Torrance Landlord Laws AB 1482 Just Cause Eviction 2026

By Miles Williams | Broker/Owner, Real Property Management Southland | CA DRE #01968830

Published June 25, 2026 | Torrance, CA | Category: Landlord Education

Updated for AB 1482 (2026 CPI), SB 567 (April 1, 2024), and AB 12 (July 1, 2024)

Why Torrance Rental Law Is Simpler Than Long Beach (But Still Tricky)

I’ve been managing rental properties in the South Bay for years, and Torrance comes up in a different conversation than Long Beach every single time. Here’s why: Torrance has no local rent control ordinance. That is a big deal for landlords. You don’t have the Long Beach Chapter 8.99 registration requirements, you don’t have a Rent Control Board, and you don’t have the additional layer of city-specific just cause rules that Long Beach imposes on top of state law.

That said, “no local rent control” does not mean “no rules.” It means the three major California statewide landlord protection laws apply directly: AB 1482 (the Tenant Protection Act), SB 567 (no-fault eviction amendments with treble damages), and AB 12 (security deposit cap). Understanding how these three laws interact with Torrance’s housing stock is crucial, crucial for staying compliant without leaving money on the table.

Here’s what makes Torrance interesting from a property management standpoint. The city has a mix of pre-2005 multi-family buildings in areas like Old Torrance and on major corridors, which are squarely covered by AB 1482. But it also has a substantial inventory of single-family homes, particularly in the neighborhoods of Walteria, Southeast Torrance, and the Hollywood Riviera, renting in the $3,200 to $4,200 range. Those SFH landlords have a real opportunity to be exempt from AB 1482’s rent caps, but only if they follow a specific notice requirement at lease signing. Many don’t. That is the single compliance gap I see most often in Torrance.

The good news is that Torrance’s regulatory environment is far more landlord-friendly than Long Beach, Inglewood, or Los Angeles. There is no rent registry, no annual fee, and no city-level just cause requirement beyond what state law already mandates. If you manage your leases correctly from day one, you can operate a straightforward rental business in Torrance without the administrative overhead that landlords in neighboring cities face.

This guide covers exactly what you need to know: which laws apply to which property types, the SFH exemption notice requirement, the new deposit caps, the SB 567 treble damage risks, and how RPM Southland handles all of it for the Torrance landlords we work with. If you have questions specific to your property, call us directly at (562) 270-1777.

Which Laws Apply to Torrance Rentals: AB 1482, SB 567, AB 12

Three state statutes form the full compliance framework for Torrance landlords. There is no city ordinance layered on top. Here is a plain-English breakdown of what each law does and which properties it covers.

AB 1482: The Tenant Protection Act (Rent Caps + Just Cause Eviction)

AB 1482, signed in 2019 and effective January 2020, does two things. First, it caps annual rent increases. Second, it requires just cause for eviction once a tenant has lived in the unit for 12 months. For Torrance landlords, both provisions matter, but the rent cap is the one that most frequently surprises owners who assumed their single-family home was exempt by default.

The rent increase formula under AB 1482 is 5% plus the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles metropolitan area, not to exceed 10% in any 12-month period. For 2026, the applicable LA CPI figure is 3.1%, bringing the combined cap to approximately 8.1%. This does not reset every calendar year. The calculation uses the CPI figure for the region in effect at the time of the increase. Getting this number wrong, or using a national CPI instead of the LA Metro CPI, is a compliance mistake that can result in a rent rollback demand from the tenant.

SB 567: No-Fault Eviction Amendments (Effective April 1, 2024)

SB 567 amended AB 1482’s no-fault eviction provisions and added a treble damages penalty. If a landlord uses a no-fault just cause reason to remove a tenant and then does not follow through on the stated reason (for example, claiming an owner move-in but not actually occupying the unit for at least 12 months), the tenant can sue for up to three times one month’s rent, plus attorney fees. In Torrance, where rents often run $3,200 or more per month, that is a potential liability of $9,600 or more per violation, not counting legal costs.

AB 12: Security Deposit Cap (Effective July 1, 2024)

AB 12, effective July 1, 2024, limits security deposits to 1x monthly rent (unfurnished) for most landlords. The small landlord exception applies only to natural persons who own two or fewer residential properties with no more than four units total. Everyone else is capped at 1x. For Torrance SFH landlords who previously collected 2x monthly rent as a deposit, this is a significant change to cash flow expectations at lease-up.

AB 1482 in Torrance: The SFH Exemption Trap (Most Critical)

This section is the most important thing in this entire guide for single-family home landlords in Torrance. Read it carefully.

Here is what the law actually says. AB 1482 (California Civil Code 1946.2) contains an exemption for single-family homes, condominiums sold separately, and properties built after January 1, 2005. However, for single-family homes, that exemption is conditional. It only applies if the owner provides written notice at the time the tenancy begins that the property is not subject to AB 1482. That notice must be in writing, and it must be part of the rental agreement or a separate document provided at signing.

I cannot tell you how many Torrance landlords I’ve talked to who own a single-family home, collect rent at whatever they want, and assume they’re fine because “SFHs are exempt.” They’re not, if they never put the notice in the lease. This is the number one compliance gap we find when we take over a Torrance property from a self-managing landlord.

What the AB 1482 Exemption Notice Must Say

The statutory language should convey that the property is exempt from AB 1482’s rent increase limitations because it is a single-family dwelling or condominium sold separately, and the tenant is provided this notice pursuant to Civil Code Section 1946.2(e). This is not legal advice, and we always recommend having your attorney review the exact language for your lease. But the core requirement is clear: written notice, at the start of the tenancy, stating the exemption and its statutory basis.

Which Torrance Properties Are Covered vs. Exempt

The 2026 Rent Increase Calculation for Covered Properties

One thing I tell every Torrance landlord: use the BLS-published CPI for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metropolitan statistical area. Not the nationwide CPI. Not the California statewide figure. The local MSA CPI is what AB 1482 requires. Using the wrong index is a common mistake that gives tenants grounds to challenge your increase. At RPM Southland, we track this figure and calculate the exact allowable percentage for every property we manage before issuing any rent increase notices.

AB 12 Security Deposit Cap: Impact on High-Value Torrance SFH Rentals

AB 12 took effect July 1, 2024, and it changed the deposit math for most Torrance landlords. The law caps security deposits at 1x monthly rent (unfurnished) for landlords who are not qualifying small landlords. Given that Torrance SFH rentals frequently range from $3,200 to $4,200 per month, the practical impact is significant.

The Small Landlord Exception Under AB 12

There is an exception for what the law calls a “small landlord.” You qualify only if: (1) you are a natural person (not an LLC or corporation), (2) you own two or fewer residential properties, and (3) those properties have no more than four total residential units combined. If you meet all three criteria, you may still collect up to 2x monthly rent as a security deposit for an unfurnished unit.

Most Torrance landlords I talk to assume they qualify as small landlords. Some do. But if you own a duplex in Torrance and a second property anywhere else, you now have two properties with potentially more than four combined units. The calculation is straightforward but worth confirming before you collect a deposit that exceeds the 1x cap.

AB 12 and Existing Tenants

AB 12 does not require you to immediately refund excess deposits from pre-July 2024 leases. The new cap applies to new leases and to renewals where the deposit amount is changed. If you signed a lease before July 1, 2024, and collected 2x rent as a deposit, you are not required to refund the excess proactively. However, at lease renewal, if you adjust the deposit, you must bring it in line with the new cap.

SB 567 No-Fault Eviction Rules for Torrance Landlords (Effective April 1, 2024)

SB 567 amended AB 1482’s no-fault just cause provisions in two critical ways: it tightened the requirements for the most commonly used no-fault grounds, and it added treble damages as a remedy for tenants when landlords violate those requirements. For Torrance landlords operating under AB 1482 (which includes most pre-2005 multi-family and any SFH without an exemption notice), this is the highest-risk area of the law right now.

No-Fault Just Cause Grounds Available in Torrance

Under AB 1482 as amended by SB 567, the permissible no-fault just cause reasons for terminating a tenancy in Torrance are:

1. Owner or qualified family member move-in: The owner, their spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents, or grandparents intend to occupy the unit as their primary residence.
2. Substantial remodel: The owner needs to perform a substantial remodel requiring a permit that cannot be safely completed with the tenant in place and will take at least 30 days.
3. Withdrawal from the rental market (Ellis Act): The owner intends to permanently remove the unit from the rental market.
4. Compliance with a government order: A government agency has issued an order to vacate or demolish the unit.

The SB 567 Changes That Created New Liability

The Treble Damages Risk Is Real

The treble damages provision means a tenant can recover three times one month’s rent if the landlord: (a) used a no-fault just cause to remove the tenant, (b) failed to follow through on the stated reason, or (c) violated the procedural requirements. At Torrance rental rates of $3,200 to $4,200 per month, that exposure runs from $9,600 to $12,600 per violation, before attorney fees.

The substantial remodel ground is where I see the most risk for well-intentioned Torrance landlords. They want to renovate, they want the unit vacant, and they serve a notice before they have a permit in hand. Under SB 567, that is a violation. The permit must exist before the notice is served. No exceptions. If you’re planning a remodel of a covered Torrance unit, talk to your attorney and get your permits in order before touching the tenant relationship.

Torrance vs. Long Beach: Side-by-Side Law Comparison

The most common question I get from landlords who own in both Torrance and Long Beach is: what’s actually different? The short answer is that Torrance is significantly more landlord-friendly because there is no local rent control ordinance. Here’s the full side-by-side:

The key takeaway: if you own in Torrance, you are working with one regulatory layer (state law). If you own in Long Beach, you have two layers (state plus city). For covered pre-1995 Long Beach buildings, the Chapter 8.99 rules are more restrictive than AB 1482 in several areas. Torrance landlords have it materially simpler. But “simpler” does not mean “no rules,” and the three state statutes described in this guide apply fully.

The 5 Torrance Landlord Compliance Mistakes (and the Damages They Cause)

These are the mistakes I see most consistently when Torrance landlords come to us after managing a property on their own. Every one of these is preventable.

How RPM Southland Manages Torrance Compliance: The Playing-the-Long-Game Approach

I started RPM Southland because I believed that the best property management is not reactive, it’s systematic. Playing the long game means building compliance into the process at the start, not scrambling to fix it after a tenant complaint or a legal notice. Here’s how we actually do that for our Torrance properties.

Our retention rate is 95%. That number means something. Part of how we maintain that rate is by ensuring the rental relationship is structured correctly from the start. A tenant in a properly structured lease with correct rent increase notices and documented inspections is far less likely to generate a dispute. Disputes are expensive for everyone. Playing the long game means never creating a dispute you could have avoided.

We currently manage over 730 properties throughout the South Bay and SE LA County, including Torrance, Carson, Signal Hill, and Long Beach. We have over 800 five-star reviews and a 4.8 star rating on Google, and a 98% recommendation rate on Facebook. That track record is built on exactly this kind of systematic compliance work, not on luck.

Three Guarantees for Torrance Landlords

Frequently Asked Questions: Torrance Rental Laws 2026

Related Articles in This Series

This article is a spoke in the Torrance property management series. The hub article provides the complete overview, and the sibling spokes cover related topics.

Miles Williams

Broker/Owner | Real Property Management Southland | CA DRE #01968830

I’ve been managing rental properties in the South Bay and SE Los Angeles County for over a decade, and I’ve built RPM Southland on one principle: systematic management protects landlords better than reactive management. We currently manage over 730 properties and maintain a 95% retention rate. We have over 800 five-star reviews on Google.

My philosophy is playing the long game. That means getting the lease right the first time, tracking rent increase windows before they come due, and handling compliance proactively so my clients never get a letter they don’t understand. If you own a rental property in Torrance and have questions about any of these laws, call me directly.

(562) 270-1777 | rpmsouthland.com