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San Diego, California

San Diego Landlord-Tenant Laws

Security deposit limits, eviction notices, rent control, and more for San Diego, 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 These summaries may be incomplete or out of date, laws change often, and every property and tenancy has specifics a summary can't capture — so treat this as a starting point for your own research, not as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 San Diego

Sources last checked July 2026

San Diego requires just cause to evict much earlier than California's statewide default: its Residential Tenant Protections Ordinance covers any tenancy over 30 days, in place of AB 1482's 12-month threshold, so protection generally applies from early in the tenancy. Fixed-term leases of three months or less are exempt unless they continue month-to-month. No-fault relocation assistance equals two months of actual rent, rising to three months for seniors and tenants with disabilities. San Diego sets no local rent cap; AB 1482 governs increases.

  • San Diego's Residential Tenant Protections Ordinance applies in place of California's AB 1482 for tenancies in the city, and it differs in a way that matters.
  • Security deposits capped at 1 month's rent
  • 30-day advance written notice required for rent increases
  • Rent increases capped at 5% + CPI (maximum 10%) per year
  • 30-day move-out notice required for month-to-month tenancies
5 rules summarized · Each linked to the law it cites

San Diego Local Rules

Eviction Notice Requirements

What are the eviction notice requirements in San Diego?

San Diego's Residential Tenant Protections Ordinance applies in place of California's AB 1482 for tenancies in the city, and it differs in a way that matters. AB 1482 gives just-cause protection only once a tenant has occupied a unit for twelve months; San Diego defines a covered tenancy as occupancy for more than 30 days, so just cause is required from early in the tenancy rather than after a year. Fixed-term leases of three months or less are not covered unless they continue as a month-to-month tenancy. Where a landlord ends a tenancy for a no-fault reason, relocation assistance is owed equal to two months of the actual rent, rising to three months where the tenant is a senior or has a disability. San Diego has no local rent cap — California's AB 1482 governs the size of increases.

San Diego Municipal Code §§ 98.0701-98.0709 (Residential Tenant Protections Ordinance)

Applicable California State Rules

These state-level rules apply in San Diego where no local override exists.

Security Deposit Limits State Law

What is the security deposit limit in San Diego?

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 San Diego?

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
Rent Control / Rent Increase Caps State Law

Is there rent control in San Diego?

Under the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482), landlords may not increase rent more than 5% plus the percentage change in the regional Consumer Price Index (CPI) for All Urban Consumers, or 10%, whichever is lower, in any 12-month period. Rent may not be raised more than twice in a 12-month period, and the combined increases cannot exceed the cap. Exempt properties include those built within the last 15 years, single-family homes and condos where the owner provided a required statutory exemption notice, and units subject to a stricter local rent ordinance. This law expires January 1, 2030.

California Civil Code § 1947.12 (AB 1482, Stats. 2019, Ch. 597)
Move-Out & Lease Termination Notice State Law

What is the move-out notice requirement in San Diego?

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

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