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San Francisco · Renting & eviction

Renting in San Francisco: the rules that apply

San Francisco limits yearly rent increases for Rent Ordinance units and adds its own rules on eviction causes, deposit interest, harassment and buyouts. The city has no rules of its own on notices, retaliation, repairs or landlord entry, so state law applies.

Ask about renting & eviction in San Francisco See coverage

Key points

  • Yearly increase: City rule: occupied Rent Ordinance units may rise once a year, by up to 60% of the CPI increase, never more than 7%.
  • Exempt units: City rule: units first certified for occupancy after June 13, 1979, and single-family homes and condos are generally exempt from the city's limits.
  • Just cause: City rule: eviction causes include unpaid rent, habitual late payment, and a substantial lease breach not fixed after written notice.
  • Lead hazards: City rule: only for lead-hazard displacements of 31 days or longer, tenants get 2 months of fair market rent, capped at the 2-bedroom rate.
  • Deposit interest: City rule: deposits held at least 1 year earn simple interest at the Rent Board's rate, except when rent is government-subsidized.
  • Buyouts: City rule: before buyout talks, the landlord gives a Rent Board disclosure, and the tenant may cancel up to 45 days after full signing.

Each rule below is marked San Francisco code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Practical research questions and checklists

Rent increases

San Francisco code City rule: occupied Rent Ordinance units may rise once a year, by up to 60% of the CPI increase, never more than 7%. City rule: units first certified for occupancy after June 13, 1979, and single-family homes and condos are generally exempt from the city's limits.

All 9 San Francisco rules on rent increases, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Eviction and just cause

San Francisco code What San Francisco's code adds
Allowed at-fault reasons
  • Not paying rent owed, habitual late payment, or frequently bounced checks.
    Applies: Not for prohibited charges, or documented COVID-19 nonpayment: rent due March 16–September 30, 2020, or July 1, 2022 until 60 days after emergency ended.
    § 37.9 · code text
    Has failed to pay the rent to which the landlord is lawfully entitled under the oral or written agreement between the tenant and landlord:
  • Breaking a lawful term of the tenancy in a substantial way, and not fixing it after written notice.
    § 37.9 · code text
    The tenant has violated a lawful obligation or covenant of tenancy other than the obligation to surrender possession upon proper notice or other than an obligation to pay a charge prohibited by Police Code Section 919.1, the violation was substantial, and the tenant fails to cure such violation after having received written notice thereof from the landlord.

CA state law Underneath, California law still applies. Just cause required: After 12 months of lawful occupancy, the owner may terminate only for a just cause stated in the notice (Civ. Code § 1946.2(a)). Just-cause eviction in California — the full state rule →

Relocation payments

San Francisco code City rule: only for lead-hazard displacements of 31 days or longer, tenants get 2 months of fair market rent, capped at the 2-bedroom rate.

All 10 San Francisco rules on relocation payments, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Notices

We found no San Francisco rule on this in the San Francisco Administrative Code (checked October 2026). The state rule below applies.

CA state law California law
Notice of a rent increase
At least 30 days' notice for an increase of 10% or less; at least 90 days for an increase of more than 10%
Applies: The 10% is measured against the rent charged at any time in the 12 months before the increase, counting all increases in that period together.
Civ. Code § 827(b)(2), (b)(3)(A)
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy (landlord)
60 days' notice; 30 days if the tenant has lived there less than one year
Applies: Where the unit is covered by just cause (Civ. Code § 1946.2) or a local ordinance, the notice must also state a qualifying cause.
Civ. Code § 1946.1(b), (c)
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy (tenant)
At least as long as the rental period (one month for a month-to-month tenancy)
Civ. Code § 1946.1(b)
30-day notice when the unit is sold to an owner-occupant
30 days' notice when a separately sellable unit is in escrow to a natural person who will live there for at least a year
Applies: Notice within 120 days of opening escrow, given once, and all § 1946.1(d) conditions met.
Civ. Code § 1946.1(d)
Notice to pay rent or quit
3 days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays, stating the amount due and how to pay
Applies: May be served any time within one year after the rent became due.
Code Civ. Proc. § 1161(2)
Notice to cure a lease violation or quit
3 days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays, to perform the broken lease term or leave
Code Civ. Proc. § 1161(3)
No fee for serving notices
A landlord may not charge the tenant a fee for serving or posting a notice
Civ. Code § 1946.1(i)

Security deposits

San Francisco code City rule: deposits held at least 1 year earn simple interest at the Rent Board's rate, except when rent is government-subsidized.

All 5 San Francisco rules on security deposits, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Retaliation

CA state law San Francisco has no rule of its own on this, so California law applies. Retaliation protection period: For 180 days after a tenant complains about habitability (to the landlord or an agency), the landlord may not evict, raise rent or cut services in retaliation (Civ. Code § 1942.5(a), (b)). Retaliatory eviction in California — the full state rule →

Harassment and lockouts

San Francisco code What San Francisco's code adds
Penalties
  • A misdemeanor: fine up to $1,000, up to 6 months in county jail, or both.
    Applies: On conviction for violating the harassment rules.
    § 37.10B · code text
    Any person who is convicted of violating this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not greater than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment in the County Jail for not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
  • At least 3 times actual damages, or $1,000, whichever is greater.
    Applies: For each violation; available to the harmed party.
    § 37.10B · code text
    Any person who violates or aids or incites another person to violate the provisions of this Section is liable for each and every such offense for money damages of not less than three times actual damages suffered by an aggrieved party (including damages for mental or emotional distress), or for statutory damages in the sum of one thousand dollars, whichever is greater, and whatever other relief the court deems appropriate.
  • Reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
    Applies: Awarded to a plaintiff who wins.
    § 37.10B · code text
    In addition, a prevailing plaintiff shall be entitled to reasonable attorney's fees and costs pursuant to order of the court.
  • Punitive damages may be awarded.
    Applies: To any plaintiff, including the City, in a proper case under state law.
    § 37.10B · code text
    The trier of fact may also award punitive damages to any plaintiff, including the City, in a proper case as defined by Civil Code Section 3294.
Tenant lawsuits
  • Yes; anyone, including the City, can sue to enforce these rules.
    § 37.10B · code text
    Any person, including the City, may enforce the provisions of this Section by means of a civil action.

CA state law Underneath, California law still applies. Lockouts and self-help eviction banned: A landlord may not change locks, remove doors or windows, or remove the tenant's belongings to force a tenant out (Civ. Code § 789.3(b)). Utility shutoffs banned: A landlord may not cut off water, heat, electricity, gas or other utilities to force a tenant out (Civ. Code § 789.3(a)). Tenant harassment and lockouts in California — the full state rule →

Repairs and habitability

CA state law San Francisco has no rule of its own on this, so California law applies. Duty to keep the unit habitable: The landlord must deliver a unit fit to live in and repair conditions that make it untenantable (Civ. Code § 1941). Repair and deduct: A tenant may make a repair the landlord neglects and deduct the cost from rent, up to one month's rent, no more than twice in any 12 months (Civ. Code § 1942(a)). Habitability and repair-and-deduct — the full state rule →

Landlord entry

CA state law San Francisco has no rule of its own on this, so California law applies. Landlord entry notice: Reasonable written notice, presumed to be 24 hours, and entry only during normal business hours (Civ. Code § 1954(d)(1), (e)). Landlord entry notice in California — the full state rule →

Buyout agreements

San Francisco code City rule: before buyout talks, the landlord gives a Rent Board disclosure, and the tenant may cancel up to 45 days after full signing.

All 14 San Francisco rules on buyout agreements, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Who this affects

TenantsLandlordsProperty managers

Frequently asked questions

Does a landlord in San Francisco need a reason to evict?

City rule: eviction causes include unpaid rent, habitual late payment, and a substantial lease breach not fixed after written notice.

How much notice does a San Francisco landlord have to give?

San Francisco has no local rule on this that we found (checked October 2026); state law applies: At least 30 days' notice for an increase of 10% or less; at least 90 days for an increase of more than 10% (Civ. Code § 827(b)(2), (b)(3)(A)).

General information, not legal advice.

AI-assisted research · Source checks recorded

San Francisco: Rental operations

Before changing rent, ending a tenancy, or changing a housing policy. Start with a question, collect the records, and follow the cited law.

City and County of San Francisco. Source checks do not establish a property-specific outcome. Open questions appear in each verification record.

SF-R01AI-assisted research · Evidence checks recorded

How should rent increase and eviction coverage be checked separately in San Francisco?

For Property Manager · Lawyer · Realtor

Create separate coverage results for rent increases and eviction. A rent increase exemption does not establish an eviction exemption.

View supporting passages (2)

These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

The Rent Board identifies eviction protections for many privately rented homes, including single-family homes, condominiums, and buildings built after 1979.

View supporting passages (1)

These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

This guide concerns residential rental coverage in the City and County of San Francisco. It does not calculate an increase or approve a termination.

View supporting passages (1)
  • SF Rent Board: rental laws · Some units only have eviction protection
    Some units have eviction protections, but do not have rent control protections: Units built after June 13, 1979 Most single-family homes and condos (if you moved in on or after Jan 1, 1996) Units that have undergone substantial rehabilitation Units controlled or regulated by another government unit or agency

These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

How to check

  1. Identify the unit and tenancy

    Collect the certificate of occupancy, unit type, ownership records, lease, and tenancy start date. Identify any claimed exemption and its evidence.

    View supporting passages (2)
    • SF Rent Board: rental laws · Check when your building was built
      The first step is to find out when your building was built. You can search your address on the Property Information Map . If your unit was built before June 14, 1979, and is not used as a single family dwelling, it may have both: Rent control Eviction protection
    • SF Rent Board: rental laws · Some units only have eviction protection
      Some units have eviction protections, but do not have rent control protections: Units built after June 13, 1979 Most single-family homes and condos (if you moved in on or after Jan 1, 1996) Units that have undergone substantial rehabilitation Units controlled or regulated by another government unit or agency

    These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

  2. Check local rent increase coverage

    Review the Rent Board's rent-control explanation, definitions, and exclusions. Record the current provision and supporting facts.

    View supporting passages (1)
    • SF Rent Board: rental laws · Some units only have eviction protection
      Some units have eviction protections, but do not have rent control protections: Units built after June 13, 1979 Most single-family homes and condos (if you moved in on or after Jan 1, 1996) Units that have undergone substantial rehabilitation Units controlled or regulated by another government unit or agency

    These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

  3. Check local eviction coverage

    Review eviction coverage separately. Compare the unit and tenancy with the Rent Board's eviction guidance before planning a termination.

    View supporting passages (1)

    These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

  4. Check California protections

    Check whether California Tenant Protection Act protections also apply. Obtain the current state law and document its coverage, exclusions, and local-law provisions.

    View supporting passages (1)

    These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

What the facts change

Conditions and the next research action
If the record showsNext research action
A local rent increase exemption is claimedDocument the exact exemption. Continue the separate local eviction and state-law checks.
View supporting passages (2)

These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

A building is newer than 1979 or the unit is a house or condominiumDo not decide eviction coverage from that fact alone. Compare the unit with the applicable local rules.
View supporting passages (1)

These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

Ownership, completion date, or exemption notice is missingKeep the affected coverage result unresolved. Request the missing evidence before planning an increase or termination.
View supporting passages (2)
  • SF Rent Board: rental laws · Check when your building was built
    The first step is to find out when your building was built. You can search your address on the Property Information Map . If your unit was built before June 14, 1979, and is not used as a single family dwelling, it may have both: Rent control Eviction protection
  • SF Rent Board: rental laws · Some units only have eviction protection
    Some units have eviction protections, but do not have rent control protections: Units built after June 13, 1979 Most single-family homes and condos (if you moved in on or after Jan 1, 1996) Units that have undergone substantial rehabilitation Units controlled or regulated by another government unit or agency

These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

Illustrative example

Illustrative case: a listing describes a rented condominium as exempt from rent control. The buyer has no exemption notice or tenancy records.

Treat the listing statement as a claim to verify. Check rent increase coverage and eviction coverage separately. Keep both results unresolved until the evidence supports them.

View supporting passages (1)
  • SF Rent Board: rental laws · Some units only have eviction protection
    Some units have eviction protections, but do not have rent control protections: Units built after June 13, 1979 Most single-family homes and condos (if you moved in on or after Jan 1, 1996) Units that have undergone substantial rehabilitation Units controlled or regulated by another government unit or agency

These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

Records to collect

Download checklist CSV
  • Unit and tenancy facts: Certificate of occupancy, ownership record, lease, and tenancy dates
    View supporting passages (2)
    • SF Rent Board: rental laws · Check when your building was built
      The first step is to find out when your building was built. You can search your address on the Property Information Map . If your unit was built before June 14, 1979, and is not used as a single family dwelling, it may have both: Rent control Eviction protection
    • SF Rent Board: rental laws · Some units only have eviction protection
      Some units have eviction protections, but do not have rent control protections: Units built after June 13, 1979 Most single-family homes and condos (if you moved in on or after Jan 1, 1996) Units that have undergone substantial rehabilitation Units controlled or regulated by another government unit or agency

    These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

  • Local rent increase coverage: Exact definition or exemption and supporting record
    View supporting passages (1)
    • SF Rent Board: rental laws · Some units only have eviction protection
      Some units have eviction protections, but do not have rent control protections: Units built after June 13, 1979 Most single-family homes and condos (if you moved in on or after Jan 1, 1996) Units that have undergone substantial rehabilitation Units controlled or regulated by another government unit or agency

    These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

  • Local eviction coverage: Applicable coverage and exemption provisions
    View supporting passages (1)

    These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

  • State rent increase coverage: Current state rent-increase law and supporting coverage or exemption evidence
    View supporting passages (1)

    These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

  • State termination coverage: Current state termination law and supporting coverage or exemption evidence
    View supporting passages (1)

    These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

The checklist starts with every finding marked Unresolved.

Your next deliverable

Four separate coverage findings: local rent, local eviction, state rent, and state termination. Each finding needs a provision and evidence.

View supporting passages (2)

These passages support the limited statement or research recommendation. They do not establish a property's eligibility. If the source opens at the top, use the quoted text to find the passage.

Still to verify

  • No individual unit's coverage has been determined.
  • Definitions, specific exceptions, amendments, and relevant cases need expert review.
Sources and review record

These related references can include stored text or inaccessible publishers. The supporting passages beside each statement identify the sources used for its evidence check.

AI-assisted research with recorded source checks. Open questions remain. Verify current law, effective dates, and property records before a property decision.

SF-R02 · Research pending

What Housing Inventory and license checks are needed before a rent increase?

For Property Manager · Lawyer · Realtor. Evidence research and an answer draft are still needed.

SF-R03 · Research pending

What approval and limits must be reviewed for a capital improvement passthrough?

For Property Manager · Lawyer · Realtor. Evidence research and an answer draft are still needed.

SF-R04 · Research pending

What tenant protections must be reviewed before major renovations or a buyout?

For Property Manager · Lawyer · Realtor. Evidence research and an answer draft are still needed.

SF-R05 · Research pending

Which accommodation rules apply to this San Francisco rental request?

For Property Manager · Lawyer · Realtor. Evidence research and an answer draft are still needed.

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San Francisco Administrative Code — full text

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