Tenant Guide to Moving to California

Cost of Living

About half of Californians rent - that's almost 20 million of us!  While housing costs are high in California, they do vary from city to city, and many of the more expensive places have small apartments, rooms for rent, and other lower cost options available.  

As of 2025, California also has a $16.50 minimum wage, and many cities have higher wages. 

Move-in Costs (Security Deposit)

In 2024, California passed the AB12 law that limits security deposits to 1 month's rent for most rentals. So if an apartment is renting for $1,000, you'll need $2,000 (the first month's rent + the security deposit) to move in.  Small landlords who own up to 4 units and no more than 2 buildings can request 2 month's rent for the security deposit. 

Utilities

While winters in most of the state are mild, electricity costs are high in California.  The California Public Utilites Commission has a tool you can use to estimate your electric bill.  Rent that includes utilities can be a big savings.  Low-income residents can get the CARE discount.

Transportation

Parking, especially in larger buildings and in metropolitan areas, may be unbundled (rented separately). If you need parking, check if it's included in the rent.

Some cities have a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs where some newer apartments come with a free transit pass.  Websites such as https://commutetimemap.com/ and https://www.commutometer.com can show you how many minutes away different neighborhoods are.

Finding a Home

How long do I want to stay?

Short Term: Some apartments, especially larger complexes, offer less-than-a-year leases.  Subleases are another option for tenants looking for more than a month but less than a year.  

Long Term: If you're planning to stay for more than a year, you may want to look for a home that's covered by local Rent Control or state law AB1482. These laws limit how much the landlord can raise your rent each year.

Living with Roommates

There are different ways you can live with roommates - your rights as a tenant will differ.  For more details, please see the California Tenants guide https://landlordtenant.dre.ca.gov/resources/guidebook/index.html 

1. Separate Lease - you sign your own lease with the landlord to rent a room or bed. You pay rent to the landlord.

2. Added to Lease - you are part of the same lease as your roommates. You all pay the landlord together.

3. Sublease - you sign a lease with the main tenant and pay rent to the main tenant. 

4. Landlord lives in same unit - tenant rights are more limited for tenants that share a home with their landlord.

Pets

Currently, California landlords are allowed to ban pets or charge additional rent. They may also charge a higher security deposit, but the total security deposit cannot exceed 1 month rent (2 months for small landlords).

Emotional Support Animals

For information on Emotional Support Animals (ESA's), please see https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2022/12/Emotional-Support-Animals-and-Fair-Housing-Law-FAQ_ENG.pdf 

Avoiding Scams

If a deal is too good to be true, it's likely to be fake - please see this guide from the state government on how to avoid rental scams.

California Housing Glossary
Here are some phrases you may see in California rental ads:

AB1482 - Also known as the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, this state law provides some tenant protections, including a cap on how much the rent can go up each year. Covers most buildings over 15 years old, with some exceptions. Some buildings may be covered by local rent control instead. Tenants Together has a PDF with details here. 

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) -  typically a smaller apartment attached to a house, or a backyard cottage. Physically they're the same as a regular house or apartment, however, zoning and tenant rights regulations may be different.

Below Market Rate (BMR) - Affordable housing where your annual income needs to be below a certain number to qualify. Different units have different limits, you can make over $100,000 and qualify for some BMR's.  BMR housing may be found in standalone affordable housing, many newer buildings also have a mix of market rate units and cheaper BMR units (inclusionary housing).

Co-op - unlike the New York City version of a co-op which is a type of homeownership, in California, Co-op usually refers to living with roommates.  Some co-ops are nonprofits, some are limited to students.

Cohousing - semi-communal living where residents have their own house or apartment, but have shared common space, and some meals shared.

Co-living - shared housing with roommates. Typically tenants share common spaces, but are on separate leases. Also known as a rooming house.

Golden Duplex - a Berkeley specific type of duplex where tenants have fewer protections (it's golden for the owner).

Homeshare - a system where a homeowner, usually an older adult, offers a spare bedroom, either for rent, or in exchange for help around the house, or a combination of both.

Junior ADU - a smaller ADU. Bathroom might be shared with the main house.

Rent Control / Rent Stabilization - Local law that limits how much the landlord can increase the rent each year. This amount varies by city, not all cities have rent control.

Single Room Occupancy (SRO) - An individually rented bedroom. Kitchen is shared (if there is one), bathroom may be shared as well. Also known as a residential hotel.

Tenancy in Common (TIC) - Despite the name, this is a type of homeownership. It is similar but more complicated to buying a condo.

Tiny Home - a small mobile home, often designed to look like a house.

Applying for Housing

On Jan 1, 2025, Assembly Bill 2493 went into effect.  Also known as a "first in time" or "first come, first serve", this law states that:

Landlords must either:

• 1. Rent to the first qualified tenant that applies:
  - Completed applications are considered, as provided for in the landlord’s established screening criteria, in the order in which the completed applications were received. The landlord’s screening criteria shall be provided to the applicant in writing together with the application form.

- The first applicant who meets the landlord’s established screening criteria is approved for tenancy.

- Applicants are not charged an application screening fee unless or until their application is actually considered.

OR

• 2. If using any other selection process: Return the entire screening fee to any applicant who is not selected for tenancy, regardless of the reason, within 7 days of selecting an applicant for tenancy or 30 days of when the application was submitted, whichever occurs first. 

Also, application fees cannot be charged if no unit is currently available or available within a reasonable period of time.

Full text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2493

Fair Housing

California has extensive anti-discrimination laws for housing. Please see https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/housing/ for details, or see this illustrated guide: https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2022/12/Housing-Rights-Booklet_English.pdf 

Fair Chance / "Ban the Box" (Some Cities Only)

Some cities such as Berkeley have a Fair Chance ordinance ban landlords from asking about and using criminal history and/or criminal background checks. https://rentboard.berkeleyca.gov/Fair_Chance