5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Marin County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Marin County requires every short-term rental (under 30 days) to obtain a STR License, a Business License, and a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Certificate. The countywide cap is 1,200 licenses, with 192 reserved for Stinson Beach and 204 for Dillon Beach. Application fee is $600.
STR guests in unincorporated Marin County are bound by the county noise ordinance — loud or disturbing noise, especially at night, can be cited. West Marin coastal STR areas have active enforcement.
Short-term rentals in unincorporated Marin County are subject to the county Transient Occupancy Tax plus a registration/licensing requirement; West Marin has additional STR caps and restrictions adopted to protect housing. Operators must register and remit.
STR guest parking in unincorporated Marin County must comply with county zoning off-street parking standards; coastal and rural road parking must not obstruct the roadway.
Marin County requires short-term rental owners to notify occupants of neighboring properties before obtaining or renewing a business license. The 2024 ordinance also limits new non-primary STRs through waitlists when townships exceed their license cap.
Cal. Health & Safety Code Sec. 17920.3 (Substandard Housing Definitions)
uired by this code, except those buildings or portions thereof that conformed with all applicable laws at the time of their construction and whose fire-resistive integrity and fire-extinguishing systems or equipment have been adequately maintained and improved in relation to any increase in occupant load, alteration or addition, or any change in occupancy. (n) All buildings or portions thereof ...
1 cities in Marin County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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