If you own rental property in Bakersfield, you’ve probably heard of AB 1482, even if you’re not entirely sure what it actually requires. It’s one of those laws that gets mentioned constantly in landlord forums and Facebook groups, often with conflicting or oversimplified explanations. Some landlords think it applies to everyone. Others assume their property is automatically exempt because it’s a single-family home. Both assumptions can get you into trouble.
AB 1482, officially the California Tenant Protection Act, is the state’s framework for limiting rent increases and requiring “just cause” for evictions on most residential rentals. Understanding exactly how it applies to your specific property — and where the exemptions actually start and stop — is essential if you want to avoid an eviction notice or rent increase getting challenged or thrown out.
What AB 1482 Actually Does
AB 1482 has two main components: a statewide rent cap and just-cause eviction protections. It went into effect in 2020 and was designed to provide a baseline level of tenant protection in cities and counties that didn’t already have their own local rent control ordinances.
The Rent Cap
For covered properties, annual rent increases are capped at 5% plus the local rate of inflation (as measured by the regional Consumer Price Index), with a hard ceiling of 10% total, whichever is lower. This cap applies to increases within any 12-month period — you can’t get around it by raising rent multiple times throughout the year if the cumulative increase would exceed the cap.
For Bakersfield landlords, this means checking the current Kern County or relevant regional CPI figure each year before setting a new rent amount, since the exact percentage allowed shifts annually based on inflation data.
Just-Cause Eviction Protections
Once a tenant has occupied a unit for 12 months (or when multiple tenants are added, once the original tenant or any one of them has lived there for 24 months), you generally need a legally recognized “just cause” reason to end the tenancy. Just causes fall into two buckets:
- At-fault just cause — reasons tied to tenant behavior, like nonpayment of rent, lease violations, or illegal activity on the property
- No-fault just cause — reasons unrelated to tenant behavior, like the owner or a family member moving in, a planned substantial remodel, intent to demolish the property, or withdrawing the unit from the rental market entirely
No-fault evictions typically come with a requirement to either waive one month’s rent or pay the equivalent as relocation assistance to the tenant. Skipping this step is one of the most common compliance mistakes landlords make when using a no-fault just cause.
Which Properties Are Exempt?
This is where most of the confusion happens. AB 1482 exempts several categories of properties, but the exemptions come with specific conditions that landlords often overlook:
Single-Family Homes and Condos
Single-family homes and condominiums are exempt from the rent cap and just-cause provisions, but only if the owner is not a corporation, a real estate investment trust, or an LLC where at least one member is a corporation. Crucially, this exemption only applies if the landlord provides written notice to the tenant stating that the property is exempt, using specific language required by the statute. If you never gave this notice, you may not actually be able to rely on the exemption, even if your property would otherwise qualify.
New Construction
Properties with a certificate of occupancy issued within the last 15 years are exempt. This is a rolling exemption — meaning a property that was exempt when it was newly built will eventually become covered once it passes the 15-year mark, so this status needs to be re-checked periodically, not assumed permanently.
Duplexes Where the Owner Lives in One Unit
If you own a duplex and live in one of the two units as your primary residence, the other unit is generally exempt from just-cause provisions (though notice requirements still apply in some cases).
Other Exemptions
- Housing restricted by deed, regulatory restriction, or other recorded document as affordable housing for lower-income households
- Dormitories and housing within certain school or university settings
- Properties already subject to a local rent control ordinance that’s at least as protective as AB 1482
What This Means for Bakersfield Landlords Specifically
Bakersfield and Kern County don’t currently have their own local rent control ordinance separate from the state law, which means AB 1482 is generally the governing framework for rent caps and eviction protections in this market, unless your specific property qualifies for one of the exemptions above.
If you own single-family rentals in Bakersfield (a common setup for smaller-scale investors in this market), the exemption is real and meaningful — but only if you’ve actually sent the required exemption notice to your tenant. Many Bakersfield landlords assume they’re automatically covered by the single-family exemption without realizing this notice requirement exists, which can undermine the exemption if it’s ever challenged.
How to Check If Your Property Is Covered
- Confirm the type of property (single-family, duplex, multi-family, condo)
- Confirm the ownership structure (individual owner vs. LLC, corporation, or REIT)
- Check the certificate of occupancy date to rule out the 15-year new construction exemption
- Verify whether the required exemption notice was provided to the tenant, if claiming the single-family exemption
- Check whether Kern County or the City of Bakersfield has adopted any local ordinance that might apply instead
Mistakes Landlords Commonly Make With AB 1482
- Assuming single-family exemption applies automatically without providing the required notice
- Raising rent above the cap without checking the current year’s CPI-based limit
- Serving a no-fault eviction notice without offering required relocation assistance
- Forgetting that a property’s new-construction exemption expires after 15 years
- Not realizing just-cause protections can apply even to month-to-month tenancies once the occupancy threshold is met
Final Thoughts
AB 1482 isn’t designed to make life difficult for landlords — it’s meant to create a predictable, statewide baseline so tenants and landlords both know what to expect, especially in cities like Bakersfield that don’t have their own local rent control rules. The challenge is that the exemptions have specific conditions attached, and missing one of those conditions can mean a law you thought didn’t apply to you actually does.
If you’re not sure whether your property is exempt, or you want help making sure your notices and rent increases are fully compliant, talking to a property management company familiar with Kern County rentals can save you from a costly mistake down the line.
This content is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, tax, or investment advice. Readers should consult with licensed professionals regarding their specific circumstances.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
