How much notice is required for a rent increase in Alameda County?

California Civil Code § 827(b) requires 30 days' written notice for an increase of 10% or less, and 90 days for anything greater. Add five days if the notice is served by mail.

Effective August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027

Alameda County rent increase limit

Q: How much can a landlord raise rent in Alameda County, California?

For units covered by AB 1482 in Alameda County, the maximum legal rent increase is 8.8% in any 12-month period for increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. The figure is 5% plus the 3.8% April 2026 change in the San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward metro CPI, capped at 10%.

For a unit covered by AB 1482 in Alameda County, the maximum legal rent increase is 8.8% in any 12-month period. That figure comes from the San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward metro CPI, which is the index the statute assigns to this county.

Your maximum legal increase in Alameda County

8.8%

Maximum for a covered unit, increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027

CPI region	San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward metro CPI
Regional CPI used	3.8% (April 2026 12-month change)
Formula	5% + 3.8% = 8.8%
Required written notice	30 days (add 5 if mailed)
Increases allowed per 12 months	2, and their total must stay under the cap

On a $2,000 rent that is up to $176.00 more per month, taking it to $2,176.00. Use the calculator for your actual number and the notice letter.

Calculate my increase →

Cities in Alameda County with their own rent control

⚠ In these cities, the 8.8% state cap is not your cap. A local ordinance applies instead, and it is almost always stricter than the state limit. Check with the city's rent program before serving any notice.

Alameda
Berkeley
Hayward
Oakland

This list is not exhaustive — California cities add and amend ordinances regularly, and unincorporated county areas can have their own rules. If your city is not listed, that is not a guarantee it has no ordinance.

Is your Alameda County unit even covered?

AB 1482 does not reach every rental. The cap above applies only if none of these exemptions fit:

Single-family home or condo — exempt only if the owner is not a REIT, corporation, or LLC with a corporate member, and you gave the tenant the statutory written exemption notice. No notice, no exemption.
New construction — exempt for 15 years from the certificate of occupancy. It is a rolling window, so buildings age into coverage.
Owner-occupied duplex — exempt if you live in one of the two units as your principal residence.
Deed-restricted affordable housing, dorms, hotels, and certain care facilities.

Exempt from AB 1482 is not exempt from everything. Civ. Code § 827 notice rules still apply, and a local ordinance may still cover you.

Rental markets in Alameda County

The 8.8% cap applies county-wide to covered units, including in Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley, San Leandro, Livermore, Alameda, Union City. AB 1482 assigns the CPI figure by metro region, not by city, so every covered unit in Alameda County shares the same state cap — but the cities listed above override it with their own ordinance.

The rent cap is the easy part

The expensive part is the security deposit. Since AB 2801, California requires move-in and move-out photos delivered with your itemized statement — miss it and your deductions are unenforceable, with penalties up to twice the deposit. RentGuard is building guided photo documentation, the 21-day countdown, and court-ready statements. Early-bird members lock $3.99/mo for life.

Other California counties

Caps differ by CPI region, so a neighbouring county can have a different number.

See every county →