Santa Monica Residential Lease Agreement
Generate a residential lease agreement that complies with Santa Monica's local ordinances — including rent control rules, just-cause eviction requirements, and mandatory disclosures that go beyond California state law.
Santa Monica Residential Lease Agreement
Santa Monica, California
Local Ordinances
Santa Monica Lease Requirements
What Santa Monica's local ordinances require that California state law does not.
Landlord must register the rental unit annually with the Santa Monica Rent Control Board (SMRB) and pay the required registration fee before collecting rent.
Owner must file for any annual general adjustment petition with the SMRB to apply the board-approved rent increase to covered units.
Landlord must provide tenants in rent-controlled units with the current rent ceiling in writing at the start of tenancy.
No-fault eviction (e.g., owner move-in, demolition) requires payment of relocation assistance equal to three months' rent before the tenant vacates.
Landlord must comply with vacancy decontrol procedures: once a covered unit is vacated, the new initial rent must be established and reported to the SMRB before re-renting.
Restrictions & Limits
Rent increases on pre-April 1979 buildings with four or more units are capped at the SMRB's annual general adjustment percentage; unilateral increases above that ceiling are prohibited.
Landlord may not evict a tenant in a rent-controlled unit without one of the just-cause grounds enumerated in the Santa Monica Rent Control Charter Amendment (Article XVIII).
Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act prohibits the city from imposing rent control on single-family homes and condominiums, but all other covered units remain subject to Article XVIII.
Owner move-in evictions are restricted: the landlord or a qualified family member must actually occupy the unit for at least one year after the tenant vacates.
Landlord may not demand or accept a rent amount that exceeds the lawful rent ceiling on file with the SMRB, even with tenant consent.
Notice Requirements
Landlords must provide written notice of any rent increase at least 30 days in advance for increases under 10%, and 90 days in advance for increases of 10% or more, in accordance with California Civil Code §827 as applied within Santa Monica's rent-control framework.
FAQ
Santa Monica Lease FAQ
Common questions about renting in Santa Monica.
Which Santa Monica rental units are covered by rent control?
The Santa Monica Rent Control Charter Amendment (Article XVIII) covers most residential rental units built before April 10, 1979, in buildings with four or more units. Single-family homes, condominiums, and units first rented after April 10, 1979 are generally exempt under the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Check the SMRB's online registry if you are unsure whether a specific unit is covered.
What happens to the rent when a rent-controlled unit becomes vacant?
Santa Monica applies vacancy decontrol under Costa-Hawkins: when a covered unit is voluntarily vacated or the tenancy ends through an allowable eviction, the landlord may reset the rent to any amount for the new tenancy. However, once the new tenancy begins, the unit re-enters rent control and future increases are again limited to SMRB-approved adjustments.
Can a landlord evict a tenant without cause in Santa Monica?
No. Article XVIII of the Santa Monica Rent Control Charter requires just cause for eviction of tenants in covered units. Allowable grounds include nonpayment of rent, lease violations, and owner move-in, among others. For no-fault grounds such as owner move-in or demolition, the landlord must pay relocation assistance equal to three months' rent before the tenant leaves.
What is the annual SMRB registration fee and who pays it?
The Santa Monica Rent Control Board sets the annual registration fee each year; the fee is typically split between the landlord and the tenant, with the landlord responsible for filing and paying the full fee to the Board. Failure to register a covered unit can result in the landlord being unable to collect or increase rent legally. Contact the SMRB directly for the current fee schedule.
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