Contra Costa County Rent Control Guide: State Rules, City Programs and Selling a Rental

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Contra Costa County has no countywide rent cap we could find, so state law and city rules decide

Contra Costa County’s rules come from state law plus city programs in Antioch, Concord and Richmond. Here is what applies, what we could not confirm, and what it means if you plan to sell a rental.

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

Contra Costa County rent rules at a glance

Countywide residential rent cap	None found on county or Attorney General pages
County just cause ordinance	None found; the county’s pandemic-era eviction and rent freeze ordinance is archived
State law	Tenant Protection Act applies: 5% plus CPI, up to 10%, and just cause after 12 months for covered rentals
Cities with local rules	Antioch, Concord and Richmond, per the Attorney General’s chart
State cap, Aug. 2026 to July 2027	8.8% for San Francisco Area counties including Contra Costa, per the Attorney General (the lower of the cap or 5% plus CPI governs a given increase)

What Contra Costa County itself does and does not regulate

When we searched county pages for a permanent rent cap or just cause ordinance covering unincorporated Contra Costa County, we found only the county’s archived Eviction Protection and Rent Freeze Ordinance.

The county’s page says its Board of Supervisors passed Urgency Ordinance No. 2021-20 on June 22, 2021 to continue a temporary eviction moratorium and a freeze on certain residential rent increases during the pandemic, and the page is now labeled archived.

The Attorney General’s chart of local rent caps lists three Contra Costa cities, Antioch, Concord and Richmond, and no county ordinance. This does not prove none exists, since the county can pass new rules, so confirm with the county before you act.

In practice that means that for most rentals in unincorporated areas of the county, state law is the main rulebook.

The Tenant Protection Act caps annual increases at 5 percent plus the local change in the cost of living, up to 10 percent, and requires just cause to end most tenancies after the tenant has lived there for 12 months.

The Attorney General lists the maximum under the Act for the San Francisco Area, which includes Contra Costa County, at 8.8 percent for increases starting between August 1, 2026 and July 31, 2027.

The lower of the two numbers in the statute applies to any given increase, so use the formula in the statute and the Attorney General’s chart, not a rule of thumb.

City rules inside the county

The Attorney General’s chart summarizes three city programs. Antioch limits increases to 60 percent of the CPI change up to 3 percent, and recalculates the allowable increase every one to two months. Concord allows one increase of up to 5 percent in a 12-month period.

Richmond allows 60 percent of the CPI change up to 3 percent, which the chart lists at 1.5 percent for September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027. Each city also has other tenant rules, so check with the city. For more detail on Richmond, see our Richmond rent control guide.

For Antioch and Concord, our Antioch and Concord tenant-occupied sale pages explain what a cash sale looks like when the house is rented.

Which rentals the state rules reach

The Attorney General explains that the state caps apply to most rental housing more than 15 years old, including single-family homes and condos owned by corporations and mobile homes rented from park management.

Single-family homes and condos owned by individuals are generally exempt from the cap and from the state’s just cause rules if the landlord gave the required written notice in the lease. New construction is exempt for 15 years on a rolling basis, and affordable housing under regulatory restrictions is exempt.

Local rules, where they exist, may be stricter. If you are not sure which set of rules applies to your property, a landlord-tenant attorney or the legal aid listings the Attorney General links to can tell you.

How state law fits in

State law sets the floor everywhere in California. Under Civil Code 1947.12, a covered owner may not raise rent more than 5 percent plus the local change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower.

Under Civil Code 1946.2, most tenants who have lived in a unit for 12 months are protected by just cause rules. The Attorney General’s rent cap page explains that these state caps apply to most rental housing more than 15 years old, and that local caps that are lower control.

Single-family homes and condos not owned by a corporation, REIT or an LLC with a corporate member are generally outside the state cap and just cause rules if the landlord gave the required written notice, but a local ordinance can still reach them where state law allows.

Selling a rented Contra Costa County property

Rent rules matter at a sale because the buyer steps into the landlord’s shoes when escrow closes. The lease, the deposit and any protections the tenant has go with the property. A buyer who plans to keep the tenant wants a clean rent history.

A buyer who plans to live in the property needs to know whether the rules allow it and what it will cost.

Our statewide guide to selling a tenant-occupied home covers the basics, and our We Buy Houses in Contra Costa County page and county housing report cover the local market.

If you own a rented house or small building in Contra Costa County and want a simple exit, a cash sale can close as-is, with the tenant in place or on a plan that follows the rules that apply to you.

Documents to gather before you talk to a buyer

The signed lease or month-to-month agreement and the date each tenant moved in.
A rent ledger showing the amount and date of every increase.
Copies of every notice you served: rent increases, entry notices, cure and termination notices.
Proof of any city registration, posting or fee that the local rules require.
The security deposit amount and where it is held.
Open repair requests, permits or code complaints on the property.

Mistakes to avoid before a sale

The costly one is raising the rent or serving a termination notice right before listing without checking whether the increase is allowed or whether the notice states a valid reason. A defective notice can be void, and a buyer will price in the risk.

Another is promising a buyer a vacant house when the tenant has protections that make that uncertain. A third is skipping required city paperwork, which in some cities blocks rent increases until it is fixed.

If the property also has repair or permit problems, see our guide to selling as-is and the seller closing costs guide.

How to sell a house in Contra Costa County

Check whether your property is in a city with its own rules or in an unincorporated area.
Confirm whether the state Tenant Protection Act applies to your unit.
Request a no-obligation cash offer as-is.
Decide whether the buyer keeps the tenant or you follow the rules that apply for a vacant sale.
Close on your timeline with no repairs or commissions.

More local pages: We Buy Houses in Contra Costa County and the California guides hub.

Own a rented property in Contra Costa County? Get a cash offer and sell as-is.

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Frequently asked questions

Does Contra Costa County have rent control?

We did not find a countywide residential rent cap or a permanent county just cause ordinance on county or Attorney General pages. State law applies, and the cities of Antioch, Concord and Richmond have their own programs.

What happened to the county’s eviction moratorium?

The county’s page labels its Eviction Protection and Rent Freeze Ordinance FAQs as archived. The ordinance was a temporary pandemic measure passed in 2020 and continued in 2021.

What is the state rent cap in Contra Costa County?

5 percent plus the local CPI change, up to 10 percent. The Attorney General lists 8.8 percent for the San Francisco Area for increases starting August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027.

Which Contra Costa cities have rent rules?

The Attorney General’s chart lists Antioch, Concord and Richmond.

Are single-family homes covered by the state cap?

Generally not if owned by individuals and the landlord gave the required written notice, but corporate-owned single-family homes and condos can be covered.

Can I sell a rented house in Contra Costa County?

Yes. The tenant’s lease and protections go with the property, so the buyer either takes the house with the tenant in place or follows the rules that apply to end the tenancy.

More guides

Sources

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