Every rental in LA County is under some form of rent regulation. Which one depends on the parcel, not the mailing address. Here is each city I've covered so far, side by side, with the 2026 numbers.
Every residential rental in Los Angeles County is covered by some rent rule. The question is which one. Some cities, like Inglewood, have their own ordinance. Unincorporated areas follow the County's. Everywhere else, including Hawthorne and El Segundo, the state's Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) is the rulebook. And the rule that applies is decided by where the parcel sits, not by the city name on the envelope.
I'm going city by city through the South Bay and asking one question each time: is it just the state law here, or is there more on top? This page is the running scorecard. I update it as each city is added.
The numbers, side by side
| Where the parcel is | Local rent control? | Maximum increase right now | Increases per year | No-fault relocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State law only (AB 1482) | No | 8.7% (Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027) | Up to two, within the cap | One month's rent |
| El Segundo | No, state law only | 8.7% | Up to two, within the cap | One month's rent |
| Hawthorne (inside city limits) | No, state law only | 8.7% | Up to two, within the cap | One month's rent |
| Inglewood, 4 units or fewer | Yes | 8.8% (Jul 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027) | One | Three months' rent plus add-ons |
| Inglewood, 5 units or more | Yes | 3.8% (Jul 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027) | One | Three months' rent plus add-ons |
| Unincorporated LA County | Yes, County ordinance | 1.919%, or 2.919% for certified small property landlords (Jul 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027) | See the County guide | Set by bedroom count, updated every year |
Same county, same freeway, and the allowed increase runs from under 2% to 8.8%.
Step one: find out where your parcel really is
Don't trust the address. A Torrance mailing address can be in the City of Torrance, in unincorporated LA County, or in the City of Los Angeles. I had one on West 218th Street with a Torrance address that turned out to be in Harbor Gateway, under LA rent control. The owner had no idea.
• Search the address on LA County Planning's Z-Net (planning.lacounty.gov/znet). It shows which jurisdiction governs the parcel.
• If it might be in the City of Los Angeles, confirm it on ZIMAS (zimas.lacity.org).
• Do this before you buy, before you raise the rent, and before you serve a notice.
Parts of the Hawthorne ZIP code, like Del Aire and Wiseburn, are unincorporated County. So is Lennox, which has Inglewood addresses.
State law only: AB 1482
This is the floor under every city. The cap is 5% plus regional CPI, never more than 10%. For increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, that's 8.7% in LA County. Just cause applies once tenants have been in place 12 months, and a no-fault termination costs one month's rent in relocation.
Single-family homes and condos are exempt only if the owner isn't a REIT, a corporation, or an LLC with a corporate member, and the tenant got the written exemption notice. Miss the notice and the house is under the cap.
Full guide: AB 1482 in 2026: California Has Rent Control, and Your Exemption Might Not Count
El Segundo
No local rent control, no local just cause ordinance, no rent registry. State law applies, and that still covers a lot: the rolling 15-year new construction exemption, the one-month deposit cap, required move-in and move-out photos, and a working stove and refrigerator.
Full guide: El Segundo Has No Rent Control. Here's What Still Applies.
Hawthorne
Inside city limits there's no rent board, no registry, and no city ordinance. AB 1482 is the whole rulebook, and just cause is where owners end up in court. Owner move-in now requires moving in within 90 days and staying 12 months. A substantial remodel needs permits and at least 30 days vacant.
Full guide: Hawthorne Has No Rent Control. That Doesn't Mean No Rules.
Inglewood
A lot more on top. Covered units are registered with the City every year by October 1, and without the registration certificate you can't raise rent or evict. There are two tiers, split at four units: 8.8% for the small buildings and 3.8% for five units or more, one increase a year. Substantial remodel is not an allowed reason. No-fault relocation starts at three times the monthly rent.
Full guide: Inglewood Rent Control in 2026: No Certificate, No Rent
Unincorporated LA County
A different government entirely. The County's rent cap covers properties with two or more units that got their certificate of occupancy on or before February 1, 1995. The general rate is 1.919% through June 30, 2027. Single-family homes and condos aren't under the cap, but most are still covered by the County's just cause and relocation rules.
Full guide: Your Address Says Torrance. Your Rental Might Not Be in Torrance.
Cities still to come
Torrance is next. I'll add each city to the table as its guide is published.
Before you act
• Check the parcel, not the address.
• Find out which rulebook applies: state, city, or County.
• Use that rulebook's number, not the state's.
• Before anyone moves out, price the relocation and call your attorney.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Tony Self is a licensed California real estate broker (DRE #01906720) with Harcourts Hunter Mason Realty, not an attorney, and reading this does not create a client relationship. Rent control and eviction laws change often and vary by city and county. Figures are current as of September 2026. Consult a qualified California landlord-tenant attorney about your specific property.
Questions about how this affects your rental?
Tony Self has owned and managed LA County income property since 1995. Reach out - free consultation, no pressure.
Talk to Tony