How much can the rent legally go up? · Updated Oct 17, 2026
The current rent-increase cap for 19 US cities, counties and states. Each figure comes from the official notice and shows the dates it applies, when it changes next, and the day we last checked it.
By Rent Cap Ledger19 jurisdictions17 confirmed, 2 unconfirmed
Current period for covered units, highest first. Each figure is copied from the official notice; select a name for details.
Statewide lawsWashington State, Oregon and California allow the largest increases, all above 8%.
Local ordinances12 of 13 city and county caps hold increases to 5% or less.
Source: official city, county and state notices, last checked Oct 17, 2026. California's statewide cap varies by region. West Hollywood and Newark: no current figure confirmed on an official page.
The Department of Commerce lists 10% as the maximum annual increase for January 1 – December 31, 2027 under RCW 59.18.700 (7% plus CPI, or 10%, whichever is less). Landlords must give at least 90 days' written notice.
Official source: Washington State Department of Commerce: HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center ↗
A Rent Board staff report for the October 15, 2026 meeting computes the 2027 Annual General Adjustment as 2.5% (65% of a 3.8% CPI rise), effective January 1, 2027. The Rent Board's AGA page still showed 2026's 1.0% when we checked on October 18, so we treat 2.5% as not yet confirmed.
Official source: Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board: 2027 Annual General Adjustment Staff Report (Oct 15, 2026) ↗
The City Council adopted the Residential Rent Stabilization and Rental Registry ordinance on a 4-3 vote on October 6, 2026. The city says the annual general adjustment will be 2.1% for January 1 – December 31, 2027, and landlords must give at least 30 days' notice. Santa Barbara isn't in our ledger yet.
Official source: City of Santa Barbara: Rent Stabilization ↗ · Reported by Santa Barbara Times
Rent Guidelines Board Order #58, dated June 25, 2026, sets 0% for one-year and two-year leases commencing between October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2027.
Official source: NYC Rent Guidelines Board: 2026-27 Apartment/Loft Order #58 ↗
| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | California (statewide, AB 1482)California · State law | 8.1–8.8% | August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 | Aug 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 02 | Los Angeles (RSO)California · City ordinance | 3% | July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 | Jul 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 03 | San FranciscoCalifornia · City ordinance | 1.6% | March 1, 2026 – February 28, 2027 | Mar 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 04 | OaklandCalifornia · City ordinance | 2.3% | August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 | Aug 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 05 | BerkeleyCalifornia · City ordinance | 1.0% | January 1 – December 31, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 06 | San JoséCalifornia · City ordinance | 5% | Ongoing (fixed by ordinance, once per 12 months) | Not scheduled | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 07 | Santa MonicaCalifornia · City charter | 2.6% | September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027 | Sep 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 08 | West HollywoodCalifornia · City ordinance | Unconfirmed | September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027 | Sep 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 09 | Richmond, CACalifornia · City ordinance | 1.5% | September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027 | Sep 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 10 | Los Angeles County (unincorporated areas)California · County ordinance | 1.919% | July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 | Jul 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 11 | Oregon (statewide)Oregon · State law | 9.5% | Calendar year 2026 (10% in 2027) | Jan 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 12 | Washington (statewide, 2025 law)Washington · State law | 9.683% | January 1 – December 31, 2026 (10% in 2027) | Jan 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 13 | New York City (rent-stabilized)New York · Rent Guidelines Board order | 0% | Leases commencing October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 | Oct 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 14 | Washington, DCDistrict of Columbia · District law | 4.1% | May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027 | May 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 15 | Saint Paul, MNMinnesota · City ordinance | 3% | Ongoing (fixed by ordinance, per 12 months) | Not scheduled | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 16 | Montgomery County, MDMaryland · County law | 5.2% | July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 | Jul 1, 2027 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 17 | Jersey City, NJNew Jersey · City ordinance | 4% | November 2026 (monthly chart, dated Sept 25, 2026) | Not scheduled | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 18 | Hoboken, NJNew Jersey · City ordinance | 4.3% | November 2026 (monthly CPI table) | Not scheduled | Oct 17, 2026 |
| 19 | Newark, NJNew Jersey · City ordinance | ≤ 4% (current % unconfirmed) | Monthly (by month of the proposed increase) | Not scheduled | Oct 17, 2026 |
How to read this
A rent cap applies only to covered units, once per 12 months, and usually only after the first year of a tenancy. Newer buildings, many single-family homes and condos, and subsidized housing are often exempt. Several cities let landlords add increases they didn't take in earlier years (banking). Each page lists the main exemptions and links the official source.
Some caps follow a published formula based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For those we show the formula and the BLS index values, but the headline is always the agency's own published figure. Where we couldn't read one, the page says unconfirmed instead of guessing. The charts use only figures we copied from official pages; each jurisdiction page lists the source behind every bar.