Beverly Hills Rent Control Guide: What the Rent Stabilization Ordinance Covers

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Beverly Hills rent stabilization covers most multifamily rentals, not houses or condos

The Beverly Hills Rent Stabilization Ordinance dates to 1978 and applies to apartment buildings, not single-family homes or condos. Here is what it covers, how evictions and relocation work, and what it means if you sell.

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

Beverly Hills rent control at a glance

Local law	Rent Stabilization Ordinance, Beverly Hills Municipal Code Title 4, Chapters 5 and 6
First adopted	September 19, 1978, effective March 31, 1979
Not covered	Single-family dwellings, condominium units, commercial properties and hotels (per the city’s Chapter 5 FAQ)
Covered	Most multifamily rental properties
Evictions	Just cause required; no-cause evictions eliminated from Chapter 6 in 2018
Registration	Annual registration of units and rent levels
City office	Rent Stabilization and Housing Division, Community Development

Two chapters, two sets of rules

Beverly Hills was early to regulate rents. The City Council adopted its Rent Stabilization Ordinance on September 19, 1978, and it now sits in Title 4 of the Municipal Code as Chapter 5 and Chapter 6. Chapter 5 covers apartment units that at some point rented for $600 a month or less.

Chapter 6 began in 1986 as a separate “luxury unit” ordinance for units that rented above that level. A Chapter 5 unit that is later re-rented above $600 after a voluntary vacancy becomes decontrolled and moves to Chapter 6’s annual increase rules.

The city’s Chapter 5 FAQ describes the annual increase as 8 percent or the average CPI, whichever is less, with a 30-day written notice that is extended by five days when mailed.

A 2017 amendment cut the Chapter 6 annual increase from 10 percent to the greater of 3 percent or the CPI change, and added registration and a petition process.

That FAQ carries a note about a 2022 pandemic-era rule, so confirm the figure that applies to your unit and effective date with the city before serving a notice.

Single-family homes and condos are not covered

This is the point most Beverly Hills homeowners need. The city’s FAQ lists single-family dwellings and condominium units among the properties that are not subject to rent control. If you rent out a house or condo, the local ordinance does not cap the rent.

The state’s Tenant Protection Act may still apply: its 5 percent plus CPI cap, to a maximum of 10 percent, and its just cause rules cover most rentals, except a single-family home or condo that is not owned by a corporation, REIT or an LLC with a corporate member and that carries the required written exemption notice.

The city says AB 1482 does not change its own ordinance for units that are covered.

State law sets the floor everywhere. Under Civil Code 1947.12, a covered owner may not raise the rent more than 5 percent plus the local change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower, and that section remains in effect until January 1, 2030.

The statute exempts, among other things, housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years, housing already under a stricter local cap, and a single-family home or condominium that is not owned by a real estate investment trust, a corporation or an LLC with a corporate member, as long as the written exemption notice was given to the tenant.

Evictions, owner move-ins and relocation fees

Tenants in covered units can be evicted only for listed just causes. At-fault causes include non-payment of rent, violating an obligation, nuisances, illegal use, refusing to sign a lease, refusing access and unapproved subtenants. A 2018 ordinance eliminated no-cause evictions from Chapter 6 and added a ground for disruptive tenants.

No-fault reasons include use by the landlord, demolition, condominium conversion and withdrawal from the rental market, and they carry longer notice periods and relocation fees that the city adjusts each July 1 with the CPI.

Some actions, such as recovering a unit for the owner or an immediate family member, require an application to the Rent Stabilization Division first.

Landlords who need more than the annual increase can file a hardship adjustment petition for a hearing officer to review. Capital improvement and utility surcharges can be passed through under the ordinance’s formulas, and rent levels must be registered annually. A new owner does not get an automatic rent adjustment on buying a building.

What this means if you own a Beverly Hills rental

For an owner of a covered apartment building or duplex, the rent roll is capped by law and the building cannot be emptied at will, which shapes what a buyer will pay and how fast they can change the use.

For an owner of a single-family house or condo, the local ordinance is not the issue. The questions are state just cause protections, the lease, and whether the buyer wants vacant possession.

Because Beverly Hills sits in Los Angeles County, see our Los Angeles County property tax guide for what a sale does to the tax bill, and our Beverly Hills building permits guide if the house has unpermitted work.

Selling a rented Beverly Hills house

Rent rules matter at the sale because a buyer steps into your landlord role the day escrow closes. The tenant’s lease, deposit and any protections under the rules above go with the property.

A cash buyer who plans to keep the tenant needs a clean rent history; a buyer who plans to occupy the house needs to know whether the law lets them end the tenancy and what it will cost.

Our statewide guide to selling a tenant-occupied home walks through the basics, and our We Buy Houses in Beverly Hills page shows how a cash sale works when the house is rented.

If you own a rented Beverly Hills house, condo or small building, a cash sale can close as-is on your timeline, with the tenant in place or after a move-out that follows the rules.

Documents to gather before you talk to a buyer

The signed lease or month-to-month agreement, plus any addenda and the date each tenant moved in.
A rent ledger showing the amount and date of every increase over the last few years.
Copies of every notice you served: rent increases, entry notices, cure or termination notices.
Proof of any registration, program fee or required notice to the city, where the city asks for one.
The security deposit amount and where it is held.
Any open repair requests, permits or code complaints on the unit.

Common mistakes landlords make before a sale

The most expensive mistake is raising the rent or serving a termination notice right before listing without checking whether the increase is allowed or the notice states a valid reason.

A notice that does not follow the rules can be void, and it can give the tenant a defense that a buyer will price in. A second mistake is promising a buyer the house will be vacant when the tenant has protections that make that uncertain.

A third is skipping required city paperwork, which in some cities blocks future rent increases until it is cured.

If the tenant is cooperating, many sellers simply sell with the tenant in place and let the buyer decide. If you want the house vacant, ask the city or a landlord-tenant attorney what notice, reason and payment the rules require before you offer a buyout or serve anything.

When the house also needs repairs or has unfinished permits, see our guide to selling as-is and the cost list in our seller closing costs guide.

How to sell a house in Beverly Hills

Find out whether your property is a covered apartment unit or a house or condo outside the ordinance.
Gather the lease, rent ledger, registration records and notices.
Request a no-obligation cash offer as-is.
Decide whether the buyer keeps the tenant or you deliver the property vacant under the rules.
Close on your timeline with no repairs or commissions.

More local pages: We Buy Houses in Beverly Hills, selling as-is, selling fast, and the Los Angeles County hub.

Own a rented Beverly Hills property? Get a cash offer and skip repairs and showings.

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Frequently asked questions

Does Beverly Hills have rent control?

Yes. The Rent Stabilization Ordinance was adopted in 1978 and is in Title 4, Chapters 5 and 6, of the Municipal Code. It covers most multifamily rentals.

Are single-family homes covered by Beverly Hills rent control?

No. The city’s FAQ lists single-family dwellings and condominium units as not subject to the local rent control rules. State law may still apply.

How much can Beverly Hills landlords raise rent?

It depends on the chapter and the effective date. The city’s FAQs describe 8 percent or the average CPI, whichever is less, for Chapter 5, and the greater of 3 percent or the CPI change for Chapter 6. Check the current figure with the city.

Can a Beverly Hills landlord evict without cause?

No for covered units. No-cause evictions were eliminated from Chapter 6 in 2018, and Chapter 5 already required a just cause.

Do landlords have to register units?

Yes. The city requires owners of covered units to register rental units and rent levels annually.

Does AB 1482 replace Beverly Hills rent control?

No. The city states AB 1482 does not affect its Rent Stabilization Ordinance for covered units.

More guides

Sources

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