Garage units keep full protections
Renting a converted garage is very common, and whether the conversion was properly permitted matters — but either way, you generally have tenant rights. Many garage conversions were done without permits and may not meet the safety codes required for a legal living space.
Even if your garage unit is unpermitted, you generally keep the right to a habitable home, proper eviction process, protection from lockouts and utility shutoffs, and the return of your deposit. Because garages often were not built as homes, they are more likely to have habitability problems — inadequate heat, poor ventilation, dampness, unsafe wiring, or the lack of a proper second exit — that the landlord is still responsible for.
If the city discovers an unpermitted garage unit, it may order the landlord to stop renting it, which can affect your tenancy and, in some places, entitle you to relocation help.
So do not assume that living in a converted garage means you have no protections. If your garage unit has serious problems or your landlord is not respecting your rights, a free, confidential review can explain your options.
This is general information about California tenant rights, not legal advice. Every situation is different.