San Francisco rent increase calculator
San Francisco allows the smallest increases of any large US city. For rent-controlled units, the annual allowable increase is 60% of the change in the Bay Area CPI, set by the Rent Board each year for 1 March to the end of February. For 2026–2027 the figure is 1.6%.
Published figures
| Period | Allowable increase |
|---|---|
| Mar 2026 – Feb 2027 | 1.6% |
Source: San Francisco Rent Board. Announced each January; applies 1 March to end of February.
Maximum new rent at common rents
Using the current 1.6% figure.
| Current rent | Maximum increase | Maximum new rent |
|---|---|---|
| $1,200.00 | $19.20 | $1,219.20 |
| $1,800.00 | $28.80 | $1,828.80 |
| $2,500.00 | $40.00 | $2,540.00 |
| $3,500.00 | $56.00 | $3,556.00 |
How the San Francisco cap works
Landlords may bank unused increases from previous years and add them later, and may petition for pass-throughs of certain capital improvements and bond costs. Buildings built after June 1979 are not covered by the local cap but, if more than 15 years old, follow the statewide AB 1482 limit (8.8% for the SF–Oakland region in 2026–2027).
Exemptions
- Applies to rent-controlled units: most buildings with a certificate of occupancy before 13 June 1979.
- Single-family homes and condos (with some exceptions) and newer buildings are exempt from the local cap but may fall under AB 1482.
30 days’ written notice for increases of 10% or less.
Related California rules
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy: Landlord: 30 days if the tenant has resided in the unit less than 1 year, 60 days if 1 year or more (30 days also allowed when selling to an owner-occupant under § 1946.1(d)). Tenant: 30 days (at least as long as the rental period). Where § 1946.2 just-cause applies, the landlord must also state a just cause.
- Late fees: No statutory dollar or percentage cap and no statutory grace period. A late-fee clause in a residential lease is a liquidated-damages provision that is void unless it would be impracticable or extremely difficult to fix actual damages, so the fee must be a reasonable pre-estimate of the landlord's actual costs (Civ. Code § 1671(d); Orozco v. Casimiro (2004)).
- Security deposit: 1 month's rent (2 months if the landlord is a natural person or an LLC owned entirely by natural persons that owns no more than 2 residential properties totaling 4 or fewer units; service members may never be charged more than 1 month); returned 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates (itemized statement plus any refund).
Full page: California landlord and tenant rules.
Frequently asked questions
What is the allowable rent increase in San Francisco for 2026?
1.6%, for increases effective 1 March 2026 through 28 February 2027.
Can a San Francisco landlord bank increases?
Yes. Allowable annual increases not imposed in previous years can be added later, so a long-term tenant may see a larger one-time increase that is still lawful.
My building was built in 1990. Does the 1.6% apply?
No. Post-1979 buildings are outside the local cap. If the building is more than 15 years old the statewide AB 1482 cap applies instead.