Free tool from McKee Properties
For a covered San Diego County rental, California's rent cap (Civil Code § 1947.12) limits increases over any 12 months to 8.2% of the lowest rent charged in the prior 12 months, for increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. Enter your numbers below to see the maximum new rent, whether your home may be exempt, and how much written notice the increase needs.
This calculator applies California's statewide rules for San Diego County as of October 19, 2026. It does not apply local ordinances, recorded regulatory agreements or lease terms that may require more. This is general information, not legal advice.
How the calculation works
The cap. Over any 12-month period, rent may rise by no more than 5% plus the change in the regional cost of living, or 10%, whichever is lower. The base is the lowest gross rent charged in the 12 months before the increase takes effect, so earlier increases in that window count against the cap. For San Diego County the state uses the San Diego-Carlsbad consumer price index, which gives 8.2% for increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 and 8.8% for the year before. See the rent cap explained.
Two increases at most. While the same tenant remains, rent can be raised in no more than two increments in any 12 months, even if the total stays under the cap.
Exemptions. The cap does not apply to housing with a certificate of occupancy from the last 15 years, to an owner-occupied duplex, to deed-restricted affordable housing and dorms, or to a single-family home or condo owned by an individual or non-corporate owner, but only if the tenant received the exact exemption statement the law requires. On a new tenancy where no prior tenant remains, you may set the starting rent; the cap applies to later increases.
Notice. For a month-to-month tenancy, an increase of 10% or less (counting other increases in the prior 12 months) needs at least 30 days' written notice; more than 10% needs at least 90 days (Civil Code § 827). Mailing it within California adds 5 calendar days (CCP § 1013), so 35 or 95 days. The notice period calculator works out the dates, and rent increase notices covers the rules.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum rent increase in San Diego County in 2026?
For covered rentals, increases that take effect between August 1, 2026 and July 31, 2027 are capped at 8.2% of the lowest gross rent charged in the prior 12 months, under Civil Code § 1947.12. Increases that took effect between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026 were capped at 8.8%.
Does the rent cap apply to my Coronado single-family home?
Only if the home is not exempt. A single-family home or condo owned by an individual, or by an LLC with no corporate member, is exempt only when the tenant received the exact statutory notice, which must be in the lease for tenancies started or renewed since July 1, 2020. Without that notice, the cap applies.
Can I raise the rent twice in one year?
Yes, but while the same tenant remains, no more than twice in any 12-month period, and the two increases together cannot exceed the cap measured from the lowest rent charged in the 12 months before the second increase takes effect.
Does the cap apply to a new tenant?
When a unit is re-rented and no previous tenant remains, the owner may set the starting rent. The cap then limits increases during the new tenancy.
Related
