California Tenant Protection Act AB 1482 — Does It Protect You From Eviction?
If you are a California tenant who has received an Unlawful Detainer Summons or a Notice of Unlawful Detainer in the mail from the Court, one of the most important questions you can ask is whether the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 — commonly referred to as AB 1482 — applies to your tenancy. If it does, your landlord may have been legally required to have a valid just cause for terminating your tenancy before filing the eviction lawsuit. A landlord's failure to comply with AB 1482 in a case where the law applies may constitute a complete defense to the eviction and may render the notice upon which the Unlawful Detainer Complaint is based legally void.
What is AB 1482 — The California Tenant Protection Act of 2019?
AB 1482 is a statewide California law that went into effect on January 1, 2020 and is currently set to expire on January 1, 2030. The law is codified at Civil Code § 1946.2 and Civil Code § 1947.12 and provides two primary protections for qualifying California tenants:
Just Cause Eviction Protections — Requires a landlord to have a legally valid reason for terminating a tenancy after the tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied the rental unit for 12 months or longer.
Rent Increase Limitations — Limits annual rent increases to no more than 5% plus the applicable regional Consumer Price Index, or 10%, whichever is lower. For the period from August 1, 2025 through July 31, 2026 the maximum allowable annual rent increase for units subject to AB 1482 is 6.3%.
This article focuses on the just cause eviction protections under AB 1482 and how those protections may be used as a defense in an unlawful detainer proceeding.
Does AB 1482 Apply to Your Rental Unit?
AB 1482 applies to most residential rental units in California that meet the following criteria. The unit must not fall within one of the exemptions listed below.
Properties Exempt from AB 1482:
The following categories of residential rental property are exempt from the just cause eviction protections under AB 1482. CC § 1946.2(e)
Properties Built Within the Last 15 Years — Units constructed within the last 15 years are exempt from AB 1482 on a rolling basis. In 2026, this means any residential rental unit built after 2011 is currently exempt. As each year passes additional properties age into coverage under AB 1482.
Single-Family Homes and Condominiums — Single-family homes and condominiums are exempt from AB 1482 only if both of the following conditions are met: (a) the property is not owned by a real estate investment trust, a corporation, or a limited liability company in which at least one member is a corporation; AND (b) the landlord provided the tenant with a written notice of the exemption using the specific statutory language required by CC § 1946.2(e)(8)(B)(i). If the landlord failed to provide this written notice the exemption does not apply and the tenant retains full protection under AB 1482 regardless of the property type.
Owner-Occupied Duplexes — A duplex in which the owner occupies one of the two units as their principal residence at the commencement of the tenancy and continues to occupy that unit throughout the tenancy.
Affordable Housing Units — Units that are restricted as affordable housing pursuant to a deed, regulatory restriction, or agreement with a government agency.
Dormitories — Dormitories owned and operated by an institution of higher education.
Units Already Subject to Local Rent Control — Units already subject to a local ordinance that restricts annual rent increases to an amount less than the lower of 5% plus CPI or 10%.
If your rental unit does not fall within any of the above exemptions AB 1482 most likely applies to your tenancy.
What Qualifies as Just Cause for Eviction Under AB 1482?
If AB 1482 applies to your tenancy and you have continuously and lawfully occupied the rental unit for 12 months or longer your landlord must have one of the following legally valid just cause reasons for terminating your tenancy. CC § 1946.2(b)
AB 1482 recognizes two categories of just cause: at-fault just cause and no-fault just cause.
At-Fault Just Cause — Grounds for eviction based on the tenant's conduct:
Failure to pay rent
Breach of a material term of the lease after being given written notice to cure the breach
Nuisance
Waste — meaning intentional or negligent damage to the property
Refusal to execute a written renewal or extension of the lease for an additional term of similar duration with similar provisions after a written request from the landlord
Criminal activity by the tenant on the residential real property or directed at the owner or their agent
Assigning or subletting the premises in violation of the lease
Refusal to allow the owner to enter the unit as permitted by law after being given proper written notice
No-Fault Just Cause — Grounds for eviction not based on the tenant's conduct:
Owner move-in — the landlord or a member of the landlord's immediate family intends to occupy the unit as their primary residence. Note that for tenancies commenced on or after July 1, 2020 the right to evict for owner move-in only applies if the tenant agreed in writing to this provision in the lease or the lease expressly allows the landlord to terminate for this reason.
Withdrawal of the rental unit from the rental market pursuant to the Ellis Act
Compliance with a government order requiring the unit to be vacated
Substantial remodel of the unit requiring the tenant to vacate for a period of not less than 30 days
In cases of no-fault just cause eviction the landlord is required to provide the tenant with relocation assistance equal to one month's rent or waive the tenant's last month's rent. This relocation assistance must be paid to the tenant within 15 calendar days of the service of the notice of termination. A landlord's failure to provide the required relocation assistance renders the notice of termination void.CC § 1946.2(d)
How Can AB 1482 Be Used as a Defense in an Unlawful Detainer Proceeding?
If AB 1482 applies to your tenancy and your landlord has filed an Unlawful Detainer Complaint against you without having a valid just cause as required by CC § 1946.2, or without providing the required written notice of just cause in the termination notice, you may raise your landlord's failure to comply with AB 1482 as an affirmative defense in your Answer to the Unlawful Detainer Complaint.
Specifically, the Answer to Unlawful Detainer Complaint (Judicial Council Form UD-105) includes a checkbox defense specifically addressing violations of the Tenant Protection Act of 2019. By checking this box and providing the supporting factual basis for the defense in the space provided on the form the tenant places the landlord's compliance with AB 1482 squarely at issue in the eviction proceeding.
A landlord who attempts to evict a tenant in violation of CC § 1946.2 exposes themselves to significant legal liability. Under CC § 1946.2(h) an owner who attempts to recover possession of a rental unit in material violation of AB 1482 is liable to the tenant for actual damages, punitive damages in an amount not less than $100 per day for each day that the tenant is deprived of occupancy with a minimum recovery of $250, and reasonable attorney fees and costs.
What if Your Landlord Claims Your Unit is Exempt from AB 1482?
If your landlord claims that your rental unit is exempt from AB 1482 — and specifically that it is exempt as a single-family home or condominium — you should verify whether the landlord actually provided you with the required written notice of exemption using the specific statutory language mandated by CC § 1946.2(e)(8)(B)(i). The required notice language is as follows:
"This property is not subject to the rent limits imposed by Section 1947.12 of the Civil Code and is not subject to the just cause requirements of Section 1946.2 of the Civil Code. This property meets the requirements of Sections 1947.12(d)(5) and 1946.2(e)(8) of the Civil Code and the owner is not any of the following: (1) a real estate investment trust, as defined by Section 856 of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a corporation; or (3) a limited liability company in which at least one member is a corporation."
If your landlord never provided you with this written notice using the required statutory language the single-family home or condominium exemption does not apply. Your unit remains covered by AB 1482 regardless of the property type and your landlord was required to have a valid just cause before terminating your tenancy.
Important Consideration Regarding Local Ordinances
Several cities within Southern California have enacted local tenant protection ordinances that provide just cause eviction protections that are equal to or more protective than AB 1482. These include the City of Los Angeles, the City of Santa Ana, the City of Long Beach, and others. In cities where a local just cause ordinance applies the local ordinance governs rather than the statewide AB 1482 protections. Tenants residing in cities with local just cause ordinances should research the specific requirements of their local ordinance to determine whether their landlord has complied with all applicable local requirements. A landlord's failure to comply with a local just cause ordinance may also constitute a valid affirmative defense in an unlawful detainer proceeding.
Do Not Wait — Call Tenant Eviction Defense Now
If you have received an Unlawful Detainer Summons or a Notice of Unlawful Detainer in the mail from the Court and you believe that AB 1482 may apply to your tenancy, it is critical that you act immediately. The deadline for filing a responsive pleading is short and the consequences of failing to respond within your deadline are severe.
Tenant Eviction Defense is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Newport Beach, California dedicated to providing education, information, and guidance to Southern California tenants facing eviction. Our staff is available to discuss your situation, help you understand whether AB 1482 may apply to your specific tenancy, and explain the steps you need to take to protect yourself.
Call our Eviction Defense Rapid Response Line immediately at (657) 510-6534, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Do not wait. Your deadline is already running.
Updated April 12, 2026.