Rent Registration: Tenant FAQs

Oakland’s rent registry went into effect on July 3, 2023. As of that date, property owners of residential rental units covered by the registration requirement were first required to either register their units’ rent and tenancy information or claim any exemptions at www.rentregistry.oaklandca.gov. Owners must renew rent registration annually by updating or confirming the registered tenancy information by March 1st.

The RAP has notified residents of unregistered properties that their properties may be noncompliant with the registration requirement. You may check to see whether your rental property has been registered (or claimed exempt) at www.rentregistry.oaklandca.gov. A status of “Registration Completed” for the Property Status indicates that the property’s registration has been successfully renewed for the current year.

The registration requirement applies to rental units that are covered by either the Rent Adjustment Ordinance AND/OR the Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance. More information on which units are covered by or exempt from the registration requirement is available on our Do I Need To Register My Unit page.

For rental units covered by the Rent Adjustment Ordinance: Property owners of unregistered properties may not:

• Serve rent increases;

• File petitions with RAP; or

• Respond to tenant petitions filed with the RAP.

For rental units covered by the Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance: Failure to register is an affirmative defense in most eviction actions, including for nonpayment of rent.

Oakland’s Rent Adjustment Ordinance limits rent increases for covered rental units. Owners of rent-regulated units may increase their tenants’ rents once every 12 months and only by the annual CPI increase. Effective August 1, 2025, through July 31, 2025, the CPI is 0.8%. Owners who wish to increase their tenants’ rents by more than the annual CPI amount must file a petition with the RAP.

Find out more information on RAP's Learn More About Allowable Rent Increases page.

The Rent Adjustment Ordinance applies to rental units in most multifamily properties built before January 1, 1983. It does not apply to rented single-family homes or condominiums, to rental units created after 1983, or to tenants receiving the Section 8 Housing Choice voucher (or another rental subsidy).

For a rent increase in a RAP-covered unit to be valid, the owner must:

• Attach a copy of the Notice to Tenants of the Residential Rent Adjustment Program (“RAP Notice”) to the rent increase notice;

• Be compliant with the rent registration requirement at the time that the rent increase is served (check your property’s registration status at www.rentregistry.oaklandca.gov);

• Raise the rent by an allowable amount; and

• As of April 15, 2025, attach a current Business Certificate to the rent increase notices. As of April 15, 2025, owners are prohibited from issuing a rent increase if the owner is delinquent on business taxes.

If you live in a RAP-covered unit and believe that you may have received an invalid rent increase, you may be able to challenge the increase by filing a tenant petition. Additional information on the petition process is available on the File a Tenant Petition page.

The Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance requires that owners cite one of the ten (10) “just causes” for eviction in order to evict a tenant. Most “just causes” are related to nonperformance, such as nonpayment of rent or violation of the lease. Sale of a property, changes in the status of a rental unit, and expiration of a lease are NOT “just causes” for eviction in Oakland.

The Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance applies to most rental units in Oakland that were built more than 10 years ago and includes rented single-family homes and condominiums. Tenants who live in units covered ONLY by the Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance may NOT file petitions for rent adjustments with the RAP.

More information is available on the RAP homepage at www.oaklandca.gov/RAP. We also strongly encourage you to attend a Tenant Rights Workshop. Finally, if you have any individual questions about your rental unit, you may contact a RAP Housing Counselor at rap@oaklandca.gov, or via telephone at (510) 238-3721 during RAP’s normal business hours: Monday through Thursday, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. You may also request an appointment with a Housing Counselor at https://apps.oaklandca.gov/.