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Marin County, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Nuisance declared
Marin County Code § 7.56.010
Removal notice
10 days by mail (§ 7.56.070)
Hearing request window
10 days (§ 7.56.080)
Appeal window
5 days to Board of Supervisors (§ 7.56.100)
Enforced by
CHP / County Sheriff (§ 7.56.050)
Unpaid costs
Property lien after 30 days (§ 7.56.130)

Summary

Storing an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle on private or public property in unincorporated Marin County is a declared public nuisance under Marin County Code § 7.56.010. The CHP or county sheriff can order it removed after a 10-day notice and a chance to request a hearing under §§ 7.56.070-7.56.090.

City-specific rules exist: San Rafael has its own property blight rules that differ from Marin County's county-level regulations. If you live in San Rafael, check the city-specific page instead.

In addition to and in accordance with the determination made and the authority granted by the state of California under Section 22660 of the Vehicle Code to remove abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicles or parts thereof as public nuisances, the board of supervisors makes the following findings and declarations: The accumulation and storage of abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicles or parts thereof on private or public property including highways is found to create a condition tending to reduce the value of private property, to promote blight and deterioration, to invite plundering, to create fire hazards, to constitute an attractive nuisance creating a hazard to the health and safety of minors, to create a harborage for rodents and insects and to be injurious to the health, safety and general welfare. Therefore, the presence of an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle or parts thereof on private or public property including highways, except as expressly hereinafter permitted, constitutes a public nuisance which may be abated as such in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

View official code

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

010 declares such a vehicle a public nuisance subject to abatement. 030 excludes a vehicle completely enclosed in a building and not visible from the street, and a vehicle lawfully stored on private property in connection with a licensed dismantler, vehicle dealer, junk dealer, or another lawfully conducted business. 050), which may enter property to inspect a vehicle. 080). 090). 100). 120). 130.

Violations & Fines

Keeping an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle on Marin County property outside the § 7.56.030 exclusions exposes it to removal as a public nuisance. If the landowner does not request a hearing, or loses one, the CHP or sheriff can seize and scrap the vehicle, and unpaid administrative and removal costs become a lien on the property under § 7.56.130, collected the same way as delinquent county taxes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it illegal to keep a wrecked or inoperable car in my yard in unincorporated Marin County?
Yes, unless an exclusion applies. Section 7.56.010 declares any abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicle on private or public property a public nuisance because it reduces property values, promotes blight, invites plundering, and creates fire and rodent hazards. The CHP or county sheriff can order it removed under the abatement procedure in §§ 7.56.060 through 7.56.110.
Are there exceptions for vehicles being restored or used in a business?
Yes. Section 7.56.030 excludes a vehicle completely enclosed in a building where it isn't visible from the street, and vehicles lawfully stored on private property in connection with a licensed dismantler, vehicle dealer, junk dealer, or another lawfully conducted business.
What notice does the county give before removing a vehicle?
Section 7.56.070 requires a 10-day notice of intent to abate and remove, sent by registered or certified mail to both the landowner and the vehicle's registered owner, unless the vehicle can't be identified or both parties have already signed releases waiving interest in it.
Who pays for towing and disposal?
The property owner does, if the deputy zoning administrator finds under § 7.56.090 that the owner acquiesced to the vehicle's presence. Costs unpaid 30 days after the order become a special assessment lien on the parcel under § 7.56.130, collected the same way as county property taxes, unless the vehicle was placed there without the landowner's consent.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Marin County

All Marin County rules

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