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Sonoma County, California

Sonoma County Landlord-Tenant Laws

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 These summaries may be incomplete or out of date, laws change often, and every property and tenancy has specifics a summary can't capture — so treat this as a starting point for your own research, not as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

Sources last checked July 2026

Sonoma County's Residential Tenancy Protections Ordinance (No. 6496), effective October 2024, grants just-cause eviction protection from day one of a tenancy in unincorporated areas — removing the 12-month wait under state law — and covers income-restricted affordable housing tenants otherwise exempt under state law. Nonpayment evictions are limited to arrears exceeding 30 days' rent, usable no more than twice a year. Landlords must report every termination to the county within three days. The county sets no local rent cap; increases follow the statewide AB 1482 formula.

  • Sonoma County Ordinance 6496 (effective October 17, 2024) provides just-cause eviction protections for tenants in unincorporated Sonoma County starting on day one of the...
  • 30-day move-out notice required for month-to-month tenancies
  • 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
5 rules summarized · Each linked to the law it cites

Sonoma County Local Rules

Eviction Notice Requirements

What are the eviction notice requirements in Sonoma County?

Sonoma County Ordinance 6496 (effective October 17, 2024) provides just-cause eviction protections for tenants in unincorporated Sonoma County starting on day one of the tenancy, removing the 12-month waiting period required under state law (AB 1482). The ordinance also extends just-cause protections to tenants in income-restricted affordable housing properties, which are typically exempt under state law. Nonpayment of rent evictions are limited to situations where the past-due amount exceeds 30 days' rent, and this basis may only be used twice per calendar year. Allowable eviction bases beyond nonpayment include threats of violence, immediate health/safety threats to other tenants, withdrawal from the rental market, or compliance with a court or government order.

Sonoma County Ordinance No. 6496 (2024); Sonoma County Ordinance Code
Move-Out & Lease Termination Notice

What is the move-out notice requirement in Sonoma County?

Under Sonoma County Ordinance 6496, landlords in unincorporated areas must report all terminations of tenancy to the county, regardless of the basis for termination or whether just-cause protections apply. Landlords must also provide tenants with a County-approved notice form within three days of giving any termination notice. This reporting and notice requirement goes beyond California state law. For no-fault evictions, landlords must pay relocation assistance equal to the greater of the actual monthly rent or the Fair Market Rent for the unit size, which improves upon state law minimums. State law baseline notice periods apply: 30 days for tenancies under 1 year, 60 days for tenancies of 1 year or more.

Sonoma County Ordinance No. 6496, §§ relating to landlord notification obligations

Applicable California State Rules

These state-level rules apply in Sonoma County where no local override exists.

Security Deposit Limits State Law

What is the security deposit limit in Sonoma County?

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 Sonoma County?

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 Sonoma County?

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)

Other California Cities & Counties

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

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