The short answerAs of Nov 13, 2026 we track 2 active rent-cap orders. During an active order, a landlord generally may not raise rent more than the stated cap (usually 10%) over the pre-emergency rent in the covered counties, even where the statewide cap would allow more. Orders can be extended or ended; check the official source linked on each card before you serve a notice.
Review at least weekly while any emergency is active (and whenever the Governor, a county board or a city proclaims a new one). Steps: (1) check the Cal OES price-gouging page, the Governor's proclamations page and the Attorney General's page; (2) check the county/city emergency pages for the counties you serve; (3) add new orders, extend 'end' dates if protections are extended, and update 'data_last_updated'. Expired orders stay in the file for history; the wizard only applies orders whose dates include today's date (or the planned effective date).
Southern California at a glance
| County | Orders in our data |
|---|
| San Diego County | Tropical Storm Rachel (through Nov 14, 2026, unless extended); San Diego County (ended Oct 30, 2026) |
| Orange County | Tropical Storm Rachel (through Nov 14, 2026, unless extended) |
| Los Angeles County | Tropical Storm Rachel (through Nov 14, 2026, unless extended); City of Los Angeles (ongoing, no end date set) |
| Riverside County | None in our data |
| San Bernardino County | None in our data |
| Imperial County | Tropical Storm Rachel (through Nov 14, 2026, unless extended) |
| Ventura County | None in our data |
| Santa Barbara County | None in our data |
Active orders
ActiveTropical Storm Rachel — Governor's state of emergency
- Type
- State of emergency (Penal Code § 396)
- Where
- Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego (whole counties)
- Proclaimed
- Oct 15, 2026
- Rent cap period
- Oct 15, 2026 to Nov 14, 2026
- Cap
- 10% over the pre-proclamation rent; units not rented in the prior year: 160% of HUD fair market rent
- Authority
- Penal Code § 396(e) and (f) (rental housing); proclamation of Oct. 15, 2026
What it means: Under current Penal Code 396(e), the cap covers rental housing with an initial lease term of one year or less (month-to-month included). It does not authorize rent above a stricter local rent-control limit. SB 1365 (2026), effective Jan. 1, 2027, expands the definition of housing to all rental housing regardless of initial lease term for emergencies after that date.
How the end date was determined: Cal OES's price-gouging page, checked Nov. 13, 2026, lists the rental-housing protections (Penal Code 396(e),(f)) through 11/14/2026. No extension had been announced as of Nov. 13, 2026. Protections can be extended (Pen. Code 396(g)); if they are, this end date will change.
- Penal Code 396(e) bars increasing the rental price "advertised, offered, or charged" during the period. The statute does not say how it treats a notice served during the period for an increase that takes effect after it ends, so the wizard answers conservatively (it applies the cap) and recommends consulting an attorney.
- Protections can be extended (Pen. Code 396(g)). As of Nov. 13, 2026, Cal OES lists 11/14/2026 as the end date for rental housing and no extension had been announced; check the Cal OES page for any later change.
Last verified Nov 13, 2026.
ActiveCity of Los Angeles — local emergency (January 2025 wildfires), LAMC § 47.12
- Type
- City ordinance
- Where
- Los Angeles (City of Los Angeles only)
- Proclaimed
- Jan 7, 2025
- Rent cap period
- Jan 7, 2025 to Open-ended
- Cap
- 10% over the pre-proclamation rent; units not rented in the prior year: 160% of HUD fair market rent
- Authority
- Los Angeles Municipal Code § 47.12(e) (as amended by Ord. No. 188,507, eff. 2/28/25): rent increases limited to 10% over the pre-emergency rent, while the emergency continues and for 30 days after it ends
What it means: LAMC § 47.12(e) covers any rental unit in the City, whatever the lease term. For a unit rented within one year before the proclamation, the cap is 10% over the rent actually paid before January 7, 2025. For a unit covered by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance that stays with the same tenant, the limit is the RSO maximum if that is lower. A unit not rented or advertised in the prior year is capped at 10% of 160% of HUD fair market rent, which this tool does not calculate.
How the end date was determined: Open-ended. The City Attorney’s monthly report for September 2026 says the County’s protections expired May 28, 2026, but the City has continued its local emergency declaration and price-gouging protections remain in effect within the City. LAMC § 47.12 runs while the emergency continues plus 30 days.
- The cap is measured from the rent charged before January 7, 2025, not from your rent in the last 12 months, so earlier increases count against it.
- The Los Angeles City Council or Mayor can end the local emergency. The ordinance then runs for 30 days longer. Check the City Attorney’s latest monthly report in Council File 25-0006-S77 and LAHD before serving a notice.
Last verified Nov 13, 2026.
Information only
Information onlyStatewide El Niño proclamation — Penal Code 396 suspended
- Type
- State proclamation (Penal Code § 396 suspended)
- Where
- Statewide
- Proclaimed
- Sep 21, 2026
- Rent cap period
- None imposed by this proclamation
- Authority
- Proclamation of Sept. 21, 2026, ¶ 18: Penal Code 396 restrictions "are suspended, and no such restrictions are imposed, with respect to this El Niño event, at this time."
What it means: Listed for information. This proclamation alone does not impose the 10% emergency rent cap.
How the end date was determined: Open-ended; the Governor could later lift the suspension ("at this time").
- The suspension applies only to the statewide El Niño proclamation, and only "at this time." Local emergency declarations can trigger their own price-gouging rules.
Last verified Nov 13, 2026.
Information onlyImperial County August 2026 monsoon — Penal Code 396 suspended
- Type
- State proclamation (Penal Code § 396 suspended)
- Where
- Imperial (whole counties)
- Proclaimed
- Nov 10, 2026
- Rent cap period
- None imposed by this proclamation
- Authority
- Proclamation of Nov. 10, 2026, ¶ 3: the Penal Code 396 restrictions "are suspended, and no such restrictions are imposed, with respect to the August 2026 Monsoon."
What it means: Listed for information. This proclamation does not impose an emergency rent cap. The separate Tropical Storm Rachel order still covers Imperial County through Nov. 14, 2026, unless extended.
How the end date was determined: Open-ended; the proclamation imposes no price-gouging restrictions for this event.
- Local emergency declarations can trigger their own price-gouging rules; check Imperial County's emergency services site.
Last verified Nov 13, 2026.
Information onlyHumboldt County Mile Post 18 Fire — Penal Code 396 suspended
- Type
- State proclamation (Penal Code § 396 suspended)
- Where
- Humboldt (whole counties)
- Proclaimed
- Nov 10, 2026
- Rent cap period
- None imposed by this proclamation
- Authority
- Proclamation of Nov. 10, 2026, ¶ 3: the Penal Code 396 restrictions "are suspended, and no such restrictions are imposed, with respect to the MP18 Fire."
What it means: Listed for information. This proclamation does not impose an emergency rent cap.
How the end date was determined: Open-ended; the proclamation imposes no price-gouging restrictions for this event.
- Local emergency declarations can trigger their own price-gouging rules; check Humboldt County's emergency services site.
Last verified Nov 13, 2026.
Ended orders
EndedSan Diego County — El Niño local emergency (County Code § 31.502)
- Type
- County ordinance
- Where
- San Diego (whole counties)
- Proclaimed
- Sep 30, 2026
- Rent cap period
- Sep 30, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026
- Cap
- 10% over the pre-proclamation rent; units not rented in the prior year: 160% of HUD fair market rent
- Authority
- San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances § 31.502(a)(7) — 10% cap on rent increases for 30 days after a proclamation; 160% HUD fair market rent for units not rented or advertised in the prior year
What it means: The ordinance text has no initial-lease-term limit. The Governor's statewide El Niño proclamation (Sept. 21, 2026) suspended Penal Code 396 for that event, but not this local ordinance.
How the end date was determined: County Code 31.502(a)(7): 30 days following the proclamation (Sept. 30, 2026). Extensions require a Board of Supervisors resolution (31.502(d)); none found as of Nov. 13, 2026. The Board's Nov. 17, 2026 agenda lists a review of the El Niño emergency proclamation.
- The end date is the 30th day after the proclamation, as County Code 31.502(a)(7) provides. The Board of Supervisors may extend by resolution for additional 30-day periods (31.502(d)); check the County's emergency page for any extension.
- The ordinance's definitions refer to the unincorporated area so whether it reaches incorporated cities is a legal question. The wizard applies the order county-wide to be conservative; consult an attorney or your city.
Last verified Nov 13, 2026.
How to read the tracker
- Active means today’s date is between the start and end dates shown. The badge updates itself from your computer’s date.
- Ended means the last day passed and we found no extension in the official sources. Extensions are possible; the source links show the latest.
- Information only means a proclamation is listed so you know it exists, but it does not itself impose a rent cap.
- The cap generally limits what you may advertise, offer or charge during the period. Whether a notice served during an order for an increase that takes effect later is covered is not spelled out in the statute, so the wizard answers conservatively. Local rent-control limits that are lower still apply.
Get the data
The tracker is rendered from a public JSON file, /data/emergency-orders.json, that also powers the rent increase wizard. Field definitions are inside the file.
How can I report an error?
If you see an out-of-date rule or a broken link, please tell us. Corrections are handled under our corrections policy.