Every year a new round of state laws changes what landlords must provide, charge, and put in writing, and 2026 has been a busy one. California added stoves and refrigerators to its habitability rules, Washington and Oregon published new rent increase caps, Colorado banned a long list of rental fees, and Virginia nearly tripled its notice period for unpaid rent. This guide rounds up the most important changes that took effect in 2026, plus a few that arrive in 2027, so you can update your leases and processes before they catch you out.
Note: This article is general education, not legal advice. It covers selected changes in selected states, not every new law, and several of these rules have exceptions and details that depend on your property type and lease. Confirm the current rules for your property's location with a local attorney or your state's official resources.
This roundup is part of the compliance and legal hub for independent landlords. For the evergreen rules that apply year after year, such as deposit limits, entry notice, and eviction basics, see the landlord-tenant laws by state guide.
California: appliances, deposit refunds, and internet choice
California's biggest change for 2026 is AB 628, which took effect January 1, 2026. For leases entered into, amended, or extended on or after that date, a working stove and a working refrigerator are now part of what makes a unit habitable. A landlord cannot require a tenant to bring their own. The one flexibility is the refrigerator: the landlord and tenant can agree in writing at lease signing that the tenant will supply it, and the tenant can later change their mind, which gives the landlord 30 days to provide one. If an appliance is subject to a manufacturer recall, the landlord must repair or replace it within 30 days of receiving notice.
Other California changes worth knowing:
- Electronic deposit refunds (AB 414). If a tenant paid the security deposit electronically, the landlord must return it electronically unless both parties agree in writing to another method.
- Internet service choice (AB 1414). Tenants can opt out of bulk internet service fees, and landlords cannot require a specific internet provider.
- Social Security delay defense (AB 246). A tenant whose Social Security benefits are delayed or reduced can raise that as a defense in a nonpayment eviction, and a court can pause the case for up to six months or until benefits are restored.
- Disaster cleanup (SB 610). After a natural disaster, landlords are responsible for removing debris, ash, and smoke residue and addressing mold or water damage to restore habitability.
If you own in California, review your lease template, your move-in appliance checklist, and how you return deposits. For deposit deductions generally, the guide to normal wear and tear vs tenant damage covers what you can and cannot charge.
Washington: a new rent cap and tenant cooling rights
Washington's rent stabilization law, HB 1217, now limits annual rent increases for most residential rentals to 7 percent plus inflation or 10 percent, whichever is lower. For 2026 the Department of Commerce set the cap at 9.683 percent, and it has announced the 2027 cap at 10 percent. Rent cannot be raised at all during the first 12 months of a tenancy. Some properties are exempt, including new construction for its first 12 years and owner-occupied duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes, so check the exemption list before assuming the cap applies to you.
Two more Washington changes took effect June 11, 2026:
- Portable cooling devices. Tenants can install portable cooling devices such as window air conditioners or portable heat pumps after giving at least two days' notice. Landlords cannot prohibit them or charge installation or inspection fees, though they can charge for damage. Narrow exceptions apply, for example when a heat pump is already provided or the installation would violate code or block an emergency exit.
- Mailed eviction notices. When an eviction notice is served on someone other than the tenant, a copy must also be mailed to the tenant's residence. Regular mail is acceptable.
Coming January 1, 2027: leases must disclose whether the property is in a flood hazard area, and landlords using app or biometric entry systems must offer tenants an alternative such as a physical key and provide a written privacy policy.
Oregon: the 2026 rent increase limit
Oregon's statewide rent stabilization law uses the same 7 percent plus inflation formula with a 10 percent ceiling. For 2026 the maximum annual increase is 9.5 percent for covered properties, which are generally buildings more than 15 years old. A separate 6 percent cap applies to rent for spaces in manufactured home parks with more than 30 spaces. If you raise rent in Oregon, confirm your building's age and your notice timing before you send the letter. The guide to rent increases at renewal walks through calculating and communicating an increase.
Colorado: junk fees and deposit deductions
Colorado's HB25-1090 took effect January 1, 2026 and changes how landlords advertise and charge. The advertised rent must include every mandatory fee, shown prominently, so a tenant sees the real price up front. The law also prohibits a list of separate charges, including:
- Rent payment processing fees, unless the tenant has a free way to pay.
- Charges to cover property taxes or the landlord's own legal duties, such as habitability.
- Late fees on charges other than rent.
- Fees for services that are not actually provided, or that exceed the landlord's actual cost beyond a small permitted markup on third-party charges.
Optional charges the tenant chooses, such as pet rent or reserved parking, and actual utility costs are still allowed when disclosed. Tenants who are overcharged can sue under Colorado's consumer protection law. For background on the federal side of this trend, see the guide to the FTC rental junk fees rule.
A second Colorado law, HB25-1249, also effective January 1, 2026, tightens security deposit deductions. It expands what counts as normal wear and tear, voids lease clauses that charge automatic cleaning fees, and gives tenants the right to request a final walk-through before move-out. The security deposit laws by state guide covers deposit basics across states.
Virginia: a 14-day pay-or-quit notice
Starting July 1, 2026, under identical bills SB 48 and HB 15, Virginia landlords must give tenants 14 days, instead of 5, to pay overdue rent after written notice before terminating the lease. The same 14-day period applies to a bounced rent payment. Leases and notice templates that still say 5 days should be updated.
Other Virginia changes effective July 1, 2026 include adding central air conditioning to the essential services a landlord must maintain, and limiting lease terms that make tenants pay for routine repairs and maintenance, with exceptions for damage the tenant causes. More changes arrive in 2027, including broader anti-retaliation protections on January 1, 2027 and, on July 1, 2027, more detailed nonpayment notices, pre-application fee and screening disclosures, and a cap on electronic payment processing fees at the actual third-party cost.
Also on the 2026 radar
A few changes do not fit neatly into one state but affect many landlords:
- Rent pricing software bans. More cities, including Minneapolis as of March 1, 2026, restrict setting rent with software that pools private data from competing landlords, and New York enacted a statewide ban in 2025.
- HUD inspections for voucher units. For Housing Choice Voucher units, HUD has set February 1, 2027 as the compliance date for its NSPIRE inspection standards, which already require working smoke alarms and, where needed, carbon monoxide alarms.
- Fair housing rules in flux. HUD has proposed rescinding its disparate-impact rule, but the proposal was not final as of September 2026. The guide to fair housing compliance for landlords explains where that stands.
How to stay current on landlord law changes
Laws change every legislative session, and most take effect on January 1 or July 1. A simple routine keeps you ahead of them:
- Check twice a year. In December and June, review your state's legislative updates and your local landlord association's summaries.
- Update your lease template first. Notice periods, fee terms, and appliance provisions usually live in the lease, so that is where outdated language does the most damage.
- Apply changes at the right trigger. Some laws apply only to leases signed, renewed, or amended after the effective date, so track lease dates for every unit.
- Keep records. Written notices, move-in condition records, and payment histories are what you rely on if a tenant disputes a charge.
Frequently asked questions
What new landlord laws took effect in 2026?
Major 2026 changes include California's requirement to provide a working stove and refrigerator, Washington's 9.683 percent rent increase cap, Oregon's 9.5 percent cap, Colorado's ban on many rental junk fees, and Virginia's new 14-day notice before terminating a lease for unpaid rent.
Do California landlords have to provide a refrigerator in 2026?
Yes, for leases entered into, amended, or extended on or after January 1, 2026, unless the landlord and tenant agree in writing at signing that the tenant will provide it. The tenant can later revoke that agreement, and the landlord then has 30 days to supply one.
How much can landlords raise rent in Washington and Oregon in 2026?
Washington caps most increases at 9.683 percent for 2026, with no increases allowed in the first year of a tenancy. Oregon caps increases at 9.5 percent for covered buildings, which are generally more than 15 years old.
What changed in Virginia's pay-or-quit notice in 2026?
Starting July 1, 2026, Virginia landlords must give tenants 14 days, rather than 5, to pay overdue rent after written notice before terminating the lease.
What to do next
Most of these changes come down to three things: what your lease says, when each lease was signed or renewed, and whether you can prove what you told the tenant. Landlords who keep those records organized can update their process in an afternoon instead of scrambling when a dispute arrives.
Shuk keeps those records in one place. The Active Lease Overview report shows start dates, end dates, rent amounts, and deposits for every lease, so you can see which leases were signed or renewed after a law's effective date. Updated leases can go out for legally binding electronic signature through Shuk's Adobe-powered integration, with unlimited e-signatures included and completed documents stored in a property-organized archive. Rent collection by ACH carries zero transaction fees for landlords and tenants, and tenants submit maintenance requests with photos and notes, which gives you a dated record when an appliance or cooling issue comes up.
At as low as $2 per unit per month, with no setup fees and no contract, and with White Glove Onboarding included at no additional cost, Shuk makes staying organized through each year's law changes feasible for landlords and property managers running 1 to 100 units.
Book a demo at shukrentals.com/book-a-demo to see how lease records, e-signatures, and maintenance tracking help you keep up with new landlord laws.
