Los Angeles County Rent Increase & Rent Control Guide 2026–2027: City-by-City Limits

The short answer

For qualifying City of Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance units, the annual allowable increase is 3% from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. For covered units under California's Tenant Protection Act in Los Angeles County that are not subject to a stricter local cap, the statewide ceiling is 8.7% for increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027.

Those are not competing answers to the same unit. They apply to different coverage situations, which is why the address and property status have to be checked before using a percentage.

When the 3% Los Angeles RSO figure applies

LAHD states that the annual allowable increase for units subject to the City of Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance is 3% for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The current RSO formula was amended so the annual adjustment can range from 1% to 4%, and the prior utility add-ons are no longer part of the ordinary annual increase beginning in 2026.

RSO coverage is property-specific. LAHD directs users to check the property's RSO status through the city's ZIMAS property system rather than guessing from ZIP code alone.

When the 8.7% California figure applies

The California Attorney General's current chart lists 8.7% as the Tenant Protection Act ceiling for covered rentals in Los Angeles and Orange Counties for increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027.

That state ceiling does not override a stricter local rent-control rule. If a City of Los Angeles unit is covered by the RSO, the local annual adjustment can be lower than the statewide Tenant Protection Act ceiling.

City of Los Angeles is not the same as unincorporated Los Angeles County

A Los Angeles mailing address does not automatically mean the City of Los Angeles RSO controls. Unincorporated Los Angeles County has its own Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance for covered units.

For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Los Angeles County DCBA lists a 1.919% maximum annual increase for general covered units, 2.919% for qualifying small-property landlords who complete the required certification, and 3.919% for qualifying luxury units. Confirm the actual jurisdiction before applying the City of Los Angeles 3% figure or the statewide 8.7% ceiling.

Pasadena is a separate local rent-stabilization jurisdiction

Pasadena is inside Los Angeles County but does not use the City of Los Angeles RSO or the unincorporated County RSTPO for covered Pasadena units. Pasadena's Rent Stabilization Department says the Annual General Adjustment is 2.25% through September 30, 2026 and changes to 2.5% for covered rent-stabilized units from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Pasadena's 2026 Rental Registration cycle runs September 1 through October 31, 2026. The local registration system, coverage rules, lawful base rent and petition process are separate from the City of Los Angeles and County systems, so the property address and local compliance status should be checked before serving an increase.

Verified local rent-stabilization jurisdictions in Los Angeles County

Verified September 22, 2026: current California Attorney General and local-government sources identify multiple Los Angeles County jurisdictions with local rent-stabilization frameworks, including the City of Los Angeles, Baldwin Park, Bell Gardens, Beverly Hills, Commerce, Cudahy, Culver City, Huntington Park, Inglewood, unincorporated Los Angeles County, Maywood, Pasadena, Pomona, Santa Monica and West Hollywood. These programs do not use one countywide percentage, and coverage or exemptions can differ by property type and construction date.

Current fixed figures verified from primary sources include: City of Los Angeles 3% for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027; Baldwin Park 3.7% effective August 1, 2026; Bell Gardens 1.5% through October 31, 2026; Beverly Hills 3.37% for Chapter 5 units as of September 11, 2026 and 3.6% for Chapter 6 units as of June 2026; Cudahy 3% for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027; Culver City 3.25% for increases effective June 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027; Inglewood 8.7% for covered properties with four or fewer units and 3.7% for covered properties with five or more units under the current ordinary formulas; unincorporated Los Angeles County 1.919% for general fully covered units with separate 2.919% qualifying-small-property and 3.919% qualifying-luxury categories; Maywood 3.7% for fiscal year 2026–27; Pasadena 2.5% beginning October 1, 2026; Pomona 5% through December 31, 2026; and Santa Monica 2.6% for September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027.

Some local programs are formula-driven rather than safely represented by one frozen percentage. Commerce uses a 5% plus applicable CPI framework subject to a 10% ceiling. Huntington Park uses the lower of 3% or the applicable Los Angeles-area CPI and recalculates the operative amount. West Hollywood remains an active rent-stabilization jurisdiction, but the official sources reviewed for this update did not provide a currently verified 2026–27 numerical AGA, so this guide intentionally does not carry forward the expired 2025–26 2.25% figure. Check the current City publication before using a number.

Incorporated city versus unincorporated Los Angeles County

The words “Los Angeles” in a mailing address do not establish which rent law applies. The City of Los Angeles, another incorporated city and an unincorporated Los Angeles County community can share nearby ZIP codes while being governed by different local rent programs.

Before calculating a legal maximum, verify the governing jurisdiction from the complete street address. Los Angeles County DCBA directs users to confirm whether a property is in an incorporated city or an unincorporated area, and its Rent Registry is the official starting point for County RSTPO coverage. For a City of Los Angeles property, LAHD directs users to ZIMAS to check RSO status.

California Tenant Protection Act: 8.7% is a ceiling, not a universal Los Angeles County answer

For increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, the California Attorney General lists 8.7% as the Tenant Protection Act ceiling for covered housing in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. The statewide formula is 5% plus the applicable cost-of-living change, capped at 10%, and state coverage contains exemptions and property-specific requirements.

California's Attorney General also states that when a city or county rent-stabilization law produces a lower allowable increase, the more protective local limit applies to housing covered by that local law. That is why an 8.7% statewide figure cannot be used automatically for an RSO unit in Los Angeles, a covered Pasadena unit, or a fully covered unincorporated County unit.

Registration and compliance are part of the rent-increase check

A percentage calculation is only one part of compliance. Unincorporated Los Angeles County requires owners of covered properties to use the County Rent Registry and, for 2026–27, lists a September 30, 2026 registration deadline. A landlord using the County's Small Property Landlord additional percentage must complete the annual self-certification and include the required disclosure with the rent-increase notice.

Other local programs also have registration or program-compliance requirements. Beverly Hills lists an August 31, 2026 registration deadline; Pasadena's 2026 registration period runs through October 31; Culver City requires annual registration by July 31; Inglewood requires qualifying properties to register and routes rent-increase applications through its registry; and Huntington Park requires owners to register rental units or claim an applicable exemption. Always check the current local program before assuming that a mathematically correct percentage can be imposed.

Notice timing is separate from the percentage cap

California notice rules and local program requirements still apply after the maximum percentage is identified. LAHD states that a City of Los Angeles RSO increase below 10% requires 30 days' written advance notice. Los Angeles County DCBA likewise explains that California generally requires 30 days' written notice for an increase of 10% or less and 90 days for an increase over 10%.

Local ordinances can add their own forms, disclosures, filing or registration conditions. Beverly Hills, for example, requires a 30-day notice before an increase; Richmond-style filing rules from other counties should not be imported into Los Angeles County. Use the exact jurisdiction's current instructions and the lease before serving a notice.

Why older 8% references are showing up online

Los Angeles previously used a wider RSO formula range, and older city materials can show historical limits that no longer describe the current 2026–27 annual adjustment. LAHD's current renter-protection page says the old formula ranged from 3% to 8%, while the amended formula effective in 2026 ranges from 1% to 4%.

That is why current searches can surface 3%, 4%, 8% and 8.7% on different pages. The correct number depends on the unit, the law, and the effective date.

How to tell which limit applies to your apartment

Start with the exact property address. Check whether the property is inside the City of Los Angeles and whether it is subject to the RSO using ZIMAS or LAHD's official guidance. If the property is in unincorporated Los Angeles County, use the County DCBA rent-stabilization rules instead. If no stricter local cap applies, determine whether California's Tenant Protection Act covers the unit and whether an exemption changes the result.

Then calculate the proposed increase, confirm the last increase date, and review the notice timing before deciding whether the amount appears within the applicable limit.

How much notice is required for a Los Angeles rent increase?

LAHD states that California law requires 30 days' written advance notice for rent increases of less than 10%. Because the ordinary 2026–27 City of Los Angeles RSO annual adjustment is 3%, that ordinary adjustment falls within the less-than-10% notice category.

Notice timing is separate from the percentage cap. A landlord should still verify the lease, service method, effective date, local coverage and any special program rules before serving a notice.

Red flag: using 8.7% on a covered RSO unit

If a qualifying Los Angeles RSO unit receives an ordinary annual increase close to the statewide 8.7% ceiling, that is a reason to verify the property status and the legal basis immediately. The current RSO annual adjustment is 3% for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

Check the increase with the property address

Use Max Rental Tools to calculate the percentage change and identify the local jurisdiction path, then confirm the result against LAHD and California's official sources before serving or paying a disputed increase.