How the calculator works
A rent increase percentage is the change in rent divided by the old rent. The calculator works both ways: type the new rent and it shows the percent, or type a percent and it shows the new rent.
- Increase % = (new rent − current rent) ÷ current rent × 100.
- Yearly cost of the increase = monthly change × 12.
- Multi-year projection repeats the same percentage each year, so it compounds: year 2 rent = year 1 rent × (1 + increase).
- Notice check counts the days from the date you got the notice to the date the new rent starts and compares it with the rule you choose.
Worked example
Your rent is $2,400 and the landlord asks for $2,592 starting January 1, 2027. That is $192 more a month, or 8%. Over a year you pay $2,304 more, and your new annual rent is $31,104. If the same 8% repeated for five years, monthly rent would reach about $3,526, and you would have paid about $38,500 more than at today’s rent over those five years.
In Washington, an increase taking effect in 2027 is capped at 10%, so 8% is within the limit, but the landlord must give at least 90 days’ written notice. A notice delivered on October 1, 2026 gives 92 days, which is enough.
Statewide caps we have verified
Most states have no statewide cap on rent increases. These are the limits included in the calculator, checked on official pages on October 12, 2026.
| Where | Cap | Notice | Main exemption |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 9.5% in 2026; 10% in 2027 (7% + CPI, max 10%) | 90 days | First certificate of occupancy under 15 years old |
| Oregon facilities over 30 spaces | 6% | 90 days | Manufactured dwelling and marina facilities only |
| Washington | 9.683% in 2026; 10% in 2027 (7% + CPI, max 10%) | 90 days | First certificate of occupancy 12 or fewer years old |
| California | 5% + regional CPI, max 10% | 30 days (≤10%); 90 days (>10%) | Certificate of occupancy within the past 15 years |
| NYC rent stabilized | Oct 2025–Sep 2026: 3% (1-yr), 4.5% (2-yr). Oct 2026–Sep 2027: 0% | Renewal offer rules | Only stabilized units |
| New York, other units | No flat cap; Good Cause standard where it applies | 30/60/90 days if 5% or more, by tenancy or lease length | Depends on coverage |
Oregon and Washington also bar increases during the first year of a tenancy. Oregon allows only one increase in any 12-month period. Washington exempts several more kinds of housing, including some owner-occupied homes and small multiplexes, and regulated nonprofit and tax-credit housing. Cities with their own rent control laws can be stricter than the California state law, and the regional cost-of-living figure differs by area, so you enter it yourself.
New York renters
For a rent-stabilized apartment, the Rent Guidelines Board sets the maximum renewal increase each year. Use the rent-stabilized renewal calculator to apply it, and read whether the 2026 rent freeze applies to your lease. For other apartments, check notice with the rent increase notice checker and coverage with the Good Cause rent increase checker.
What to do next
If the increase is legal but more than you can manage, see how to negotiate a market-rate renewal, and test the new rent against your income with the rent affordability calculator.