From the Berkeley Rent Board, read Oct 1, 2026.Show the law
“The maximum AGA is 5%. This means that, if the formula in the Rent Ordinance results in an AGA that is greater than 5%, the AGA approved by the Board for that year can be no more than 5% …”
Newer buildings and many houses follow California's limit instead: 5% plus local inflation, never more than 10% a year. In the San Francisco Bay Area that is 8.8% until Jul 31, 2027. Your address tells us which one applies.
Who can help
Ask the Berkeley Rent BoardFree counselors explain your options, by phone or in person.Berkeley Rent Board
Get free legal helpIf your landlord won't fix it.LawHelpCA
State law applies here too. Where both cover a rental, the stricter city rule usually wins; each rule below says so.
Berkeley lawDepends on the building
Berkeley Rent Stabilization Ordinance - Annual General Adjustment (max 5%)
Can my landlord raise my rent?
Yes, but only 1.0% in 2026.
Berkeley sets one yearly raise, max 5% (unused past raises can be added).
Depends on the year the building was built.
Who it covers
Buildings with a first certificate of occupancy on or before Jun 30, 1980.
Covers: Fully covered units: most multifamily units built before 1980, single-family homes with tenancies before 1996, rooming houses.
Exemptions: Partially covered units (CO after June 1980, post-1996 single-family tenancies, most condos) and some federally restricted subsidized units have no rent ceiling.
In force since
Dec 2024
Current version since
Jan 1, 2026
Enacted
Nov 2024
Figure period
Jan 2026–Dec 2026
The law, word for word
“The maximum AGA is 5%. This means that, if the formula in the Rent Ordinance results in an AGA that is greater than 5%, the AGA approved by the Board for that year can be no more than 5% …”
For most older rentals, yes: max 5% plus inflation (never over 10%).
The cap follows local inflation (April to April) and resets each August 1.
Depends on the year the building was built.
Who it covers
Not buildings less than 15 years old.
Not owner-occupied buildings with 2 units or fewer.
Covers: Residential real property generally, unless exempt.
Exemptions: Deed-restricted/subsidized affordable housing; dormitories; housing under stricter local rent control; CO issued within previous 15 years; certain separately alienable properties (single-family homes, condos) with non-corporate owners and written notice; owner-occupied duplexes.
In force since
Mar 15, 2019
Current version since
Apr 1, 2024
Set to be repealed
Jan 1, 2030
The law, word for word
“an owner of residential real property shall not, over the course of any 12-month period, increase the gross rental rate for a dwelling or a unit more than 5 percent plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower …”