Marin County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Marin County Code Ch. 5.41 (Ord. No. 3816, 2024)
- Hosted STR
- Must be host's or owner's primary residence
- Host duty
- Must respond to guest-conduct complaints promptly
- Unhosted STR alternative
- Requires a named local contact person instead
- Enforcing agency
- Marin County Community Development Agency
- Non-compliance
- Counts toward license suspension or non-renewal
Summary
Marin County splits short-term rentals into 'hosted' units, the primary residence of the owner or a designated host, and 'unhosted' units with no resident overseeing them. Under Code Section 5.41.060(13), owners of hosted rentals must name a host who lives on the property and answers guest-conduct complaints; unhosted rentals need a local contact person instead.
"Host": A host is a person identified by a short term rental property owner to reside at the property at which a short term rental is located. "Hosted short term rental": A short term rental that is the primary residence of a short term rental property owner or host. ... "Unhosted short term rental": Short-term rental occupancy of a residential unit on a property that does not provide a primary residence for the property owner or a long term tenant. ... 13.Host Responsibilities. A short term rental property owner must identify a host for every hosted short term rental if the host is different from the property owner. This host shall respond to any complaint received regarding the conduct of the short term rental guests or the condition or operation of the short term rental and take any necessary remedial action to resolve violations of Marin County Code requirements in a timely manner.
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
41, adopted by Ordinance No. 020: a 'hosted short term rental' is one that serves as the primary residence of the property owner or of a person the owner designates as 'host,' while an 'unhosted short term rental' provides no primary residence for the owner or a long-term tenant. 'Primary residence' means the dwelling where a person lives at least six months of the year. This distinction carries real duties, not just labels. 060(13) requires the owner of a hosted rental to identify a host if that host differs from the owner; the host must answer any complaint about guest conduct or the unit's condition and take remedial action promptly.
060(12): they must name a 'local contact person' with the same complaint-response responsibilities. Either way, the property owner remains legally responsible for the designated person's compliance with the whole chapter. 060(2)(iv), which bars new STR licenses in multi-family or condo units regardless of hosted status unless the unit was already operating legally before January 1, 2024. 07, which can lead to license suspension or non-renewal.
Violations & Fines
Marin County treats a missing or unresponsive host or contact person as a violation of the chapter's property standards under Section 5.41.060. A verified violation can lead to license suspension or revocation under Section 5.41.080, and a rental accumulating more than three verified substantial violations in one license term cannot have its license renewed under Section 5.41.050(F)(v). Owners retain the due-process and appeal rights of Marin County Code Chapters 1.05, 1.06 and 1.07 before any suspension becomes final.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Marin County require a host to live on site during a short-term rental stay?
What happens if a hosted rental's host does not respond to a neighbor's complaint?
Can a multi-family or condo unit qualify as a hosted short-term rental?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marin County
California rules heatmap·Compare Marin County to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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