyone setting rents with pricing tools
AB 268 (CCP § 135)Diwali is not a judicial holiday, so it counts as a day in three-day notice periodsJan 1, 2026Anyone counting notice days
AB 2156 (Gov. Code § 6700)March 31 renamed Farmworkers DayMar 26, 2026 (urgency)Name change; March 31 stays a holiday by statute, but the 2027 court calendar lists Fri Apr 9, 2027, an unresolved discrepancy, so a cautious count skips both dates
SCRA ceiling (50 U.S.C. § 3951)Court order needed to evict a servicemember household where monthly rent is $10,542.60 or less2026 figure, as of Jan 1, 2026 (published Mar 10, 2026)Landlords renting to service members
Rent cap CPI update (Civ. § 1947.12)New regional cap band; San Diego County is 8.2%Increases effective Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027Landlords of capped tenancies

Coming

LawWhat changesEffective dateWho it affects
AB 2025 (Civ. § 1940.11; B&P § 10140.8)Rental ads using a digitally altered or AI image must carry a disclosure plus the unaltered original or a link to it; a violation by a licensee is a licensing violationJan 1, 2027Anyone advertising a rental
SB 1365 (Pen. Code § 396)The emergency rule barring rent increases over 10% for 30 days (extendable) after an emergency declaration covers rental housing regardless of lease length (until then, only leases of one year or less)Jan 1, 2027Landlords during a declared state or local emergency
AB 747 (CCP § 415.20 and others)Three attempts on three different days at three different times before substituted service of a summons and complaint; photo with date, time and GPS stamp on proofs of service; complaints state when and where the notice was served; new motions to set aside defaultsMostly Jan 1, 2027Eviction cases (not three-day notice service)
AB 1892 (HOA law)The association must repair interrupted gas, heat, water or electric service when the interruption begins in the common area; election-notice timing changesJan 1, 2027HOAs and owners of HOA units
SB 1296 (Civ. § 1942.7.5)Written pet policy for every rental, linked in listings and given with every application; screening-fee refund within 7 business days if it was not disclosed; does not require allowing petsApr 1, 2027All landlords and agents
Rent cap CPI update (Civ. § 1947.12)Next regional cap band replaces the current oneIncreases effective Aug 1, 2027Landlords of capped tenancies

The AB 246, AB 325, AB 747 and AB 1892 entries, and SB 610's § 1941.8 remediation duties, are summarized from each bill's official Legislative Counsel's Digest rather than the section text.

Sunsets to watch

  • January 20, 2029: AB 246's Social Security hardship defense (Civ. § 1946.3) is repealed.
  • January 1, 2030: the statewide rent cap (Civ. § 1947.12) and just-cause rules (Civ. § 1946.2) are repealed unless the Legislature acts.

Earlier changes that still shape 2026

  • January 1, 2024: SB 267 amended Gov. Code § 12955, including subdivision (o): income standards for subsidy holders use the tenant's portion of the rent, and applicants judged on credit history may offer alternative evidence of ability to pay.
  • April 1, 2024: SB 567's current rent cap and just-cause text, including the rewritten owner move-in rules, became operative.
  • July 1, 2024: AB 12's one-month security deposit cap applies to deposits collected from this date.

Bills that did not become law

  • AB 1157 (lower rent cap, no single-family exemption, no sunset): died January 31, 2026.
  • AB 2216 (limits on no-pet policies and pet rent): died November 30, 2024.
  • AB 2609 (caps on pet rent and pet deposits): not enacted; its hearing was canceled April 27, 2026, and the session's passage deadline has passed.
  • SB 52 (algorithmic rent-setting): not enacted; held in committee August 29, 2025.

Other 2026 bills reported in trade press are left off until verified against the enacted text.

What owners should do

  1. Update your lease template for leases signed, renewed or extended from January 1, 2026: stove and refrigerator, the refrigerator opt-out statement if used, and the just-cause notice or exemption statement.
  2. Set up electronic deposit refunds if you take rent electronically, and send the written notice of that right.
  3. Offer the bulk internet opt-out if your rental bundles a third-party internet subscription.
  4. Review your ad photos before January 1, 2027.
  5. Write a pet policy before April 1, 2027, even if the answer is no pets.
  6. Recalculate the rent cap for any increase effective on or after August 1 each year.

What tenants should know

  • Paid electronically? Your deposit refund should come back electronically.
  • Leases signed or renewed from 2026 should include a working stove and refrigerator, unless you chose to bring your own refrigerator.
  • Rent is not owed during a mandatory disaster evacuation order.
  • From April 1, 2027, every application should come with the written pet policy.

Step-by-step guides

For the practical side of this rule, see these guides in the California Rental Handbook:

Local rules

Some California cities add local rules on top of state law, and they change on their own schedule. Coronado has no local rent-control or just-cause ordinance as of October 2026 (based on a review of its code's contents); see the Coronado Rental Guide. Other San Diego County cities may differ; check your city's municipal code.

Frequently asked questions

What are the biggest California landlord law changes in 2026?

Electronic deposit refunds (AB 414), a required stove and refrigerator (AB 628), the bulk internet opt-out (AB 1414) and rent relief during mandatory disaster evacuations (SB 610). Each is in the In effect table above with its exact start date.

What changes for landlords on January 1, 2027?

Rental ads with digitally altered images need a disclosure and the original (AB 2025), the emergency limit on rent increases over 10% applies to leases of any length (SB 1365), most of AB 747's eviction service rules take effect, and HOAs must repair common-area utility interruptions (AB 1892).

Do California landlords have to allow pets in 2027?

No. SB 1296, operative April 1, 2027, requires a written pet policy with every listing and application, but it does not require allowing pets. As of October 19, 2026, no California law restricts no-pet policies. Assistance animals are not pets and follow separate rules.

Did California lower the rent cap?

No. AB 1157, which would have lowered the cap and removed the single-family exemption, died on January 31, 2026. The cap remains 5% plus regional inflation or 10%, whichever is lower, until the law's January 1, 2030 sunset.

Is the rent cap the same everywhere in California?

The formula is statewide, but it uses regional inflation figures, so the percentage differs by region and resets for increases effective on or after August 1. In San Diego County it is 8.2% for increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. See the California rent cap.

McKee Properties manages rentals from its Coronado office; contact us with questions about your property.

Sources

Verified October 19, 2026.

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