California Landlord Laws Every Coronado Owner Must Follow (2026)
A Coronado rental is governed mainly by California state law: the statewide rent cap and just-cause rules (unless your home qualifies for the single-family exemption with the exact notice in the lease), a one-month deposit cap, a 21-day deposit return deadline, written entry notice, required disclosures, habitability rules that now include a stove and refrigerator, and fair housing law. The City of San Diego's tenant protection ordinance does not apply in Coronado, which is its own city.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm the details for your situation with a California attorney or tax professional. Every rule below is stated narrowly, from the code text, as of October 19, 2026. For the order to do things in, see the first-year landlord checklist and the rest of the Coronado Rental Guide.
Key takeaways
- The rent cap for San Diego County is 8.2% for increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 (Civ. Code § 1947.12), unless your home is exempt.
- A single-family home or condo owned by an individual can be exempt from the cap and just cause, but only if the lease contains the statutory exemption statement word for word.
- Security deposits are capped at one month's rent, furnished or not, with a narrow two-month exception that never applies to a service member tenant.
- Leases signed, amended or extended since January 1, 2026 must include a working stove and refrigerator.
- Using a property manager or broker removes the federal fair housing exemption some small owners have. California's fair housing law applies either way.
Which rules apply in Coronado
The City of San Diego's Residential Tenant Protections (SDMC §§ 98.0701 and following) do not reach property in the City of Coronado. A review of the Coronado Municipal Code's table of contents found no rent control, just-cause or rental registration chapter, so state law is the baseline.
Coronado does have local rules that touch rentals. Stays of 25 consecutive days or less are prohibited in residential zones (CMC § 86.78.060), which is covered in Coronado short-term rental rules. Owners renting two or fewer residential units are exempt from the city business certificate (CMC § 13.10.080).
The rules at a glance
| Rule | What it requires | Code section | In effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent cap | Over 12 months, no more than 5% plus CPI or 10%, whichever is lower; at most two increases | Civ. § 1947.12 | Current text since Apr 1, 2024; ends Jan 1, 2030 |
| Cap and just-cause exemption notice | Exact statutory statement, in the lease for tenancies started or renewed on or after Jul 1, 2020 | Civ. §§ 1947.12(d)(5), 1946.2(e)(8) | Since Jul 1, 2020 |
| Just cause | After 12 months of occupancy, a stated just cause is required to end a tenancy | Civ. § 1946.2 | Amended Jan 1, 2026 (AB 1529); ends Jan 1, 2030 |
| Ending a month-to-month | 60 days' notice, or 30 days if the tenant has lived there under a year | Civ. § 1946.1 | Amended Jan 1, 2025 |
| Rent increase notice | 30 days for 10% or less in 12 months; 90 days above 10% | Civ. § 827 | Amended Jan 1, 2025 |
| Deposit cap | One month's rent, any name, furnished or unfurnished | Civ. § 1950.5(c) | Deposits collected from Jul 1, 2024 |
| Deposit return | Itemized statement and balance within 21 days of move-out; electronic return if paid electronically | Civ. § 1950.5(h) | Electronic rule since Jan 1, 2026 (AB 414) |
| Deposit photos | Photos at move-in, and before and after move-out repairs or cleaning | Civ. § 1950.5(g) | Move-in: tenancies from Jul 1, 2025 |
| Screening fees | $30 per applicant, CPI-adjustable since 1998; first-qualified or refund policy | Civ. § 1950.6 | AB 2493 since Jan 1, 2025 |
| Entry | Written notice with date, time and purpose; 24 hours presumed reasonable | Civ. § 1954 | In effect |
| Stove and refrigerator | Working stove and refrigerator; narrow fridge opt-out | Civ. § 1941.1(a)(10), (11) | Leases from Jan 1, 2026 (AB 628) |
| Smoke and CO alarms | Owner tests and maintains; operable at each new tenancy | H&S §§ 13113.7, 17926, 17926.1 | In effect |
| Payment methods | Allow one non-cash, non-electronic option; no check fee | Civ. § 1947.3 | No-fee rule since Jan 1, 2025 |
| Bulk internet | Tenant may opt out | Civ. § 1942.8 | From Jan 1, 2026 |
| Fair housing | No discrimination or discriminatory ads, including on source of income and military status | Gov. § 12955; 42 U.S.C. § 3604 | In effect |
Rent cap and the single-family exemption
Under Civil Code § 1947.12 (opens in a new tab) (the Tenant Protection Act, AB 1482), the base is the lowest gross rent charged in the 12 months before the increase, ignoring concessions. San Diego County uses the March-to-March San Diego CPI change, which produces the 8.2% band. On a brand-new tenancy you may set the starting rent freely.
A house or condo can be exempt only if both conditions are met:
- The owner is not a REIT, a corporation, or an LLC with a corporate member.
- The tenants received the exact statutory notice, which must be in the lease for tenancies started or renewed since July 1, 2020.
Housing with a certificate of occupancy from the previous 15 years is also exempt. Without the notice, treat the home as covered and give the § 1946.2(f) tenant notice, which may now go in the lease itself.
Just cause, notices and relocation
After 12 months of continuous, lawful occupancy, Civil Code § 1946.2 requires a just cause stated in the written notice. At-fault causes include nonpayment and material breaches (curable ones need a notice to cure first). No-fault causes include owner or family move-in, withdrawal from the market, and a permitted substantial remodel requiring at least 30 consecutive days vacant.
Two details catch owners:
- Owner move-in for leases since July 1, 2020 works only if the tenant agrees in writing or the lease has an owner-occupancy clause. The occupant must move in within 90 days and stay 12 months.
- No-fault relocation is one month's rent, paid within 15 calendar days of serving notice or given as a waived final month. Failing to strictly comply voids the notice.
Deposits
The deposit cap under Civil Code § 1950.5 (opens in a new tab) counts every charge collected at the start of a tenancy, so pet, cleaning and key deposits all sit inside the one month. An individual owner (or an LLC of natural persons) with no more than two rental properties and four units total may take up to two months, except from a service member. Service member rules are covered in renting to military tenants.
At move-out, offer a pre-move-out inspection, deduct only for unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, and cleaning back to move-in condition, and attach receipts (unless deductions total $125 or less) and photos. Bad-faith retention can cost up to twice the deposit.
Disclosures to put in or with the lease
- Lead-based paint for homes built before 1978: EPA pamphlet, known hazards, warning statement, kept 3 years (40 CFR 745).
- Megan's Law database notice in every single-family lease (Civ. § 2079.10a).
- Flood hazard disclosure with the MyHazards web address (Gov. § 8589.45).
- Former military ordnance within one mile, if you have actual knowledge, before signing (Civ. § 1940.7). There is no duty to investigate.
- Bed bug information notice before a new tenancy (Civ. § 1954.603).
- Pest control company notice, if you have a periodic service contract (Civ. § 1940.8).
- Smoking areas, if smoking is restricted (Civ. § 1947.5).
- Shared utility meters serving areas outside the unit (Civ. § 1940.9).
- Rent cap: either the exemption statement or the tenant protection notice.
Habitability, entry and alarms
Civil Code § 1941.1 lists what makes a home untenantable, from weatherproofing, plumbing and hot water to heating, electrical lighting and floors, stairs and railings in good repair. AB 628 added a stove and refrigerator for leases entered into, amended or extended on or after January 1, 2026. The tenant may opt to supply their own refrigerator only through a specific signed lease statement, and you cannot make that a condition of renting. Recalled appliances must be repaired or replaced within 30 days of notice.
Entry needs reasonable written notice (24 hours is presumed reasonable) during normal business hours, except in an emergency. Smoke alarms must work at every new tenancy, and a carbon monoxide device is required where there is a fossil-fuel appliance, fireplace or attached garage.
Fair housing
California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (Gov. Code § 12955) bars discrimination based on a long list of traits, including familial status, source of income (such as Section 8 and VASH vouchers), disability, and veteran or military status. Ads may not state a preference on any of them. Where a rent subsidy exists, income standards must use the tenant's share of the rent. The applicant's side of screening is covered in how to apply for a Coronado rental.
The federal Fair Housing Act exempts some private owners of three or fewer single-family homes, but 42 U.S.C. § 3603(b) (opens in a new tab) removes that exemption when the home is rented through a broker, agent or anyone in the business of renting, such as a property manager. The federal advertising ban applies regardless.
Coming in 2027
- AB 2025 (January 1, 2027): altered or AI images in rental ads need a disclosure and the original photo.
- SB 1365 (January 1, 2027): the emergency price-gouging limit on rent increases over 10% extends to leases of any length.
- AB 1892 (January 1, 2027): HOAs are responsible for repairs to restore gas, heat, water or electric service when the interruption begins in the common area.
- SB 1296 (April 1, 2027): a written pet policy, linked in listings and given with each application. Pets need not be allowed.
For a full explanation of each rule, see the California landlord law library. To work out the numbers, use the rent increase calculator, the security deposit calculator and the notice period calculator.
Step-by-step guides
The statewide California Rental Handbook walks through each stage in detail:
- Lease Clauses That Are Void in California
- Owner Move-In Terminations in California (SB 567 Rules)
- Normal Wear and Tear vs. Damage in California Deposit Deductions
- Writing Rental Criteria That Follow California Fair Housing Law
Frequently asked questions
Does rent control apply to my Coronado house?
The statewide cap in Civil Code § 1947.12 applies unless your home is exempt. A single-family home or condo owned by an individual (not a REIT, corporation or corporate-member LLC) is exempt only if the lease contains the exact statutory exemption statement. Coronado's code has no local rent control chapter, and San Diego's ordinance does not apply.
How much can I raise the rent in Coronado in 2026?
For covered homes in San Diego County, the cap is 8.2% for increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, in no more than two increases in 12 months. Under Civil Code § 827, a month-to-month tenant needs 30 days' written notice for an increase of 10% or less and 90 days above that. Exempt homes are not capped but still need the notice.
How big a security deposit can I collect?
One month's rent, in addition to the first month's rent, for deposits collected since July 1, 2024, whether or not the home is furnished. Pet, cleaning and key deposits count toward that total. An owner who is a natural person (or an LLC whose members are all natural persons) with no more than two rental properties and four units may take two months, but never from a service member tenant.
Do I need to give the military ordnance disclosure in Coronado?
Civil Code § 1940.7 requires written notice before signing only if you actually know of a former federal or state ordnance location within one mile. It does not require you to investigate. Whether any such location lies within a mile of a particular Coronado address is a question to raise with counsel rather than assume either way.
Next step: a lease that already complies
Most of these rules live in the lease and the move-in and move-out files. McKee Properties has managed rentals from its Coronado office since 1989; see how Coronado property management handles leasing for owners.
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