Cal. Civ. Code § 1942.9
California Civil Code
Operative Text
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a landlord shall not, with respect to a tenant who has COVID-19 rental debt, as that term is defined in Section 1179.02 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and who has submitted a declaration of COVID-19-related financial distress, as defined in Section 1179.02 of the Code of Civil Procedure, do either of the following: (1) Charge a tenant, or attempt to collect from a tenant, fees assessed for the late payment of that COVID-19 rental debt. (2) Increase fees charged to the tenant or charge the tenant fees for services previously provided by the landlord without charge. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, a landlord who temporarily reduces or makes unavailable a service or amenity as the result of compliance with federal, state, or local public health orders or guidelines shall not be considered to have violated the rental or lease agreement, nor to have provided different terms or conditions of tenancy or reduced services for purposes of any law, ordinance, rule, regulation, or initiative measure adopted by a local governmental entity that establishes a maximum amount that a landlord may charge a tenant for rent.
Cal. Civ. Code § 1942.9 establishes two related protections tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. First, it bars landlords from charging or collecting late fees on COVID-19 rental debt from tenants who have submitted a qualifying declaration of financial distress, and it also prohibits raising existing fees or introducing new fees for services that were previously free. Second, it provides that a landlord who temporarily reduces or suspends a service or amenity due to compliance with public health orders is not considered to have violated the lease or reduced services for purposes of local rent-control laws.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1942.9, compliant operators generally refrain from assessing or pursuing late fees against tenants who hold COVID-19 rental debt and have submitted a valid financial-distress declaration, and they avoid introducing new fees or raising existing ones for that same group. When a service or amenity is temporarily curtailed solely to comply with a public health order, operators typically document that connection to preserve the statutory protection against lease-violation claims or rent-control implications.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Cal. Civ. Code § 1942.9 gives tenants who have COVID-19 rental debt and have submitted a qualifying financial-distress declaration the right to be free from late fees and newly imposed or increased service fees. If a landlord charges such fees anyway, a tenant may raise the violation as a defense in court, file a complaint with a local rent board if one exists, or reach out to a tenant-rights organization to understand available options.
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 3, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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