Form RCJC: How to Complete the Rent Cap and Just Cause Addendum

To fill out Form RCJC, the California Association of REALTORS® Rent Cap and Just Cause Addendum, enter the landlord and tenant names, property address, and lease date exactly as they appear on the underlying rental agreement; check the single box that describes the property’s status under AB 1482 (either covered by the rent cap and just cause rules, or exempt under one of the statutory categories); and have every adult tenant and the landlord or authorized agent sign and date the addendum. The form pre-prints the notice language Civil Code sections 1946.2 and 1947.12 require, so the work is confirming the property’s status accurately and matching the lease details, not drafting text.

Gather Your Records First

Before opening the form, pull the property deed, title records showing the ownership entity, and the certificate of occupancy. Ownership structure is where landlords most often check the wrong box. A single-family home or condominium held in a family trust can qualify for exemption, but a property owned by a corporation, a real estate investment trust, or an LLC that has at least one corporate member does not — regardless of the physical property type. The certificate of occupancy matters because the new-construction exemption covers only housing that received its certificate within the previous 15 years, and that window rolls forward every year.¹

If the property is a duplex where you claim the owner-occupancy exemption, confirm you were living in one of the two units as your principal residence when the tenancy began and still do, and that neither unit is an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit.¹

How to Get the Form

Form RCJC is published by the California Association of REALTORS® and is not freely available to the public. C.A.R. members access it through the zipForms platform, and printed copies are available through a local Association of REALTORS® that participates in the Print on Demand program.² A landlord who does not work with a REALTOR® can still comply with the statute by drafting a notice containing the exact language Civil Code sections 1946.2 and 1947.12 require; Form RCJC simply pre-prints that text.

Complete the Header

Enter the full legal names of every landlord and tenant listed on the rental agreement, the complete property address including unit number, and the date of the underlying lease. The addendum attaches to that lease, so the details need to match it exactly. A mismatch invites arguments later about whether the notice covered the tenancy in question.

Choose Covered or Exempt

The core of the form is a single decision: is the property covered by AB 1482, or does it qualify for one of the statutory exemptions? Each path prints a different notice, and the wording is set by statute. Do not alter it.

If the Property Is Covered

Check the box indicating the property is subject to AB 1482. The form then delivers the notice mandated by Civil Code section 1946.2(f)(3): “California law limits the amount your rent can be increased. See Section 1947.12 of the Civil Code for more information. California law also provides that after all of the tenants have continuously and lawfully occupied the property for 12 months or more or at least one of the tenants has continuously and lawfully occupied the property for 24 months or more, a landlord must provide a statement of cause in any notice to terminate a tenancy. See Section 1946.2 of the Civil Code for more information.”³

Most residential rental properties in California land here. A property is covered unless it fits a narrow exemption.

If the Property Is a Single-Family Home or Condominium Exempt Under the Ownership Rule

This is the exemption most landlords use, and it is also the one that fails most often, because the exemption only works if the tenant receives a specific written notice. Form RCJC delivers that notice: “This property is not subject to the rent limits imposed by Section 1947.12 of the Civil Code and is not subject to the just cause requirements of Section 1946.2 of the Civil Code. This property meets the requirements of Sections 1947.12(d)(5) and 1946.2(e)(8) of the Civil Code and the owner is not any of the following: (1) a real estate investment trust, as defined by Section 856 of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a corporation; or (3) a limited liability company in which at least one member is a corporation.”⁴

Two conditions must both be true before you check this box. The owner cannot be a REIT, a corporation, or an LLC with a corporate member. And the tenant must actually receive this written notice. Skip the notice and the exemption evaporates, even if every other condition is met.¹

If the Property Falls Under Another Exemption

The form provides boxes for the other statutory exemptions: new construction with a certificate of occupancy issued within the previous 15 years; owner-occupied duplexes; deed-restricted affordable housing; dormitories owned and operated by an educational institution; and properties governed by a local rent control ordinance more protective than AB 1482.¹⁵ Check the box that matches your property’s status and confirm the factual basis from the records you gathered.

Signatures and Dates

Every adult tenant on the lease should sign and date the addendum, and the landlord or authorized agent should sign as well. Signatures create a record that the notice was received, which is the whole point of the document. For a new tenancy, sign Form RCJC at the same time as the lease and attach it before the tenant moves in. For an existing tenancy where the notice has not yet been given, present the form as a standalone addendum as soon as possible; until it is delivered, a landlord claiming a single-family or condominium exemption has no exemption to claim.

Deliver and Keep Proof

Delivery can happen by hand, by certified mail with return receipt, or through an electronic signature platform if both parties have already agreed in writing to communicate electronically. Certified mail and digital signature trails give the strongest proof if the tenant later disputes receiving the notice. Keep the signed addendum in the property file indefinitely. If you ever raise the rent, serve a termination notice, or defend an eviction, this document is the first thing a court will want to see.

If Your City Has Its Own Rent Control

Several California cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley, have their own rent stabilization ordinances. Where a local ordinance provides more protection than AB 1482, the local rules control and AB 1482 does not apply to that property.⁵ Where a local ordinance covers only some units, such as older buildings, AB 1482 can fill the gap for the units the local law does not reach. Check both the local ordinance and the state law before choosing the status box on Form RCJC.

One Date to Keep in Mind

Civil Code sections 1946.2 and 1947.12 are scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2030.¹ Unless the legislature extends or replaces the law, the statewide rent cap and just cause requirements will expire on that date and Form RCJC will no longer serve a statutory purpose. Leases signed before then should still include the addendum for any period the tenancy overlaps with the law’s effective dates.

1
California Legislative Information. California Civil Code 1947.12
2
California Association of REALTORS®. C.A.R. List of Standard Forms
3
California Legislative Information. California Civil Code 1946.2
4
California Legislative Information. California Civil Code CIV 1947.12
5
State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Landlord-Tenant Issues