Los Angeles RSO rent increase calculator LAMC §151: 3% through June 30, 2026 — then 90% × CPI with a 1% floor and 4% ceiling.
Enter a Los Angeles rental unit's current rent and the planned effective date. We'll pick the controlling RSO regime (the 3% pre-July-2026 window or the post-July-2026 90%-of-CPI window), surface the §151.06-capped new rent, the Cal. Civ. Code §827(b) notice math, the 12-month one-increase-per-unit rule, and a reminder that the unit must be SCEP-registered before the increase takes effect.
Scope: Los Angeles rental units in buildings with their first Certificate of Occupancy issued on or before October 1, 1978 and containing two or more rental units on the parcel. Post-1978 construction is covered by AB 1482 statewide (not RSO). Single-family-on-its-own-parcel and separately-conveyed condos are not RSO.
Statute summary
What LAMC §151 actually says.
In plain English:
- Current cap (through June 30, 2026) = 3%. Set by LAHD under the prior regime with a 3% floor and 8% ceiling. This is the published rate for any increase with an effective date in the 2025–26 RSO year.
- New cap formula (from July 1, 2026) = 90% × CPI, with a 1% floor and 4% ceiling. Ordinance No. 188558 (adopted December 2025) amended §151.06: the CPI multiplier dropped from 100% to 90%, the floor from 3% to 1%, and the ceiling from 8% to 4%. Projects to ~2.8% using a recent 3.1% CPI-U reading for LA-Long Beach-Anaheim MSA.
- Utility and dependent add-ons eliminated. Effective February 2, 2026, the 1%-electric + 1%-gas utility pass-throughs were repealed under the §151.06.01 amendment. The 10% additional-dependent increase was also repealed on the same date. Any notice served on or after February 2, 2026 may only include the base allowable percentage — no add-ons.
- Scope: applies to residential rental units in buildings with first Certificate of Occupancy on or before October 1, 1978, with two or more rental units on the parcel. Post-October-1978 construction is NOT covered (AB 1482 statewide may apply 15 years after construction). Single-family homes on their own parcel and separately-conveyed condos are typically excluded.
- Notice period: Cal. Civ. Code §827(b) — 30 days for any increase under 10% (virtually all RSO increases), 90 days for any increase of 10% or more. Written notice; §1013 adds 5 days for mail service.
- 12-month rule: §151.06(A) bars more than one automatic adjustment on any unit in any rolling 12-month period.
- SCEP registration: under §161.352, the unit must be registered with the LAHD Systematic Code Enforcement Program and the annual fee ($38.75/unit for 2026) paid before the increase takes effect. Unregistered units cannot lawfully raise rent.
- Vacancy decontrol: on a lawful vacancy (voluntary move-out, breach, expiration without renewal, accepted relocation assistance), rent for the next tenant is unrestricted — §151.06(C). Ellis Act withdrawals and harassment-driven vacancies do NOT permit free rent-setting.
- Overcharge remedy: §151.10 lets the tenant recover up to three times the overcharge plus attorney's fees. Paid rent above the §151.04 maximum adjusted rent is an "illegal rent" and a defense to eviction.
- AB 1482 does NOT also apply: Cal. Civ. Code §1947.12(b)(1)(B) defers to stricter local ordinances. RSO units are not separately covered by AB 1482 — classifying an RSO unit as AB 1482 and raising 8.8% is a common and expensive error.
Full statute and LAHD rules: LAMC §151.06 — Automatic Adjustments · LAHD RSO Overview.
Draft your LA RSO §151.06 worksheet — free.
The free preview gives you the §151.06-capped new rent pre-computed against the controlling regime (3% pre-July 2026 vs. ~2.8% post-July 2026), the Cal. Civ. Code §827(b) notice-period math, the 12-month next-eligible date, and a SCEP-registration reminder. The paid $9 flow archives the worksheet to your unit's compliance log keyed to your account, with the regime-in-effect stamped so you can defend the computation later if LAHD opens a §151.10 overcharge inquiry.
Frequently asked
Los Angeles RSO FAQ
What is the LA RSO and who enforces it?
Los Angeles Municipal Code Chapter XV, §§ 151.01–151.33 — the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, adopted in 1978. The Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) administers it, publishes the annual allowable rate, maintains the SCEP registration roll, investigates tenant complaints, and collects registration fees. The ordinance was amended significantly by City Council in December 2025 (Ordinance No. 188558) — the amended formula takes effect for increases that begin on or after July 1, 2026.
What is the 2026 LA RSO rent cap?
It depends on when the increase takes effect. Through June 30, 2026: flat 3%, set by LAHD under the prior 3%-floor-and-8%-ceiling regime. Starting July 1, 2026: 90% × CPI-U (LA-Long Beach-Anaheim MSA), floored at 1% and capped at 4%. Using a 3.1% CPI reading, the projected rate is approximately 2.8% for the RSO year starting July 1, 2026. LAHD will publish the final rate in or around June 2026; we'll refresh this page within 7 days.
Is my building covered by LA RSO?
If your building has two or more rental units on the parcel AND the first Certificate of Occupancy was issued on or before October 1, 1978, your units are covered by LA RSO. Single-family detached homes on their own parcel are NOT covered. Post-October-1978 construction is NOT covered (AB 1482 statewide may apply instead, typically 15 years after certificate of occupancy). Condominiums and townhomes separately conveyed after 1978 are typically not covered. Confirm at housing.lacity.gov/rso-rent-increase-calculator.
Can I still add 1% for electric and 1% for gas utility pass-throughs?
No. Effective February 2, 2026 (per the December 2025 amendment to §151.06.01), the historic 1% + 1% utility add-ons that let landlords pad the base increase by up to 2% were eliminated. Any notice served on or after February 2, 2026 may only include the base allowable increase — no utility add-ons. The additional 10% increase previously permitted for an added dependent was also repealed on the same date. RSO units that previously saw effective 5%–6% increases (3% base + 1% electric + 1% gas + sometimes dependent) are now capped at the base 3%.
Do I need to register with SCEP before raising rent?
Yes. SCEP (Systematic Code Enforcement Program) registration is required under LAMC §161.352, and the annual registration fee ($38.75 per unit in 2026) must be paid before serving the rent-increase notice. LAHD publishes a searchable SCEP database at housing.lacity.gov. An unregistered-unit rent increase is the most common RSO enforcement trigger — tenants can look up the SCEP registration status in seconds and raise the missing registration as a defense.
How much notice do I give?
California Civil Code §827(b) controls: 30 days for any increase under 10% of the current rent (virtually all RSO increases, since the cap is 3%–4%), 90 days for any increase of 10% or more. Notice must be written; Cal. Civ. Code §1013 adds 5 days if you serve by mail rather than personal delivery. No specific form required — a written statement with the new rent, effective date, and unit address is sufficient. Many landlords still use the California Apartment Association's standard rent-increase form for consistency.
Can I raise rent more than once in a year?
No. LAMC §151.06(A) bars more than one §151.06 automatic adjustment on any rental unit in any rolling 12-month period, measured from the effective date of the most recent prior increase. Since capital-improvement cost-recovery and Just & Reasonable pass-throughs have been paused by LAHD since 2023, and the utility / dependent add-ons were eliminated in February 2026, the 12-month rule now cleanly applies to a single annual base increase.
What happens if I overcharge?
LAMC §151.10 gives the tenant a private right of action to recover up to three times the overcharge plus reasonable attorney's fees. LAHD can also assess administrative penalties. Collected rent above the §151.04 maximum adjusted rent is an "illegal rent" and can be raised as a defense in unlawful-detainer proceedings, which generally blocks eviction. For RSO units misclassified as AB 1482 — a common error — the overcharge can be substantial because RSO caps (3%–4%) are much lower than AB 1482 (8.8% for 2026). Keep a compliance log of which statute governs each unit.
Do I owe relocation assistance when I terminate a tenancy?
Only for certain §151.09 no-fault termination grounds — owner move-in, Ellis Act withdrawal from the rental market, demolition or major rehabilitation, condominium conversion, compliance with a government order. Amounts run from roughly $9,700 to $24,250+ per tenancy depending on the tenant's length of residency, age, disability status, and presence of minor children; LAHD publishes the current schedule. Termination for fault (non-payment, breach, nuisance, conviction for criminal activity on the premises) does NOT trigger relocation assistance. Harassment-driven move-outs may trigger §151.30 relocation obligations retroactively.