STR rules · verified 1mo ago
Short-term rental rules in Marin, CA
Marin County (unincorporated) regulates short-term rentals through Marin County Code Chapter 5.41 (Short Term Rental License), most recently amended by Ordinance No. 3739 (2024). The countywide ordinance caps STR licenses at 1,200 in unincorporated Marin (excluding Dillon Beach), with sub-caps per West Marin township. Most of West Marin (except Dillon Beach and the Seadrift portion of Stinson Beach) is limited to the number of STRs registered as of January 1, 2022 — a hard freeze. STRs are limited to one per operator (with grandfathering for operators holding multiple legal STRs as of Jan 1, 2024). Licenses renew every two years. The Coastal Commission certified Marin's STR ordinance for the coastal zone (Stinson Beach, Bolinas, Muir Beach, etc.). Cities (San Rafael, Mill Valley, Sausalito, Novato, Tiburon, Belvedere, Fairfax, Larkspur, Corte Madera, Ross, San Anselmo) run separate regimes.
What's behind the sign-in
- Registration fees — initial + annual renewal cost, per permit type
- Permit caps + waitlists — exact cap values, current waitlist counts
- Owner-occupancy rules — days/year requirement, permit-class splits
- Zoning carve-outs — which districts allow / disallow STR
- Tax stack — TOT, hotel, county + state layers
- Stay limits — min/max nightly, max nights/year
- Operational requirements — parking, insurance, fire inspection, neighbor notice
- Penalties — per-night fines, revocation thresholds
- City-specific gotchas — HOA carve-outs, pending legislation, recent court rulings
- Refresh on demand — re-run the agentic pipeline against the city's current ordinance
Frequently asked
Are short-term rentals legal in Marin, CA?
Marin is currently restricted for short-term rentals. Permitted but with material constraints — caps, owner-occupancy rules, zoning carve-outs, or active ordinance review. For the actual fees, caps, owner-occupancy rules, and city-specific gotchas, sign in.
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Marin?
Almost certainly yes — almost every U.S. city now requires a short-term rental permit, vacation rental permit, or transient lodging permit before you can legally list. The specifics for Marin (cost, renewal cycle, required documents) are behind sign-in. You can also read the source ordinance directly: https://library.municode.com/ca/marin_county/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT5BURELI_CH5.41SHTERELIRE.
What happens if I rent without a permit in Marin?
Most cities charge per-night fines (a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per violation), escalating to cease-and-desist letters and platform delisting on repeat. Airbnb and Vrbo now share permit-validation feeds with most major cities, so unpermitted listings get blocked at the platform level. Sign in to see the specific penalty schedule for Marin.
How current is this data for Marin?
This record was verified 1mo ago against the city's published ordinance (.gov or the city's official municipal-code publisher). Cached cities re-verify on a cadence — daily for cities under active legislation, weekly otherwise. Signed-in users can hit Refresh on any city to force a fresh pull. If you're underwriting a deal, always confirm against the city's code-enforcement office before closing.
Can my HOA or condo association ban STRs even if Marin allows them?
Yes. City permits authorize you under municipal law, but your HOA, condo association, or co-op board sets contractual rules that override the city for your unit. Many HOAs adopted blanket STR bans between 2018 and 2024 in response to neighbor complaints. Read the CC&Rs, bylaws, and rental addendums before you buy with an STR plan — the city saying yes does not mean your building says yes.