// rent compliance · Martinez

Rent Ordinance Compliance in Martinez

State law only: 8.8% for Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 (AB 1482). The cap, the registry, the fee and the notice for your unit, each on its own calendar.

8.8%State cap, Aug 2026 to Jul 2027
30 daysAnti-harassment notice to existing tenants
$3,495Median house rent, Oct 2026

How this works in Martinez

The state cap is 8.8% for Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027. That number matters in Walnut Creek, Fremont and El Cerrito. It does not matter in Oakland (2.3%), Berkeley (1.0%), Alameda (2.7%), Richmond (1.5%), Hayward (5%), Concord (5%) or Antioch, where a local cap sits underneath it, and from Jan 1, 2027 it stops mattering for most pre-1995 multifamily in San Leandro too. Each of those cities also runs a registry, an annual fee and a filing rule, and most set relocation payments owed when a tenancy ends without fault. We keep one calendar per property and act on it.

Cap
State law only: 8.8% for Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 (AB 1482). AB 1482 covers most units older than 15 years. Individually owned single-family homes and condos are exempt with the statutory notice in the lease.
Just cause
State just cause only. The city's Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance (Chapter 22.85) adds conduct rules and requires written notice to existing tenants within 30 days of its effective date.
Fees and filings
Business license required for residential rentals. No registry, no rent review fee. Confirm the current rate with the city.

What is included

The full picture for owners is on the Martinez page; the service on its own is described under rent compliance.

// questions

Rent Compliance in Martinez: questions owners ask

How much can I raise rent in Martinez this year?

There is no local cap. On an AB 1482-covered unit the limit is 8.8% through Jul 31, 2027. On an exempt house there is no cap, but any increase over 10% requires 90 days' notice.

Does the cap apply to my single-family rental?

Not if you own it as an individual and the lease carries the AB 1482 exemption notice. The Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance (Chapter 22.85) applies to your tenancy regardless of the exemption.

My single-family home is exempt from rent control. Do I still have to register?

Often, yes. Oakland exempts single-family homes and condos from the cap but requires registration and follows just cause once the building is 10 or more years old. Berkeley requires registration and good cause for partially covered single-family tenancies at $244 per unit. Alameda, Richmond and Concord also register exempt units. Exempt from the cap is not exempt from the program.

How much can I raise the rent this year?

For Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 the state cap is 8.8%. Oakland is 2.3% on pre-1983 units, Berkeley 1.0% for calendar 2026, Alameda 2.7% from Sep 1, Richmond 1.5% from Sep 1, Hayward and Concord 5%, Antioch about 2% and recomputed with each CPI release. A unit exempt from both the state and local caps, such as an individually owned house with the exemption notice or a building under 15 years old, has no percentage limit, but an increase over 10% needs 90 days' notice.

What happens if I missed a registry deadline?

In Oakland an unregistered owner cannot raise rent, cannot file a petition, and non-registration is a defense to eviction. Berkeley doubles the fee. Richmond adds 10, 25 and 50% penalties and may lien the property. The fix is to register now, pay the penalty, and reset the calendar. We do that as part of onboarding.

What about San Leandro?

San Leandro adopted rent control on Feb 2, 2026, effective Jan 1, 2027: a cap of 3% or 65% of CPI, whichever is lower, on roughly 7,700 pre-1995 multifamily units, with base rent set at the rent in effect Jul 1, 2025. Increases taken since then may be rolled back. The new registry is about $149 per unit, and unregistered owners lose the right to raise rent or evict for the year. If you own there, the planning has to happen in 2026.

// start here

Free rental analysis, Martinez

What your place should rent for, what the city will let you charge next year, and what we would do first. Written, within one business day.

// also

Also in Martinez

// nearby

Next door to Martinez, different rules

// next step

Start with the number.

A written rental analysis for your property, free, within one business day. No obligation and no sales call unless you ask for one.

Call (510) 390-9573 · Free rental analysis