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Inland Empire Rent Control and Just Cause Rules for Landlords
- For most Inland Empire rentals, the main rules are statewide: the Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) rent cap of 5% plus inflation, never more than 10%, and its just cause rules after 12 months of tenancy.
- Palm Springs has an older local rent control ordinance for certain pre-1979 apartments, and Perris advanced its own just cause ordinance in late 2025.
- Mobilehome space rents have their own local limits, including in the City of Riverside and unincorporated Riverside County.
- Some cities run rental inspection or registration programs, but state law (AB 1418) now limits crime free housing rules.
Landlords in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties often hear that the Inland Empire has "no rent control." That is only partly true. State law caps rent increases and limits evictions for most apartments, a few cities have their own rules, and mobilehome parks are regulated separately. Here is what applies to your rental, based on the official sources we reviewed as of October 2026.
The statewide rent cap (Civil Code section 1947.12)
Under the Tenant Protection Act, an owner may not raise rent over any 12 month period by more than 5% plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or 10%, whichever is lower. The increase is measured from the lowest rent charged during the prior 12 months, and it can be given in no more than two increments in that period. The cost of living figure is based on the April to April change in the regional Consumer Price Index, so the cap resets each year. See our article on California rent increase limits for 2026 for how to calculate it.
The rent cap does not apply to several kinds of property, including:
- Housing with a certificate of occupancy issued within the previous 15 years. This is a rolling date, so a building that was exempt last year may be covered now.
- A single family home or condominium that can be sold separately, if the owner is not a real estate investment trust, a corporation, or an LLC with a corporate member, and the tenant received the written exemption notice the statute requires.
- A duplex where the owner lived in one unit when the tenancy began and still lives there.
- Deed restricted affordable housing, dormitories and certain other housing.
The single family exemption is the one Inland Empire landlords lose most often, because the lease is missing the required notice. The statute is currently set to expire on January 1, 2030.
Statewide just cause rules (Civil Code section 1946.2)
Once a tenant has lawfully occupied the unit for 12 months, the owner needs a just cause to end the tenancy, and the cause must be stated in the written notice. If new adult tenants join before an existing tenant reaches 24 months, the protection applies only when all tenants have 12 months or at least one has 24 months. Just causes fall into two groups:
- At fault, such as nonpayment of rent, a material lease violation, nuisance, or criminal activity on the property. Curable violations require a notice to cure first.
- No fault, such as an owner or close relative moving in, withdrawing the unit from the rental market, or demolition or substantial remodel.
For a no fault termination, the owner must pay relocation assistance equal to one month's rent within 15 calendar days after serving the notice, or waive the final month's rent. Since April 1, 2024, an owner move-in requires the intended occupant to move in within 90 days and live there for at least 12 months; see our article on owner move-in evictions under SB 567. A notice that does not comply is void. The same property exemptions largely apply, including the single family exemption with the required notice and the owner occupied duplex.
Local rent control: Palm Springs
Palm Springs has a local rent control ordinance that predates the state law. According to the city, it generally reaches apartments built before April 1979 that rented for $450 or less in 1979, and it exempts newer units and owner occupied buildings of four units or less where one unit is the owner's residence. Covered units are limited to one increase per year, tied to 75% of the change in the Consumer Price Index. Landlords must register annually and pay fees, and unregistered properties cannot receive increases. Owners can petition the Rent Review Commission for a hardship increase. If you own an older building in Palm Springs, confirm its status with the city before raising rent or serving a notice.
Local just cause: Perris
In December 2025 the Perris City Council voted 4 to 1 to advance a local just cause ordinance, with a final vote scheduled for January 2026. As introduced, it would add requirements beyond state law, including translated notices when the lease was negotiated in another language, documentation such as a police report for some criminal activity evictions, and relocation of two months' rent (or one month's rent waived plus one month paid) for no fault evictions. We could not confirm the final adopted text from official sources, so Perris landlords should check the current municipal code before serving any notice.
Other cities
As of October 2026, we have not found a general apartment rent control or local just cause ordinance in the other cities of Riverside or San Bernardino County, including the cities of Riverside and San Bernardino. In those cities the state law above is the main rule. Local measures can pass quickly, so check your city's municipal code if you are not sure.
Mobilehome space rent ordinances
Mobilehome park space rents are regulated separately from apartments. Two examples:
- City of Riverside: the Mobile Home Parks Rent Stabilization Program in Municipal Code Chapter 5.75 limits annual space rent increases for agreements of 12 months or less to a share of the change in the Consumer Price Index, and was amended in 2025 and 2026.
- Unincorporated Riverside County: Ordinance No. 760, the Mobile Home Park Rent Stabilization Ordinance, applies to mobilehome spaces outside city limits.
Several other Inland Empire cities have mobilehome ordinances too. If you own a park or rent a space, check the city or county rules and the state Mobilehome Residency Law.
Rental inspection and registration programs
- City of San Bernardino: the Single-Family Rental Property Inspection Program, created in 2008, requires single family homes, duplexes and triplexes that are rented to be inspected on a two year cycle, with an inspection fee.
- Canyon Lake: the Residential Rental Program (Ordinance No. 192, effective January 15, 2020) requires owners to register each rental home, with an annual inspection and another inspection when a new tenant moves in.
Other cities may require a business license for rental property or regulate short term rentals. Check with the city where the property is located.
Crime free housing programs and AB 1418
Some Inland Empire cities have used crime free housing programs and lease addenda. Since January 1, 2024, Government Code section 53165.1 (AB 1418) bars cities and counties from requiring or encouraging landlords to evict tenants based on an arrest or alleged conduct, or because a tenant associates with someone who had contact with law enforcement. Local rules also cannot require criminal background checks of tenants or lease provisions that create grounds for eviction that state law does not allow. If your city still hands out an older crime free addendum, do not rely on it for an eviction without legal advice. An eviction for criminal activity must rest on a just cause recognized by state law.
A quick checklist for Inland Empire landlords
- Decide whether the unit is exempt from AB 1482, and if it is a single family home, confirm the lease has the exemption notice.
- Keep every rent increase within the current cap and no more than two increments in 12 months.
- State the just cause in every termination notice once the tenancy passes 12 months, and pay relocation for no fault terminations.
- Check for local rules in Palm Springs, Perris, mobilehome parks and any city with a rental inspection program.
- For Section 8 tenancies, follow the extra federal steps described in our guide to evicting a Section 8 tenant.
Ready to file? Read our Riverside County eviction guide or San Bernardino County eviction guide, or request a case review. Prices for notices and filing packets are on our fees page.
This article is general information about California and local Inland Empire rules as of its date, not legal advice for your situation. Local ordinances change often, so confirm the current rules for your property before you act.
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This article is general information about California law as of its date, not legal advice for your situation. Laws and local ordinances change, and court decisions can be reviewed or reversed. Reading it does not create an attorney client relationship.