California Working Stove & Refrigerator Law (AB 628, 2026)

What AB 628 requires

You must provide and maintain a working stove or range (capable of safely generating heat for cooking) and a working refrigerator (capable of safely storing food), kept in good working order.

If the stove or refrigerator is subject to a recall, you must repair or replace it within 30 days of receiving notice.

Which tenancies it applies to

AB 628 applies to a lease entered into, amended, or extended on or after January 1, 2026. Existing tenancies are pulled in when the lease is renewed, amended, or extended — it does not automatically sweep in every current lease on day one.

Tenant-provided refrigerator (refrigerator only)

The landlord and tenant may agree that the tenant supplies their own refrigerator. The lease must include the statutory acknowledgment, let the tenant opt out on 30 days’ notice, and the landlord cannot condition the tenancy on it or be responsible for maintaining a tenant-owned unit.

There is no equivalent tenant-provided option for the stove — the landlord must provide it. Some housing types may be treated differently; verify the exemptions against the current statute before relying on one.

Does this apply to your property?

Answer these to see whether AB 628 applies yet:

• Was the lease entered into, amended, or extended on or after January 1, 2026? — If yes, AB 628 applies to this tenancy now.
• Is the stove or refrigerator currently broken or unable to safely cook/store food? — If yes and AB 628 applies, it’s a habitability issue you must fix.
• Is the appliance subject to a manufacturer recall? — If yes, you must repair or replace it within 30 days of receiving notice.
• Do you and the tenant want the tenant to supply their own refrigerator instead? — Allowed only with the statutory lease acknowledgment and a 30-day tenant opt-out; there is no equivalent option for the stove.

Example — sample property

A tenant signs a new lease in February 2026 — after the January 1, 2026 effective date — so AB 628 applies to this tenancy from the start.

In March 2026, the refrigerator stops cooling. Because AB 628 applies, the landlord must repair or replace it to keep the unit habitable under §1941.1, just as they would for a broken heater or plumbing issue.

How Veluna monitors this

After you add a property, Veluna tracks whether AB 628 or the §1941.1 habitability standard changes and sends a push alert if it does. Veluna does not automatically detect a broken stove or refrigerator — you log that through a maintenance request.

Frequently asked questions

Does AB 628 require both a stove and a refrigerator?

Yes — a working stove and a working refrigerator, added to the habitability standard in Civ. Code §1941.1.

Does it apply to my current tenants automatically in 2026?

It applies to leases entered into, amended, or extended on or after January 1, 2026. Existing tenancies are covered when the lease is renewed, amended, or extended.

Can the tenant use their own refrigerator?

Yes, by mutual agreement with the required lease language and a 30-day opt-out — but this option exists only for the refrigerator, not the stove.