California Mobile Home Park Rent Control: 2026 Guide

Is mobile home lot rent controlled in California?

Yes, but not the way most operators assume. California is the most heavily regulated mobile-home-park state in the country, yet the control does not come from one statewide rent cap. For the typical resident who owns their home and rents only the space, the state's general rent cap (AB 1482, Civil Code § 1947.12) does NOT apply, because § 1947.12(j) expressly exempts a mobilehome 'homeowner' as defined in Civil Code § 798.9. That tenancy is governed by the Mobilehome Residency Law (MRL) instead.

The MRL does not cap the dollar amount of a space-rent increase, but it forces a full 90 days' written notice. The hard dollar limits come from roughly 100 local city and county ordinances, plus two narrow statewide caps: § 798.30.5 for parks that straddle two or more cities, and AB 1482 itself when the park owns the coach and rents the whole home as a dwelling. Practical takeaway: assume your park's space rent is capped by a local ordinance until you have confirmed in writing that it is not.

How the statewide caps actually reach lot rent

AB 1482 (Civil Code § 1947.12(a)) caps rent increases at 5% plus regional CPI, with a 10% ceiling. But § 1947.12(j) states the section 'shall not apply to a homeowner of a mobilehome, as defined in Section 798.9,' and a § 798.9 homeowner is a resident who owns their coach and rents the space. So AB 1482 does NOT cap ordinary lot/space rent. It CAN apply where the PARK owns the mobilehome and rents it out as a dwelling, because § 1947.12(g)(4) defines covered property to include 'any dwelling or unit in a mobilehome park' and § 1947.12(i)(1) reaches such mobilehome tenancies for increases on or after February 18, 2021. Know which kind of tenancy each space is.

There is also one narrow statewide numeric cap for space rent: Civil Code § 798.30.5 limits increases in a 'qualified mobilehome park' (a park located within and governed by two or more incorporated cities) to 3% plus CPI or 5%, whichever is lower. It is set to be repealed January 1, 2030. Broader statewide caps have been attempted and failed (AB 2778 in 2024); AB 1128 and AB 1543 are pending in the 2025-26 session and are not law. Do not assume a statewide cap unless your park is a § 798.30.5 qualified park or a park-owned rental under AB 1482.

The MRL does not cap rent, but it mandates 90 days' notice

The Mobilehome Residency Law sets no maximum on how much you can raise space rent. What it does require is notice. Civil Code § 798.30 reads in full: 'The management shall give a homeowner written notice of any increase in his or her rent at least 90 days before the date of the increase.' It is a single sentence with no exceptions built in.

California courts strictly enforce this. Notice actually received fewer than 90 days before the increase is not valid, and a deficient notice is treated as a nullity for all purposes, which delays the increase. Serve it in person or by U.S. mail. Remember this 90-day floor sits on TOP of any local ordinance, which may require even longer notice and may cap the amount and frequency of increases.

Local ordinances and the repealed long-term-lease exemption

Roughly 100 California cities and counties have mobile-home-park space-rent stabilization ordinances (MHPHOA counts about 106 ordinances across roughly 95 cities and 11 counties). These local caps are where the real dollar limit usually lives, and they are NOT preempted for mobilehomes. Costa-Hawkins (Civil Code §§ 1954.50 et seq.) excludes mobilehome parks from its scope, so unlike apartment rent control, local MHP space-rent control is not curtailed by state law. Local caps are commonly tied to a percentage of CPI.

The old way to escape local control is gone. Former Civil Code § 798.17 exempted leases longer than 12 months from local rent-control ordinances. AB 2782 (2020) killed that exemption for any lease entered into on or after February 13, 2020, and repealed § 798.17 effective January 1, 2025. As of 2025, every space is subject to the applicable local ordinance regardless of lease length, so a long lease no longer buys you out of local rent control.

Rent-increase rules at a glance in California

• Statewide AB 1482 cap (§ 1947.12)
  5% plus regional CPI, 10% maximum per year, BUT § 1947.12(j) exempts resident-owned mobilehome space rent; it applies only to park-owned homes rented as a dwelling (since Feb 18, 2021).
• MRL notice (§ 798.30)
  90 days' written notice before ANY space-rent increase. No dollar cap, but strictly enforced; short notice is void and delays the increase.
• Narrow statewide cap (§ 798.30.5)
  3% plus CPI or 5%, whichever is lower, for a 'qualified mobilehome park' located in two or more incorporated cities. Repealed effective January 1, 2030.
• Local ordinances
  About 100 city and county mobilehome space-rent stabilization ordinances set the real caps (often a percentage of CPI). Not preempted by Costa-Hawkins.
• Long-term-lease exemption (§ 798.17)
  REPEALED. Gone for leases signed on or after Feb 13, 2020 and fully repealed Jan 1, 2025. A long lease no longer escapes local rent control.
• Recent legislation
  AB 2778 (2024) broader statewide cap FAILED. AB 1128 and AB 1543 (2025-26) are pending to extend/broaden caps but are not yet law.

Operator best practices in California

• Build a relationship with a California MHP attorney
  The MRL, local ordinances, and AB 1482 overlap in nuanced ways. Have specialized counsel review your rent-increase notices and lease forms before you use them.
• Check the local rent ordinance first
  Before setting any increase, confirm whether your city or county has a mobilehome space-rent ordinance and calculate against its specific formula and frequency limits.
• Always serve a full 90-day written notice
  Deliver the § 798.30 notice in person or by U.S. mail. A defective or short notice is a nullity and will push back your effective date.
• Know each space's tenancy type
  Resident-owned coach plus space rent equals MRL and local rules (AB 1482 exempt). Park-owned home rented as a dwelling means AB 1482's 5%-plus-CPI cap applies.
• Do not rely on long-term leases to escape control
  The § 798.17 exemption is fully repealed as of January 1, 2025. Local caps apply regardless of how long the lease term is.
• Document CPI and base rent for every increase
  Statewide and local caps compute off CPI and the lowest rent charged in the prior 12 months (see § 798.30.5). Keep clean records to prove compliance if challenged.