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Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles Landlord-Tenant Laws

Security deposit limits, eviction notices, rent control, and more for Los Angeles, California.

How we research these summaries

Every rule on this page is drawn from state statutes and municipal codes and summarized with AI assistance. Each one cites the statute it's based on and links to a published text of that law so you can read it firsthand. Where a page says a city or county has no local rule on a topic, that means none was found for the topics covered here — not that none exists. Local governments also regulate rental housing in ways these pages don't track, including registration, licensing, inspections and habitability standards. These summaries may be incomplete or out of date, laws change often, and every property and tenancy has specifics a summary can't capture — so treat this as a starting point for your own research, not as legal advice, and check with the local jurisdiction and a qualified attorney before acting on your particular situation.

What to Know in Los Angeles

Sources last checked July 2026

Los Angeles regulates rent increases locally through its Rent Stabilization Ordinance (LAMC §§ 151.00–151.41), capping buildings of two or more units built on or before October 1, 1978 at a 3% annual increase for July 2026 through June 2027; as of February 2, 2026, landlords can no longer add an extra percentage for paying a unit's gas or electricity. Units outside RSO coverage fall under the statewide AB 1482 formula. No-fault relocation assistance follows a published dollar schedule rather than a multiple of rent, from $10,550 up to $27,400.

  • Los Angeles requires just cause to evict throughout the city.
  • For units covered by the Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance — generally buildings of two or more units built on or before October 1, 1978 — the allowable annual increase...
  • Security deposits capped at 1 month's rent
  • 30-day advance written notice required for rent increases
  • 30-day move-out notice required for month-to-month tenancies
5 rules summarized · Each linked to the law it cites

Los Angeles Local Rules

Eviction Notice Requirements

What are the eviction notice requirements in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles requires just cause to evict throughout the city. Units covered by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance are governed by the RSO's grounds, and units outside it are covered by the citywide Just Cause Ordinance, so a landlord needs a permitted reason either way. Where the ground is no fault of the tenant, relocation assistance is owed — and it is a published dollar schedule, not a multiple of the rent. For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 the amounts are $11,000 for an eligible tenant, rising to $14,400 where the tenancy has lasted three years or more or the household is low income; $23,150 for a qualified tenant — someone 62 or older, disabled, or with a minor child — rising to $27,400 on the same extended basis; and reduced amounts of $10,550 and $21,250 where the owner qualifies under the city's mom-and-pop provisions. Payment is due within 15 days of serving the notice, and the schedule increases every July 1.

LAMC §§ 151.09, 165.03 (Rent Stabilization Ordinance; Just Cause Ordinance)
Rent Control / Rent Increase Caps

Is there rent control in Los Angeles?

For units covered by the Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance — generally buildings of two or more units built on or before October 1, 1978 — the allowable annual increase is 3% for the regulatory year running July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. One change worth noting: the former practice of adding a percentage where the landlord pays for gas or electricity has ended. Effective February 2, 2026 the RSO annual increase may not include any additional percentage for utilities. Units outside the RSO fall under California's AB 1482, which permits 5% plus the regional change in the cost of living, or 10%, whichever is lower. AB 1482 exempts housing whose certificate of occupancy is less than 15 years old on a rolling basis, and exempts single-family homes and condominiums only where the owner is not a corporation or an LLC with a corporate member and the tenant received the specific statutory notice. The RSO figure is recalculated each July.

LAMC §§ 151.00-151.41 (Rent Stabilization Ordinance); Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12

Applicable California State Rules

These state-level rules apply in Los Angeles where no local override exists.

Security Deposit Limits State Law

What is the security deposit limit in Los Angeles?

Effective July 1, 2024, landlords may not demand or receive a security deposit exceeding 1 month's rent for residential units, regardless of whether furnished or unfurnished. All deposits (pet, cleaning, last month's rent) count toward this cap. Exception: small landlords who are natural persons or LLCs with all natural-person members owning no more than 2 residential rental properties with a combined total of 4 or fewer units may collect up to 2 months' rent. The exception does not apply if the tenant is a military service member.

California Civil Code § 1950.5 (as amended by AB 12, Stats. 2023, Ch. 659)
Rent Increase Notice Periods State Law

How much notice is required for rent increases in Los Angeles?

Landlords must provide written notice before raising rent on a month-to-month tenancy. A minimum 30 days' written notice is required when the increase is 10% or less of the lowest rent charged in the preceding 12 months. A minimum 90 days' written notice is required when the increase exceeds 10% of the lowest rent charged in the preceding 12 months, either individually or cumulatively with prior increases over that period.

California Civil Code § 827
Move-Out & Lease Termination Notice State Law

What is the move-out notice requirement in Los Angeles?

For month-to-month tenancies, tenants must provide at least 30 days' written notice to terminate. Any lease clause requiring more than 30 days' notice from the tenant is void under Civil Code § 1953. Landlords must provide 30 days' notice if the tenant has resided in the unit for less than 1 year, or 60 days' notice if the tenant has resided in the unit for 1 year or more. These are minimum termination notice requirements; separately, just cause eviction requirements under AB 1482 may apply for tenants with 12+ months of occupancy.

California Civil Code §§ 1946, 1946.1

Other California Cities & Counties

Alameda County Los Angeles County Sonoma County Antioch Chula Vista Concord Oakland Sacramento San Diego San Francisco San Jose All California laws →

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