S.F. Admin. Code ch. 37 § 37.13
Keys (San Francisco Rent Ordinance)
Operative Text
(a) A landlord shall provide a minimum of one key or key-set per rental unit for each
adult occupant, without charge.
(b) Additional Keys/Key-Sets.
A tenant may request keys/key-sets in addition to those provided pursuant to Section
37.13(a) for his or her convenience. Requested additional keys/key sets must be provided within
fourteen (14) days of the tenant's written request stating the reason(s), unless the landlord timely
denies the request in writing as provided in Section 37.13(b)(2). Examples of tenant reasons for
receiving additional keys/key-sets include, but are not limited to: admitting a service provider,
delivery person, houseguest, or relative. All keys are issued for the duration of a tenancy, to be
returned upon vacating the unit.
(1) When providing requested additional keys/key-sets to a tenant, the landlord
may charge only for the documented cost of replicating the additional keys/key-sets, which cost
shall be paid by the tenant upon delivery of the requested additional keys/key-sets. Additional
keys/key-sets shall be provided without requiring any other costs, fees, deposits, or terms or
conditions of any kind whatsoever.
(2) The landlord may deny the request for additional keys/key-sets only for good
reason, such as unlawful occupancy in the tenant's unit or the tenant's pattern of lease violation.
Any landlord denial must be provided to the tenant in writing, stating specific reasons for the
denial, within fourteen (14) days of the written request.
(3) A tenant may file a petition with the Board to decide a disputed request for
additional keys/or key-sets which may constitute a substantial decrease in housing services,
and/or to decide a disagreement concerning landlord charges or deposits (Section 37.13(b)(1)).
A disputed request includes a failure to respond within fourteen days (Section 37.13(b)), a
disagreement concerning landlord terms and conditions (Section 37.13(b)(1)), and a denial
(Section 37.13(b)(2)).
(A) The Board through its Administrative Law Judges shall conduct a
hearing in order to decide the petition.
(B) The decision of the Administrative Law Judge shall be final unless the
Board vacates the decision on appeal.
(C) Either party may file an appeal of the Administrative Law Judge's
decision with the Board. Such appeals are governed by Section 37.8(f).
(4) Unreasonable denial of additional keys/key-sets requested under this Section
37.13(b), or failure to respond to the tenant's written request within fourteen days by providing
either the keys/key-sets or a written denial as provided by Section 37.13(b) and (b)(2), or
imposition of terms or conditions prohibited by Section 37.13(b)(1) constitutes a substantial
decrease in housing services, for which the Administrative Law Judge may order a
corresponding reduction in rent.Under San Francisco Administrative Code Chapter 37, § 37.13, landlords must provide at least one key or key-set per adult occupant at no charge. When a tenant requests additional keys in writing with stated reasons, the landlord must either provide them or issue a written denial within 14 days; only the documented cost of copying the keys may be charged for extras. Unreasonable denial, failure to respond within 14 days, or imposing prohibited conditions on key access can be treated as a substantial decrease in housing services, potentially triggering a rent reduction.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 37.13, a compliant landlord provides one free key or key-set to each adult occupant at the start of tenancy and keeps records of keys issued. When a tenant submits a written request for additional keys, operators generally respond within 14 days—either by delivering the keys and charging only the documented duplication cost, or by issuing a written denial that cites a specific good reason such as unlawful occupancy or a pattern of lease violations. Landlords who miss the 14-day window, impose extra fees or deposits, or deny requests without documented good cause risk a finding of substantially decreased housing services and a corresponding rent reduction order from an Administrative Law Judge.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 37.13 gives tenants the right to receive at least one free key or key-set per adult occupant, and to request additional keys in writing for reasons such as admitting a service provider, houseguest, or relative. If a landlord fails to respond within 14 days, denies the request without adequate written justification, or attempts to charge more than the actual duplication cost, a tenant may file a petition with the San Francisco Rent Board under § 37.13(b)(3) to have the dispute heard by an Administrative Law Judge, who can order a rent reduction if a substantial decrease in housing services is found. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Chapter 37 can help explain what the petition process generally involves and what documentation is typically useful.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 4, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.