Merced, the county seat of Merced County in California's Central Valley, has no local rent control ordinance — renters rely solely on California's statewide AB 1482 Tenant Protection Act for rent increase limits and eviction protections.·Updated May 2026
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Key Takeaways
Most multi-unit rentals with certificates of occupancy issued before 2011 (rolling 15-year rule); single-family homes and condos are exempt under Costa-Hawkins
5% + Fresno-Madera-Hanford CPI, capped at 10% per year; roughly 8–9% for 2025 depending on regional CPI
After 12 months of tenancy, landlords must have a legally recognized at-fault or no-fault reason to evict under AB 1482
Merced sits at the northern edge of the San Joaquin Valley in Merced County, roughly midway between Sacramento and Los Angeles along Highway 99. The city of about 90,000 residents is home to UC Merced, the newest campus in the University of California system, which has driven sustained demand for rental housing and contributed to rent increases well above the regional historical norm. Roughly half of Merced households are renters, a share that skews even higher near the university and downtown corridors.
Despite that renter majority, Merced has never adopted a local rent control or rent stabilization ordinance. California's statewide AB 1482 — the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 — is the only rent-increase and eviction protection available to most Merced renters. AB 1482 limits annual rent increases and requires landlords to have a legally recognized reason before evicting a tenant who has lived in a unit for 12 or more months.
This article explains which Merced rentals are covered by AB 1482, how the rent cap is calculated using Central Valley CPI data, what just-cause eviction protections mean in practice, and where to get help if your landlord is not following the law.
2. Who Is Covered by Rent Control in Merced?
AB 1482 applies to residential rental units in Merced that received their certificate of occupancy at least 15 years before the current date. Because the rule rolls forward each year, units built before approximately 2011 are generally covered as of 2026. The tenant must also have lived in the unit for at least 12 months before the rent cap and just-cause eviction protections kick in.
Many Merced rentals — particularly newer student-oriented apartment complexes near UC Merced and single-family rentals throughout the city — fall outside AB 1482's protections. The following categories are exempt:
Single-family homes and condominiums — excluded by the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Civil Code §§ 1954.50–1954.535), unless the owner is a real estate investment trust (REIT), corporation, or LLC where a member is a corporation
Units built within the last 15 years — the rolling exemption means any unit with a certificate of occupancy issued after approximately 2011 (as of 2026) is not covered
Owner-occupied duplexes — where the owner lives in one of the two units
Government-subsidized affordable housing — units subject to a deed restriction or other affordability covenant with their own stricter rent rules (such as Section 8 project-based contracts)
Dormitories and transient housing — hotels, motels, and similar short-term occupancies
Commercial properties
If you are unsure whether your unit qualifies, the certificate of occupancy date is the key threshold. You can request that date from the City of Merced's Building Division or check your lease for construction year references.
3. Maximum Allowable Rent Increases
For covered units, AB 1482 limits annual rent increases to 5% plus the local Consumer Price Index (CPI), with a hard cap of 10% per year. Merced falls within the Fresno-Madera-Hanford metropolitan CPI region as tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For 2025, the applicable CPI for that region is approximately 3.8%, making the effective cap roughly 8.8% — though tenants should verify the current figure at the California Department of Housing and Community Development's (HCD) website each year, as CPI fluctuates.
Key rules about the rent cap:
The cap applies only after a tenant has continuously lived in the unit for 12 months. A landlord may set any initial rent when a new tenancy begins.
Landlords cannot bank unused increases from one year and apply them the next. Each year's cap is independent.
Only one rent increase is permitted per 12-month period under AB 1482.
Landlords must give at least 30 days' written notice for increases up to 10%, and 90 days' written notice for any increase above 10% (which would violate AB 1482 for covered units).
If your landlord has raised your rent above the allowable cap, you may have a claim for the excess amount. Because there is no local rent board in Merced to file a complaint with, you would need to raise the issue directly with your landlord, contact a legal aid organization, or pursue the matter in small claims court.
4. Just Cause Eviction Protections
After 12 months of continuous tenancy in a covered unit, AB 1482 requires landlords to have a legally recognized just cause reason before terminating a tenancy or refusing to renew a lease. The law divides just cause into two categories:
At-fault just cause (tenant has done something wrong):
Nonpayment of rent
Material breach of a lease term after written notice to cure
Maintaining, committing, or permitting a nuisance
Committing waste (damage to the property)
Unauthorized subletting or assignment of the unit
Refusing the landlord lawful entry after proper notice
Using the unit for an unlawful purpose
Criminal activity on the premises that affects the health or safety of other residents
Failure to vacate after providing written notice of intent to vacate
No-fault just cause (tenant has done nothing wrong):
Owner move-in (the owner or a qualifying family member intends to occupy the unit as a primary residence)
Withdrawal from the rental market under the Ellis Act
Substantial remodel requiring permits and displacement of the tenant for at least 30 days
Demolition of the unit
Relocation assistance: For all no-fault evictions, AB 1482 requires the landlord to pay the tenant one month's rent as relocation assistance, or alternatively waive the last month's rent. This payment must be made at the time the notice to vacate is served. If a landlord fails to provide required relocation assistance, the eviction notice may be invalid.
Tenants who have lived in a covered Merced unit for fewer than 12 months do not yet have just-cause protections, though general California landlord-tenant law still applies.
5. Local Rules and Special Protections
Merced has no local rent control or rent stabilization ordinance. The Merced City Council has not enacted any local tenant protection beyond what state law requires. This means there is no local rent board, no local registration program for landlords, and no city-level agency where renters can file rent increase complaints.
One reason California cities like Merced face obstacles in enacting local rent control is the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Civil Code §§ 1954.50–1954.535), a state law that prohibits local rent control on units built after February 1, 1995, on single-family homes, and on condominiums. Because a large portion of Merced's rental stock — including apartments built to accommodate UC Merced's growth since its 2005 opening — post-dates 1995, Costa-Hawkins would significantly limit the reach of any local ordinance even if one were adopted.
In practice, this means Merced renters covered by AB 1482 must self-enforce their rights. If a landlord charges a rent increase above the AB 1482 cap or attempts a no-cause eviction, the tenant must raise the issue themselves — in writing to the landlord, through legal aid, or in court. No city agency will proactively audit landlord compliance.
The City of Merced does administer federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) housing assistance programs and operates a housing rehabilitation program through its Community & Economic Development Department. Renters experiencing habitability issues may contact the City's code enforcement division. The Housing Authority of the County of Merced administers Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers for income-qualifying residents.
6. Using RentCheckMe with Official Resources
Use RentCheckMe's address lookup tool to quickly check whether your specific Merced rental unit is likely covered by AB 1482 based on the property's age and type. Enter your address to get a coverage summary you can reference when communicating with your landlord.
Additional resources for Merced renters:
Central California Legal Services — Free civil legal assistance for low-income residents across the Central Valley, including Merced County. Handles eviction defense, habitability issues, and AB 1482 disputes.
Tenants Together — California's statewide renter advocacy organization; offers a tenant hotline and can connect Merced renters with local resources.
City of Merced Housing Programs — Information on city-administered housing assistance, code enforcement contacts, and CDBG programs.
Housing Authority of the County of Merced — Administers Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other rental assistance for income-qualifying households in Merced County.
Housing Is Key — California's statewide tenant and landlord assistance portal. Call 833-430-2122 for referrals to local mediation and housing counseling services.
Merced County Bar Association — Lawyer referral service for tenants who need to consult a private attorney about a rent dispute or eviction matter.
7. Resources for Merced Tenants
Central California Legal Services — Free civil legal aid for low-income Central Valley residents, including eviction defense and AB 1482 issues in Merced County.
Tenants Together — California's statewide renter advocacy organization; provides a tenant hotline and local resource referrals.
Housing Is Key — California's official tenant and landlord assistance portal. Call 833-430-2122 for housing counseling referrals.
City of Merced Housing Programs — City-administered housing assistance, code enforcement, and Community Development Block Grant programs for Merced renters.
8. Important Disclaimer
The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Rent control laws, CPI figures, and local ordinances change frequently — the details above reflect conditions as of May 2026 but may not reflect subsequent legislative or regulatory changes. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed California attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization in Merced County.
Check Your Address
Find out if your home is covered by rent control or tenant protections.
No, Merced has no local rent control or rent stabilization ordinance. The only rent increase protections available to Merced renters come from California's statewide AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019), which caps annual increases at 5% plus local CPI for eligible units. Because there is no local rent board, tenants must self-enforce these rights or seek help from legal aid.
How much can my landlord raise my rent in Merced?
For units covered by AB 1482, your landlord can raise rent by no more than 5% plus the Fresno-Madera-Hanford CPI, with a maximum of 10% per year — roughly 8.8% in 2025 based on current regional CPI figures. The cap applies only after you have lived in the unit for 12 consecutive months, and landlords cannot stack unused increases from prior years. Units exempt from AB 1482 — such as single-family homes, condos, and buildings built after 2011 — have no state-imposed rent increase limit.
Does AB 1482 apply to my rental in Merced?
AB 1482 covers most multi-unit residential rentals in Merced where the certificate of occupancy was issued at least 15 years ago (generally pre-2011 as of 2026) and the tenant has lived there for at least 12 months. It does not cover single-family homes or condominiums (unless owned by a corporation or REIT), units built within the last 15 years, owner-occupied duplexes, or government-subsidized affordable housing with its own stricter rules. Use RentCheckMe's address lookup at rentcheckme.com to check your specific unit.
Can my landlord evict me without cause in Merced?
If your unit is covered by AB 1482 and you have lived there for at least 12 months, your landlord must have a legally recognized just-cause reason to evict you — such as nonpayment of rent, lease violations, owner move-in, or Ellis Act withdrawal. For no-fault evictions, your landlord must pay you one month's rent as relocation assistance at the time the notice is served. If your unit is exempt from AB 1482, standard California landlord-tenant law applies, which generally requires proper notice but not a specific just-cause reason outside of local ordinances.
Where can I get help with a rent dispute in Merced?
Central California Legal Services (centralcallegal.org) provides free civil legal aid to low-income Merced County residents and handles AB 1482 rent disputes and eviction defense. Tenants Together (tenantstogether.org) operates a statewide renter hotline and can connect you with local advocates. You can also call California's Housing Is Key line at 833-430-2122 for referrals to housing counseling and mediation services. For attorney referrals, contact the Merced County Bar Association at mercedbar.org.
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