Marin County, CA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- General leash length
- No fixed length countywide
- At-large ban
- Parks, schools, commercial districts, watersheds
- Control duty
- § 8.04.175 applies in all public places
- San Quentin Village leash cap
- 6 feet, added by Ord. 3820 (2024)
- Redemption
- Impounded dogs require fee payment
Summary
Marin County bans dogs from running at large in parks, schools, commercial districts, game refuges and public watershed land under Section 8.04.160, and Section 8.04.175 separately requires every dog to stay under the immediate control of a responsible person at all times. Inside San Quentin Village, Section 8.04.176 goes further and mandates an actual leash no longer than six feet.
8.04.160. It is unlawful for the owner/guardian or person having control of any dog to permit the same, under any circumstances, to run at large in any public parks, or in any school, or upon any school grounds, or in any commercial district, or in any game refuge, or in any public watershed area; and every dog found running at large in violation of the provisions of this section shall be immediately seized and impounded. ... 8.04.175(a). (a)Dogs shall at all times be kept under the immediate control and direction of a competent, responsible person who is capable of controlling such an animal. Any dog which is not subject to such control and direction may be seized and impounded. ... 8.04.176(a). (a)It is unlawful for the owner or person having control of any dog to allow the dog to roam or be at large in any public area or public right-of-way within San Quentin Village without being restrained by a leash, which shall be no longer than six feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 2026 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Unincorporated Marin does not print a single county-wide "leash law" the way some cities do; instead the code layers two general control duties on top of a place-specific leash mandate. 175 add that the responsible person must keep the dog from biting or harassing anyone lawfully present and from injuring another domestic animal. 170 separately makes it unlawful for a dog to run on someone else's private land without the landowner's consent. 176, adopted by Ordinance No. without being restrained by a leash, which shall be no longer than six feet," with exceptions only for peace officers and search-and-rescue personnel; violating it is an infraction under California Government Code Section 25132.
Violations & Fines
A dog seized under Sections 8.04.160 or 8.04.175 is impounded by animal services and can be redeemed only after the owner pays the fees in Section 8.04.150, including boarding charges. Violating the San Quentin Village leash rule in Section 8.04.176 is an infraction under California Government Code Section 25132. Outside that area, violations of the chapter's other control provisions fall under the general penalty in Section 8.04.260(b): a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine, up to six months in county jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a countywide leash law in unincorporated Marin?
What happens if my dog is found running loose in a county park?
Can my dog be off-leash on someone else's private property?
Why does San Quentin Village have a different leash rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marin County
California rules heatmap·Compare Marin County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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