2026 Rent Increase Limits for Sacramento and Roseville Rental Owners
Short answer: For increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, the maximum rent increase on rentals covered by California's AB 1482 in Sacramento, Placer, and the rest of the region is 8.6%. Inside Sacramento city limits, units covered by the city's Tenant Protection Program are also capped at 8.6%, a limit that took effect July 1, 2026.
That number is a legal ceiling, not a recommendation. Before raising rent, you need to know whether your property is covered at all, whether a city rule is stricter, and what the market will actually support.
Key takeaways
- AB 1482 cap for Sacramento and Placer counties: 8.6%, for increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027.
- City of Sacramento cap: also 8.6%, effective July 1, 2026, for units covered by the city's Tenant Protection Program.
- Roseville has no city rent control, so AB 1482 is the rule for covered homes.
- Many single-family homes are exempt, but only if the lease includes the required notice.
- The cap is a ceiling. Price the renewal to the market, not to the maximum.
What is AB 1482?
AB 1482, the California Tenant Protection Act, limits how much rent can go up in any 12-month period on covered rentals. The cap is 5% plus the regional change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), never more than 10%. Because CPI changes every year, so does the cap.
The current figures apply to increases that take effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027:
| Region | Counties | 2026-27 cap |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco area | Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo | 8.8% |
| Los Angeles area | Los Angeles, Orange | 8.7% |
| San Diego area | San Diego | 8.2% |
| Riverside area | Riverside, San Bernardino | 8.1% |
| Everywhere else | Including Sacramento, Placer, and Solano counties | 8.6% |
Sacramento, Placer, and Solano counties do not have their own CPI region, so they fall under the statewide figure: 8.6% for 2026-27. That covers Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Elk Grove, Folsom, and the rest of the region.
Sacramento has its own rules, on its own calendar
The City of Sacramento runs a separate Tenant Protection Program. Its cap uses the same formula (5% plus CPI) but updates on July 1 each year instead of August 1. For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, the city cap is 8.6%. The city allows one increase every 12 months, protects tenants of more than a year with just cause rules, requires covered units to be registered with an annual fee, and can impose penalties of up to $25,000.
This year the city and state numbers happen to match. In years they don't, an owner inside city limits needs to check both, and follow whichever is stricter for the date the increase takes effect.
Roseville and Placer County
Roseville has no local rent control ordinance, so AB 1482 is the rule for covered Roseville homes. Much of Roseville's newer west side was built within the last 15 years and is exempt from AB 1482 for now. Because that exemption rolls forward, homes built around 2011 are aging into coverage, and owners who have never had to think about a rent cap may need to start.
Four rules owners get wrong
- The cap covers 12 months, not one increase. All increases in any 12-month period, added together, cannot exceed the cap.
- It is measured from the lowest rent in the past 12 months. If you offered a concession or a lower rate at any point in that window, that lower number is your starting point.
- The date that matters is when the increase takes effect, not when you send the notice. An increase effective July 31, 2026 uses last year's cap.
- Notice still applies. An increase of 10% or less requires at least 30 days' written notice, and you generally cannot raise rent during a fixed lease term unless the lease allows it.
Who is exempt from AB 1482?
The most common exemptions are:
- Newer buildings: housing that received its certificate of occupancy within the last 15 years. This is a rolling date, so a home built in 2011 that was exempt last year may not be exempt now.
- Single-family homes and condos owned by individuals, not by a REIT, corporation, or LLC with a corporate member, but only if the lease includes the required written exemption notice. No notice, no exemption.
- An owner-occupied duplex where the owner has lived in one unit since the tenancy began.
- Deed-restricted affordable housing and dormitories.
Two homes owned by the same investor can have completely different rules. Check the property, not just the percentage.
The maximum is a ceiling, not a target
A legal maximum and a smart rent are two different numbers.
Say a covered Sacramento rental leases for $2,050. The 8.6% maximum would add $176, to $2,226. Whether $2,226 is the right rent depends on what comparable homes are leasing for today.
If comparable homes are renting for less, pushing to the cap can turn a good tenant into a vacancy. One month empty on a $2,050 home costs $2,050, which can wipe out years of the extra increase. In other cases, a home that has fallen well below market should take a meaningful increase within the legal limit, because under a cap, every year you wait makes it harder to catch up.
That is why every Legacy renewal starts 90 days before the lease ends with an Annual Investment Review: the legal limit for that specific property, a current market rent analysis, how the tenant has performed, and our recommendation. You decide with both numbers in front of you.
A rent increase checklist
Before you send any increase notice:
- Confirm whether the property is covered by AB 1482 or exempt.
- If you are relying on the single-family exemption, confirm the exemption notice is in the lease.
- Check for a city ordinance that is stricter than state law.
- Use the cap for the date the increase takes effect.
- Add up every increase in the past 12 months, measured from the lowest rent charged.
- Compare the legal maximum to current market rent.
- Give proper written notice.
- Keep a record of how you calculated it.
How Legacy handles rent increases
Rent increases across our Sacramento and Roseville portfolio follow the same process: identify which rules apply to each property, calculate the legal maximum, compare it to market, and recommend a number. Owners with homes in more than one city do not have to track which cap, which date, and which notice applies where.
For what management costs, read our local guides: property management cost in Sacramento, property management cost in Roseville, and flat fee vs. percentage pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How much can a landlord raise rent in Sacramento in 2026?
For covered rentals, up to 8.6% under both AB 1482 (for increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027) and the City of Sacramento's Tenant Protection Program (July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027). Exempt properties are not subject to the cap.
What is the rent cap in Roseville for 2026?
Roseville has no local rent control. Covered Roseville rentals fall under AB 1482, which allows up to 8.6% for increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027.
Is my single-family home exempt from AB 1482?
It can be, if it is owned by an individual rather than a REIT, corporation, or LLC with a corporate member, and the lease includes the required written exemption notice. Without the notice, the exemption does not apply.
When does the new AB 1482 cap take effect?
The 2026-27 figures apply to rent increases that take effect from August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. What matters is the date the increase takes effect, not the date the notice is sent.
Does Legacy raise rent to the maximum every year?
No. We recommend an increase based on the legal limit for that property and current market rent, and the owner approves it. Sometimes the right answer is the maximum, and sometimes keeping a good tenant at a slightly lower increase earns more.
Talk to us about your property
Call our Sacramento office at (916) 238-1420 or our Roseville office at (916) 452-5000 to find out which rules apply to your rental and what the market supports. Every plan includes a market rent analysis before each renewal. Request a free rental analysis.
