Rent control in San Francisco, CA

2 rules apply — the local one first, then the county and state rules that bind alongside it.

Research, not legal advice

These summaries are compiled from ordinance text and public sources and are dated at the point they were last checked. Rules change between checks — Newark replaced its whole registration regime in a single month — so confirm anything you are about to underwrite against the primary source or the municipal office named in the citation.

San Francisco's Rent Ordinance controls most pre-June-1979 multifamily units

San Franciscohigh confidence

Verified on 2026-08-18 — 1 day ago.

The Rent Ordinance limits increases for covered units, generally in buildings constructed before 13 June 1979; state law exempts most separately alienable single-family homes and condominiums from the local rent ceiling.

Construction date alone is not a coverage decision. Confirm the unit in the Rent Board portal, including condominium, owner-occupancy, subsidy, and lawful-new-construction status.

Exemptions

Most single-family homes and separately alienable condominiums are exempt from the local rent ceiling under state law.

Construction: Built before 1980

In effect since 1979-06-13.

Sources

San Francisco Residential Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Ordinance — San Francisco Administrative Code ch. 37

AB 1482 caps increases at 5% plus CPI, to a 10% ceiling

Californiamedium confidence

Verified on 2026-08-01 — 18 days ago.

The Tenant Protection Act caps annual rent increases at 5% plus CPI, with a hard ceiling of 10%, on housing built more than 15 years ago.

The 15-year window rolls forward, so a building drifts into coverage with age rather than being fixed by its construction date at purchase.

Exemptions

Housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years.
An owner-occupied duplex is exempt when the owner occupied one unit as their principal residence at the tenancy's start and remains there.
A separately alienable single-family home or condominium is exempt only when the owner is not a REIT, corporation, or LLC with a corporate member and the tenant received the statutory exemption notice.

Annual cap: 10%
Owner-occupied exemption: Yes

In effect since 2020-01-01.

Sources

California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482) — Cal. Civ. Code §1946.2, §1947.12

Every rule for San Francisco, CA