AB 1482: California Tenant Protection Act: Just Cause + Rent Cap Defense Guide

If your unit is covered by AB 1482 (the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019, codified at Civil Code §§ 1946.2 and 1947.12), the landlord cannot terminate your tenancy without one of the statutory just causes, and cannot raise rent by more than 5% plus regional CPI (capped at 10% total) in any 12-month period.

AB 1482 covers most rental units 15+ years old statewide, INCLUDING many single-family homes (the ones owned by corporations or REITs), condos owned by REITs, and apartments not covered by stronger local rent control. It is broad, recently amended, and routinely missed by landlords using out-of-date templates.

We only represent tenants. AB 1482 has become the single most-litigated tenant protection regime in California since 2020. Most denial-of-coverage arguments by landlords fail when the actual ownership structure is examined.

Is your unit covered?

AB 1482 covers a residential rental unit if:

1. The certificate of occupancy was issued more than 15 years before the date of the notice, AND
2. The unit is not otherwise exempt.

The 15-year threshold is rolling, a building that was 14 years old in 2025 becomes covered in 2026.

Common exemptions, and the notice trap

• Newer construction (under 15 years).
• Single-family homes — only exempt if owner is a natural person (not corporation, REIT, or LLC with corporate member) AND the lease included CC § 1946.2(e)(8)(B) statutory notice.
• Condos — exempt if owner-occupied for at least part of the year, AND the same statutory notice was given.
• Owner-occupied duplexes where the owner lives in one unit.
• Government-subsidized housing with HUD restrictions.
• Units covered by stronger local rent control (LARSO, Santa Monica, Berkeley, etc.) — LARSO supersedes AB 1482 for City of LA covered units, but AB 1482 may apply where LARSO does not.
• Hotels, motels, dorms, hospitals, religious institutions.

The notice trap: the exemption for single-family homes and condos requires the landlord to have given specific statutory notice, typically in the lease, alerting the tenant that the unit is exempt. Lease boilerplate that doesn’t include the exact CC § 1946.2(e)(8)(B) language does not preserve the exemption. Many landlords assume they’re exempt and learn at trial they’re not.

The 14 at-fault just causes, CC § 1946.2(b)(1)

• Default in rent payment.
• Breach of a material term of the lease.
• Maintaining/committing/permitting a nuisance.
• Committing waste.
• Refusing to execute a written extension of the lease.
• Criminal activity on the premises.
• Assigning or subletting in violation of the lease.
• Refusing to allow lawful entry.
• Using the premises for an unlawful purpose.
• Failure to deliver possession.
• Tenant’s failure to vacate after termination of employment (where housing was part of employment).
• Failure to comply with the substantive obligation in the rental agreement.
• Other at-fault causes specified in the statute.
• Failure to renew under same material terms.

The 5 no-fault just causes, CC § 1946.2(b)(2)

• Owner or family-member intent to occupy (with detailed requirements added by 2023 amendments).
• Withdrawal of the unit from the rental market (Ellis Act-like).
• Compliance with a government or court order requiring vacancy.
• Demolition or substantial remodel (specific scope required).
• Owner move-in, narrow requirements, documented in writing.

Relocation assistance, CC § 1946.2(d)(3)

For no-fault terminations, the landlord must either:

• Provide ONE month of rent in direct payment (specified amount and timing); OR
• Waive the final month’s rent.

Failure to pay relocation by the required deadline invalidates the termination. The notice must explicitly state whether direct payment or waiver is being used, and reference CC § 1946.2(d)(3).

Rent cap, CC § 1947.12

Annual increases are capped at 5% + regional CPI, with a 10% absolute maximum. Two increases per 12 months is the limit. Overcharges can be offset against any rent claim and recovered as damages. The CPI region for LA is the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim CPI-U. Current cap percentages are published by HCD.

Common defenses under AB 1482

• Unit is covered despite landlord’s claimed exemption (no compliant notice, non-natural-person ownership).
• Notice states no qualifying just cause (or just says “30-day notice” without identifying the basis).
• No-fault termination without the required relocation payment.
• Owner move-in without the documented good-faith and successor-occupancy requirements (2023 amendments tightened these).
• Demolition or substantial remodel without the required permits/scope.
• Rent increase exceeded the cap, the excess is offset against any UD rent claim.
• Retaliation (CC § 1942.5 still applies and stacks).

Where AB 1482 overlaps with LARSO

In the City of LA, most multi-unit pre-1978 buildings are covered by LARSO, which is stricter. For those units, LARSO defenses control. For LA City rentals that are NOT LARSO-covered (newer buildings, single-family homes owned by corporations), AB 1482 may apply. Check both. Where both apply, the stricter regime wins, that is almost always LARSO.

What to do right now

• Look up the year of construction (LADBS for LA City).
• If single-family or condo, check ownership: corporate? LLC? Trust? REIT? If yes, the unit may be covered despite the landlord’s claim.
• Check whether the lease included the CC § 1946.2(e)(8)(B) exemption notice. If not, no exemption.
• Read the termination notice, does it cite a just cause? Does it identify whether at-fault or no-fault?
• If no-fault, was relocation offered? Paid?
• Pull rent history, has the landlord ever exceeded the AB 1482 cap?
• Plead all applicable defenses in the Answer.

Related pages

• Eviction Defense overview
• LARSO (LA Rent Control)
• Owner Move-In Defects
• Pretext / Wrongful No-Fault
• 30/60/90-Day Termination Notice