// rent compliance · Richmond

Rent Ordinance Compliance in Richmond

1.5% for Sep 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027 (lesser of 60% of CPI or 3%), only after one full year of tenancy; prior year 1.62%. The cap, the registry, the fee and the notice for your unit, each on its own calendar.

1.5%Allowable increase, Sep 2026 to Aug 2027
$261Rental Housing Fee per fully covered unit
$2,500Median rent, Oct 2026

How this works in Richmond

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
1.5% for Sep 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027 (lesser of 60% of CPI or 3%), only after one full year of tenancy; prior year 1.62%. Fully covered: multi-unit buildings permitted before Feb 1, 1995. Partially covered (just cause only): single-family homes, condos, post-1995 and subsidized units.
Just cause
All units under RMC 11.100. Eviction notices are filed with the Rent Program within 2 business days; rent-increase notices within 10 business days, with 30 days notice at 10% or less and 90 days above.
Fees and filings
Rental Housing Fee FY 2026-27: $261 per fully covered unit, $149 per partially covered, per year; late penalties 10, 25 and 50%, and the city may lien. Residential Rental Inspection: $106 registration plus $211 per unit every 3 years. Business tax certificate required; confirm the rate with the city.

What is included

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

// questions

Rent Compliance in Richmond: questions owners ask

How much can I raise rent in Richmond this year?

1.5% for Sep 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027 on fully covered units (multi-unit permitted before Feb 1, 1995), and only after the tenant has been in place a full year. The notice is filed with the Rent Program within 10 business days. A single-family home or condo is partially covered and follows the state 8.8% cap unless it qualifies for the AB 1482 exemption.

Do I have to register my single-family rental?

Yes. A house or condo is partially covered and pays the $149 Rental Housing Fee each year, plus the $106 inspection registration and a $211 inspection every 3 years. A business tax certificate is also required; confirm the rate with the city.

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.

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