Free check: is this tenant a qualified commercial tenant?
Answer a few questions about the tenant to see whether it likely qualifies under SB 1103, including the capital question most summaries leave out, and which of the law's rules reach the tenancy.
Result, as of November 5, 2026
Answer the questions above to see a result.
A likelihood from your answers, not a legal finding. Talk to a California attorney before acting on it.
How the checker reads the law
A tenant of commercial real property that (A) is a microenterprise, a restaurant with fewer than 10 employees, or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with fewer than 20 employees, and (B) has given the landlord, within the previous 12 months, written notice that it is a qualified commercial tenant and a self-attestation of its employee count (Civil Code 1950.9(h)(5)).[1]
A microenterprise is a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC or corporation that has five or fewer employees, including the owner, part or full time, and that generally lacks sufficient access to loans, equity or other financial capital (Business and Professions Code 18000(a)).[2]
Our readingMany summaries leave out the second part, about access to capital. How it is applied is unsettled, so ask counsel about a specific tenant.[2]
For a lease with a fixed term, the notice and attestation come before or when the lease is signed, and every year after. The protections start when they are given.[1]
These rules cover leases executed, and tenancies commenced or renewed, on or after January 1, 2025; week-to-week, month-to-month and shorter periodic tenancies; and earlier leases with no building operating cost provision. They don't apply to property and business improvement district assessments (1950.9(i) and (j)).[1]
The backup this law asks for, kept with each line.
Cornerhold traces each CAM line to its invoice and lease clause, which is the kind of backup SB 1103 asks a landlord to provide. It doesn't yet track qualified commercial tenant status, the 18-month window or the 30-day clock; keep those with this toolkit for now.
Checked October 2026 against official sources
Each statement above links to the official page it comes from. We read every one on October 25, 2026.
- 1Civil Code 1950.9
Building operating costs charged to a qualified commercial tenant (SB 1103).
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, checked October 25, 2026
- 2Business and Professions Code 18000
The definition of a microenterprise used by SB 1103.
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, checked October 25, 2026
- 3Civil Code 827
Rent changes in periodic tenancies, including the 30 and 90 day notices for qualified commercial tenants (827(b)).
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, checked October 25, 2026
- 4Civil Code 1946.1
Ending a periodic tenancy by notice, including the 60 and 30 day rule for qualified commercial tenants.
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, checked October 25, 2026
- 5Civil Code 1632
Translations of contracts negotiated in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese or Korean, including some commercial leases (1632(b)(8)).
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, checked October 25, 2026
Change log
- October 23, 2026First version, checked against the official text.
- October 25, 2026Checked again against the official text. Added 827(c) on longer notice periods, a question on when a fixed-term tenant first gave notice, and a caution for tenants close to a year of occupancy.
Set up your first property.
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