San Diego Residential Lease Agreement
Generate a residential lease agreement that complies with San Diego's local ordinances — including rent control rules, just-cause eviction requirements, and mandatory disclosures that go beyond California state law.
San Diego Residential Lease Agreement
San Diego, California
Local Ordinances
San Diego Lease Requirements
What San Diego's local ordinances require that California state law does not.
Landlord must provide all tenants in covered units (buildings with four or more units constructed before July 2022) with a written notice of their rights under the San Diego Renters' Rights Ordinance (local just-cause eviction protection).
For no-fault evictions of tenants who have resided in the unit for one year or more, landlord must provide 60 days' written notice; tenants with less than one year of occupancy are entitled to 30 days' notice.
Landlord must pay relocation assistance equal to one month's rent to tenants displaced through a no-fault eviction under the San Diego Renters' Rights Ordinance.
Landlord must provide each new tenant with a copy of the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing Fair Housing pamphlet at the commencement of tenancy.
Landlord who rents a unit as a short-term rental must obtain a Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) license from the City of San Diego and may only do so for the landlord's primary residence.
Restrictions & Limits
Eviction of a tenant in a covered unit (4+ units, pre-July 2022 construction) without one of the just-cause grounds specified in the San Diego Renters' Rights Ordinance is prohibited.
Landlord may not serve a no-fault eviction notice without simultaneously providing the required one-month relocation assistance payment to the displaced tenant.
Landlord may not operate a short-term rental of a non-primary-residence unit without a valid STRO license; unlicensed STR operations are subject to fines enforced by the City of San Diego.
For buildings 15 or more years old not otherwise covered by local just-cause rules, landlord may not impose rent increases exceeding the AB1482 statewide cap (5% + CPI, up to 10% annually).
Landlord may not retaliate against a tenant for reporting housing code violations to the City of San Diego's Development Services Department or for exercising rights under the Renters' Rights Ordinance.
Notice Requirements
San Diego landlords must provide 30 days' written notice for no-fault termination when the tenant has occupied the unit for less than one year, and 60 days' notice when the tenant has occupied the unit for one year or more, consistent with the San Diego Renters' Rights Ordinance and California Civil Code §1946.1.
FAQ
San Diego Lease FAQ
Common questions about renting in San Diego.
Which San Diego rentals are covered by the local just-cause eviction ordinance?
The San Diego Renters' Rights Ordinance provides local just-cause eviction protections for tenants in residential units within buildings containing four or more dwelling units that were constructed before July 1, 2022. Units in smaller buildings, newly constructed buildings, and certain owner-occupied properties may be exempt from local protections but may still be covered by AB1482's statewide just-cause rules for buildings 15 or more years old.
What relocation assistance must a San Diego landlord pay for no-fault evictions?
Under the San Diego Renters' Rights Ordinance, landlords pursuing a no-fault eviction of a covered tenant—such as owner move-in, demolition, or substantial rehabilitation—must pay relocation assistance equal to one month's rent. This payment must be provided at or before the time the eviction notice is served. Serving a no-fault eviction notice without tendering relocation assistance is a defect that can result in dismissal of any subsequent unlawful detainer action.
How does AB1482 interact with San Diego's local ordinance?
San Diego's local Renters' Rights Ordinance and California's AB1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019) operate in parallel. AB1482 applies to buildings that are 15 or more years old and imposes a statewide rent cap (5% + CPI, up to 10%) and just-cause eviction requirement for covered units. San Diego's local ordinance covers buildings with four or more units built before July 2022 and provides additional local protections. A unit may be covered by one, both, or neither, depending on building age, size, and ownership type.
What are San Diego's short-term rental licensing requirements?
San Diego's Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) ordinance requires all short-term rental operators to obtain a license from the city before listing a unit on platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo. Whole-home short-term rentals are limited to a host's primary residence, and a limited number of non-primary-residence STR licenses are available through a lottery system. Hosts may not operate an STR without a valid STRO license, and violations are subject to daily fines enforced by the City of San Diego.
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