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Did Your Castaic Rental Just Miss a County Deadline?
Ask a landlord in Stevenson Ranch about their rent registry status, and you might get a blank stare. Yet LA County expects most rental owners in its unincorporated communities to register every year, including many single-family homes and condos.
This checklist walks owners in Castaic, Stevenson Ranch, Val Verde, Acton, and Agua Dulce through what LA County requires in 2026–27. It covers registration, rent increases, notices, and evictions, in the order you'll actually face them.
Metcalf Property Management brings 40 years of experience to owners across Santa Clarita and Southern California. Our Santa Clarita property management team handles these county requirements for every rental we manage outside city limits.
Key Takeaways
- Registration isn't just for apartments: Single-family homes, condos, and ADUs in unincorporated areas generally must be registered too, even without a county rent cap.
- The deadline is September 30: Owners who register after that date face a late fee on top of the annual registration fee.
- Older multi-unit rentals are rent-capped: Fully covered units are limited to 1.919% from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
- Notices need more than a number: County rules require the Notice of Tenant Rights, 12 months between increases, and current registration before any increase is valid.
- Nonpayment evictions have a higher bar: Since April 16, 2026, past-due rent must exceed two months of HUD's Fair Market Rent.
Step 1: Confirm Your Property's Coverage
Every obligation on this checklist depends on how the county classifies your rental.
Fully Covered Units
LA County's Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance (RSTPO), Chapter 8.52 of the County Code, fully covers units in unincorporated areas on a property with two or more units and a certificate of occupancy issued on or before February 1, 1995. These units get both rent caps and eviction protections.
Partially Covered Units
Most other rentals in unincorporated areas, including single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and newer ADUs, are partially covered. They have no county rent cap, but they still carry county just cause eviction protections and registration requirements.
Verify Before You Assume
A Santa Clarita mailing address doesn't mean a property is inside city limits. Use the county's district map lookup to confirm the jurisdiction, then search the address or parcel number in the Rent Registry to see its coverage.
Step 2: Register and Stay Current
Registration is the step county landlords most often overlook, and it affects everything that follows.
Know the Fees and Deadline
According to DCBA's registration payment guide, the annual fee is $90 per fully covered unit and $30 per partially covered unit. Registrations after September 30 carry an added 10% late fee.
If this year's deadline slipped by, register as soon as possible rather than waiting for next cycle. A fully covered unit that isn't registered can't receive a valid rent increase.
Pass Through Costs the Right Way
The county allows certain costs, including part of the registration fee and some improvements, to be passed through to tenants. Most pass-throughs need county approval first and must appear as a separate line item, not as rent.
Our owner accounting and reporting team tracks registry payments, renewal dates, and pass-through approvals so nothing falls behind.
Step 3: Calculate a Compliant Rent Increase
For fully covered units, the county's formula is much tighter than state law.
The 2026–27 Cap
Since January 2025, increases have been limited to 60% of the change in CPI, with a 3% ceiling. The county's current rent increase bulletin sets the general limit at 1.919% from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
Small Landlord and Luxury Adjustments
Qualifying small property landlords may add an extra percentage after filing an annual self-certification with DCBA. Because the timing of that allowance has shifted, confirm the current figure with DCBA's rent counselors at (800) 593-8222 before using it.
Luxury units have their own adjustment, but they require a building with 25 or more units, so they're uncommon in the valley's smaller rentals.
When the Cap Isn't Enough
Owners who believe the cap prevents a fair return on their property can petition the county for relief. Those requests require documentation and county approval, so plan well ahead of your renewal date.
Under the county ordinance, the math is the easy part; the record-keeping that proves you followed every step is what protects your increase.
Step 4: Send a Notice That Holds Up
A correctly calculated increase can still fail if the notice process falls short.
Before an increase on a fully covered unit takes effect, the county requires owners to:
- Register the unit and stay current on registration fees.
- Keep the property compliant with federal, state, and local housing requirements.
- Give tenants the county's Notice of Tenant Rights.
- Allow at least 12 months since the last increase and provide at least 30 days' written notice.
- Include any small-landlord or luxury-unit statement directly in the notice.
If a tenant believes an increase is improper, they can file an Application for Adjustment with DCBA. That can lead to a rent decrease, so it pays to get each step right the first time.
Step 5: Handle Late Rent and Move-Outs the County's Way
County protections reach well beyond rent increases, and they apply to partially covered homes too.
Just Cause Only
Tenants can only be evicted for reasons the ordinance lists, such as nonpayment above the threshold, a material lease breach, or a nuisance. No-fault reasons, like an owner move-in or removing a unit from the rental market, may require relocation assistance.
The New Nonpayment Threshold
Effective April 16, 2026, an owner can only terminate a tenancy for nonpayment when past-due rent exceeds two months of HUD's Fair Market Rent for that unit size. The termination notice must also state the Fair Market Rent amount and the unit's bedroom count.
That makes consistent rent collection and early outreach essential. Smaller balances need payment plans or the county's free mediation, and careful tenant screening helps prevent those situations from the start.
When Your Rental Sits Inside City Limits Instead
Not every Santa Clarita Valley rental falls under county rules.
Properties in Valencia, Saugus, Newhall, and Canyon Country sit within the City of Santa Clarita, which has no local rent control ordinance. Those rentals follow California's Tenant Protection Act, AB 1482, which caps increases at 5% plus regional CPI, never above 10%.
The LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs reports that cap at 8.7% for Los Angeles-area increases starting August 1, 2026. Single-family homes and condos can be exempt under Civil Code Section 1947.12(d)(5), but only with the right ownership structure and the required written notice to tenants.
For a deeper side-by-side look, see our guide on which rent rules apply to your Santa Clarita rental.
Two rentals a few miles apart can follow completely different playbooks, so the first question is always where the property sits.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the county compliance questions valley owners raise most often.
Do I need to register a single-family rental in Stevenson Ranch?
In most cases, yes. Single-family homes and condos in unincorporated areas are generally partially covered, which means county registration and just cause protections apply even though there's no county rent cap.
Can I pass the registration fee on to my tenants?
Partly. County guidance allows a portion of the fee for fully covered units to be passed through, but it must be handled correctly and listed separately from rent.
What should I do if I missed the September 30 deadline?
Register through the county Rent Registry as soon as possible and expect a late fee. Holding off on any rent increase until registration is current helps keep that increase valid.
Stay Compliant and Keep Your Rental Earning
A simple yearly routine keeps county rules from becoming expensive surprises.
Owners in Castaic, Stevenson Ranch, and nearby communities who register on time, calculate carefully, and document every notice protect both their income and their tenant relationships. Missing one step can undo a full year of planning.
Metcalf Property Management can take the county checklist off your plate. Call us at 844-4METCALF or contact our team to schedule a consultation, and see what other owners say about working with us.
