Anaheim Rent Control and Eviction Rules: What State Law Means for Landlords

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team.

Anaheim has no local rent control ordinance and no local just cause ordinance, so California’s Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482 and SB 567) is the main rulebook for most Anaheim rentals. The City confirmed this in a September 2024 staff report to the City Council, which described Anaheim as relying on state law while city housing staff connected tenants with the Fair Housing Council of Orange County.

This guide explains the state cap, the just cause rules, the relocation payment, which Anaheim rentals are exempt, and what it all means if you want to sell.

Anaheim tenant rules at a glance

Local rent control	None. Anaheim relies on state law
Local just cause law	None. State just cause under Civil Code section 1946.2 applies
State rent cap	5% plus CPI, or 10%, whichever is lower; the City’s 2024 staff report cited 8.9% for Los Angeles and Orange counties starting August 2024
When just cause applies	After 12 months of occupancy, or 24 months if a tenant was added
No-fault relocation	One month of rent, due within 15 calendar days of the notice
State law dates	Effective January 1, 2020; the City report said it expires January 1, 2030
Local help	Fair Housing Council of Orange County, through the City’s Housing and Community Development staff

Why Anaheim follows state law

A September 10, 2024 City Council staff report on tenant protections said that Anaheim does not have its own just cause ordinance and follows the state’s rules.

The report described the state law, AB 1482, as taking effect on January 1, 2020, with a scheduled expiration of January 1, 2030, and noted that SB 567, effective April 1, 2024, strengthened the law, including for owner move-ins and substantial remodels.

It also noted that nearby Orange County cities, such as Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach and Santa Ana, had adopted local ordinances, which Anaheim had not. City policy can change, so confirm the current position with the City.

For landlords this keeps things simpler than in a city with local rent control, but it does not mean there are no rules. The state law is enforceable, and the California Attorney General’s office has said local and state prosecutors can enforce it.

The state rent cap in Anaheim

The state cap limits annual increases to 5 percent plus the change in the regional Consumer Price Index, with a ceiling of 10 percent.

The Attorney General’s tenant bulletin shows that Orange County falls in the Los Angeles area for the CPI measure, with a cap of 8.8 percent for increases between August 1, 2023 and July 31, 2024. The City’s 2024 staff report cited 8.9 percent for Los Angeles and Orange counties starting August 2024.

Because the figure resets every August, read the current number from the Attorney General or the Department of Industrial Relations before you send a notice.

The Attorney General also says a landlord must give written notice at least 30 days before an increase of 10 percent or less and at least 90 days before a larger one, and that a call, text or email is not enough.

Just cause and relocation help

Under Civil Code section 1946.2 a landlord generally needs just cause to end a tenancy once the tenant has lived in the unit for 12 months, or 24 months if a tenant was added. At-fault reasons include nonpayment, breaching a material lease term, nuisance, criminal activity and refusing lawful entry. No-fault reasons include an owner move-in, withdrawal of the unit from the market, demolition or substantial remodel, and compliance with a government order.

For no-fault terminations, the City’s report says the owner must pay relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent within 15 calendar days of serving the notice.

For an owner move-in, the report notes SB 567’s requirement that the owner or qualifying family member move in within 90 days and live there at least 12 months. A substantial remodel must meet the statute’s requirements for permits and a minimum length of vacancy.

Which Anaheim rentals are exempt

The Attorney General’s bulletin lists the exemptions: units built within the last 15 years on a rolling basis, deed-restricted affordable housing, dormitories, units under a more restrictive local cap, owner-occupied two-unit properties, and single-family homes and condos not owned by a real estate investment trust, a corporation or an LLC with a corporate member, so long as the landlord gave the tenant written notice that the tenancy is not covered.

That last exemption matters in Anaheim, where many rentals are single-family homes. If you own in your own name and gave the notice, the house may be exempt. If you own through an LLC with a corporate member, it is probably covered.

What this means if you want to sell an Anaheim rental

A buyer takes a rented property subject to the lease and any state protections. If the property is covered and you want it vacant, an owner move-in or withdrawal notice triggers the relocation payment and strict timing, and mistakes can sink the notice. If you would rather skip that, you can sell as-is with the tenant in place.

See our Anaheim tenant page, the Anaheim housing report and the statewide guide. If the property has unpermitted work, our permits guide and code enforcement guide help.

Owner checklist

Before you list or serve a notice, ask:

• Was the unit built within the last 15 years?
• If it is a house or condo, is it owned by an individual, and did the tenant get the written exemption notice?
• How long has the tenant lived there, 12 months or 24?
• What is the current state cap for an increase taking effect now?
• If you plan a no-fault termination, can you pay one month of rent within 15 days of the notice?
• Would selling with the tenant in place be simpler?

Our Anaheim cash offer process shows how a no-repairs sale works.

The statewide baseline under Anaheim rules

California’s Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482), codified in Civil Code sections 1946.2 and 1947.12, caps annual rent increases at 5 percent plus the change in the regional Consumer Price Index or 10 percent, whichever is lower, and requires just cause to end most tenancies once a tenant has lived in a unit for 12 months.

The Attorney General’s tenant bulletin explains that the cap applies to most rental housing more than 15 years old and that it does not apply to units built in the last 15 years, deed-restricted affordable housing, dormitories, certain owner-occupied two-unit properties, or to single-family homes and condominiums that are not owned by a corporation, a real estate investment trust or an LLC with a corporate member, provided the landlord gave the tenant the required written notice.

Our statewide guide to selling a tenant-occupied home explains how these protections interact with a sale.

How to sell a house in Anaheim

1. Find out whether the property is covered by the state law or exempt.
2. Gather the lease, rent history and any notices served.
3. Request a no-obligation cash offer for the property as it stands.
4. Choose your closing date.
5. Close with no repairs, showings or tenant move-out required.

See also our Anaheim page and the Orange County hub.

Frequently asked questions

Does Anaheim have rent control?

No local ordinance. Anaheim relies on California’s Tenant Protection Act, which caps annual increases at 5 percent plus CPI or 10 percent, whichever is lower.

Does Anaheim have its own just cause eviction law?

According to a September 2024 City staff report, no. State law under Civil Code section 1946.2 applies.

How much relocation assistance is required for a no-fault eviction?

One month of rent, due within 15 calendar days of the notice, according to the City report summarizing state law.

Are single-family homes in Anaheim exempt?

They can be if they are not owned by a real estate investment trust, corporation or LLC with a corporate member and the landlord gave the tenant written notice of the exemption.

When does the state law expire?

The City’s report says January 1, 2030.

Can I sell an Anaheim rental with a tenant in it?

Yes. The tenancy continues with the property, and a cash buyer can purchase it as-is with the tenant in place.

More guides

• We Buy Houses in Anaheim
• We Buy Houses in Orange County
• Orange County Property Tax Guide
• Anaheim Housing and Home Seller Report
• Sell an Anaheim House With Tenants
• Anaheim Building Permits Guide
• Anaheim Code Enforcement Guide
• Anaheim Zoning and ADU Guide
• Anaheim Cash Offer Process
• Selling a Tenant-Occupied Home in California
• All California Guides

Sources

• City of Anaheim: Housing and Community Development staff report on state tenant protection laws (September 10, 2024)
• California Attorney General: Know Your Rights as a California Tenant (hosted by the City of Anaheim)
• California Civil Code section 1947.12 (statewide rent cap)
• California Civil Code section 1946.2 (statewide just cause)
• California Courts: California Tenants guide

This guide is general information from public sources, not legal advice. Confirm current rules, fees and hours with the city.