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Buying Multifamily Property in Marin County: Rent Rules by City

By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

Buying a duplex, fourplex or apartment building in Marin County means underwriting two layers of rental law: the state’s Tenant Protection Act, which caps covered increases at 8.8% from August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 in the San Francisco area that includes Marin, and a local layer that changes at each city line. Larkspur has its own rent cap. Novato, San Rafael and unincorporated Marin add eviction and notice rules without capping rent, and Fairfax repealed its rent stabilization through Measure I.

Marin’s apartment buildings are spread across towns with different codes, so two similar buildings a few miles apart can carry different rent ceilings, notice duties and inspection requirements. This page sets out those differences from a buyer’s point of view, as of October 2026, and lists the building-level checks that matter before you remove contingencies. For the wider investment picture, see our multifamily investing hub.

The state baseline: AB 1482 in Marin

Most Marin rentals start from the state rules in Civil Code sections 1947.12 and 1946.2. The rent cap is 5% plus the regional change in the Consumer Price Index, or 10%, whichever is lower, for covered units.

Marin uses the San Francisco area index. The Attorney General’s rent cap chart, updated July 16, 2026, puts the maximum at 8.8% for increases taking effect from August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 in that region, compared with 8.6% for counties outside the state’s named metro areas.

Exemptions matter for small buildings. Section 1947.12(d) exempts housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years, a two-unit structure where the owner lived in one unit at the start of the tenancy and still does, and separately saleable homes such as houses and condos when the owner is not a REIT, corporation or LLC with a corporate member and has given tenants the statutory notice. Our AB 1482 guide for landlords walks through coverage and how the cap is calculated.

Local rent and eviction rules by jurisdiction

The table summarizes what we found on each agency’s own pages in October 2026. It covers only the jurisdictions whose rules we checked; confirm any other town’s rules with its city hall.

Jurisdiction	Local rent cap	Local eviction rule	Mediation for increases over 5%
Larkspur	Yes: 5% plus CPI or 7%, whichever is lower, once in 12 months (Municipal Code 6.20.040)	Not covered on the pages we read; state rules apply	Not listed by the county program
Novato	No cap mentioned by the city	Tenant Protections Ordinance, Ordinance No. 1731, effective May 28, 2026	Not listed by the county program
San Rafael	No; the city says its ordinance does not limit rent increases	Cause for Eviction Ordinance, in effect since July 17, 2019, for properties with three or more units	Yes, through the county program
Fairfax	Repealed by Measure I (Ordinance 892, posted December 19, 2024)	Confirm with the Town	Yes, through the county program
Unincorporated Marin	No local cap mentioned by the county	Just cause, County Code Chapter 5.100, for properties with three or more units	Yes (County Code Chapter 5.95)

The county’s renting page points owners to a jurisdiction lookup tool and an eviction and rent increase law map, which are the quickest way to confirm which rules apply to a specific address.

Larkspur: the local rent cap

Larkspur’s rent stabilization chapter, Municipal Code Chapter 6.20, prohibits increases above 5% plus the Consumer Price Index for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area, or 7%, whichever is lower. It also bars more than one increase in any 12-month period.

The 7% ceiling is the number that usually binds. Whenever the index change is above 2%, 5% plus CPI exceeds 7%, so the 7% limit applies, well under the state’s 8.8% for the current year. Section 6.20.050, adopted by Ordinance 1067 in 2023, states that this limit provides a fair return, and owners who disagree can file a fair return petition under section 6.20.060.

The ordinance carves out units that are expressly exempt under the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. That state statute, Civil Code 1954.52, generally frees two groups from local rent limits, subject to conditions: buildings first occupied under a certificate issued after February 1, 1995, and units with their own title, such as houses and condos. For a Larkspur building, ask the seller for the rent history of each unit and model future increases at 7% or less, then have an attorney confirm which units are covered. Our Larkspur community guide covers the town itself.

Novato: the 2026 Tenant Protections Ordinance

The Novato City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1731 on April 28, 2026, adding section 4-17 to the Municipal Code, and it went into effect on May 28, 2026. The city’s summary does not mention a rent cap. Instead it adds duties that a buyer inherits on day one:

Notice of Tenant Rights. Landlords must give tenants this notice in English and Spanish at lease signing, renewal, any change in rent or terms, when the property is listed for sale, and within 30 days of acquiring it. The city warns that skipping the notice invalidates a change in terms or an eviction notice.
Termination notice filing. Within 10 days of serving a termination notice, the landlord must email a PDF copy to the city’s code enforcement address.
Renovation and red-tag protections. The ordinance expands relocation and right-of-return protections for no-fault evictions for substantial renovation and for government orders to vacate.

The city lists single-family homes, single condo units and individual mobile homes owned by individuals as exempt, along with some owner-occupied arrangements. Apartment buildings are not on that exemption list, so expect most of them to be covered. If you are buying in Novato, build the 30-day notice into your closing checklist; our Novato guide has more on the city.

San Rafael and unincorporated Marin: cause for eviction and mediation

San Rafael’s Cause for Eviction Ordinance took effect on July 17, 2019 and applies to properties with at least three separate dwelling units. The city says plainly that it is not rent control and does not limit rent increases. It sets notice periods, including 120 days for permanently removing units from the rental market and 60 days for other no-fault terminations once a tenant has been in place a year or more.

In unincorporated areas, the county’s just cause ordinance (Ordinance 3705, adopted December 18, 2018, and codified as Chapter 5.100) also covers properties with three or more dwelling units. The county counts vacant, owner-occupied and short-term rental units toward the three, excludes county-permitted ADUs and junior ADUs from the count, and says unpermitted units are not exempt.

Both San Rafael and unincorporated Marin take part in the county’s mandatory mediation program, along with Fairfax. It applies to monthly rent increases above 5% over 12 months. Landlords must hand tenants the program’s Notice of Tenant Rights at a new or renewed agreement and with a rent increase notice. Tenants have 10 calendar days to request mediation, and the county warns that an increase may be deemed invalid if the landlord does not take part in good faith. See our San Rafael guide for the city’s other rules.

Fairfax after Measure I

Fairfax was the one Marin town in this group to adopt and then undo local rent limits. The Town posted Ordinance 892, titled “Measure I (Repeal of Rent Stabilization),” on December 19, 2024. The Town still appears on the county’s list of mediation participants, so increases over 5% in a year remain subject to the mediation process.

The Town’s posting gives only the ordinance title, not the election details or what else changed in the Town Code. Ask the Town Clerk whether any local eviction rule survived before you rely on state law alone. Our Fairfax community guide traces the town’s rent rule history.

Building checks before you remove contingencies

Rent rules are only part of the diligence. A Marin building purchase should also cover the items below.

County multi-unit housing permit. Marin County Environmental Health runs a multi-unit rental housing program for buildings of three or more units everywhere in the county except San Rafael and Novato, which use their own code enforcement offices. Ask the seller whether the building holds an annual health permit and request recent inspection results.
Sewer lateral at sale. Several Marin cities and sanitary districts require a lateral inspection or compliance certificate when a property changes hands. Our Marin County selling requirements page lists them by agency.
Balconies and decks. Apartment buildings with wood balconies, decks and stairways fall under the state’s exterior elevated element inspection law; see our SB 721 balcony inspection guide.
Seismic condition. Older wood-frame buildings with parking or open space at ground level deserve an engineer’s look. The Association of Bay Area Governments’ June 2026 list shows Mill Valley with a mandatory soft-story ordinance adopted in 2023, so ask the city about any Mill Valley building. Our seismic retrofit guide explains what to ask for.
Tenant documents. Collect leases, the rent roll, notices served and signed estoppel certificates so the rents you underwrite match what tenants say they pay.
Fire and flood. Check the state fire hazard severity zone and the FEMA flood map for the parcel. Our North Bay fire hazard zone guide covers the disclosures.

Diamond may refer you to partners we work with, such as inspectors, engineers and lenders; you’re free to choose any provider.

Underwriting and financing a Marin rental

Model rent growth from the rule that actually applies to each unit, not a countywide assumption. In Larkspur that means no more than 7% a year for covered units; elsewhere the state cap applies to covered units, with exempt units able to move with the market at turnover or renewal.

Price the building on in-place income, then test what happens under realistic increases. Our guides to cap rates and apartment building loans explain how income, price and debt fit together.

Diamond finds off-market opportunities through its own client database and targeted off-market campaigns, and we also search the MLS. We cannot promise access to other brokerages’ office-exclusive listings, which MLS cooperation rules govern.

Selling a Marin multifamily building

Buyers will price your building on documented rents and on how much those rents can legally rise. A seller who assembles the rent roll, leases, notices, local compliance records and the mediation or Novato notices already served gives buyers less reason to discount.

If tenants are staying, plan the sale around their rights rather than around a vacancy you may not be able to deliver. Our guide to selling a multifamily property covers pricing, marketing and tenant issues.

Questions people ask

Does Marin County have rent control?

Larkspur is the jurisdiction on our list with a local rent cap: 5% plus CPI or 7%, whichever is lower. Elsewhere in Marin the state cap applies to covered units, which is 8.8% for increases from August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027.

What is the maximum rent increase in Marin County in 2026?

For units covered by AB 1482, 8.8% for increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, according to the Attorney General’s chart. A local cap can be lower, as in Larkspur.

Does Fairfax still have rent control?

No. Measure I repealed the Town’s rent stabilization, and the Town posted Ordinance 892 in December 2024. Fairfax still takes part in the county’s mediation program for increases over 5%.

What does Novato’s Tenant Protections Ordinance require?

It took effect May 28, 2026. Landlords must give a Notice of Tenant Rights at set points, including when listing for sale and within 30 days of acquiring a property, and must file termination notices with the city within 10 days. It does not cap rent.

Does San Rafael have just cause eviction?

Yes, for properties with three or more dwelling units, since July 17, 2019. The city says the ordinance does not limit rent increases.

What is Marin’s mandatory mediation program?

A county program, County Code Chapter 5.95, for monthly rent increases above 5% over 12 months in San Rafael, Fairfax and unincorporated Marin. Tenants must ask for mediation within 10 calendar days of the increase notice.

Does an owner-occupied duplex fall under AB 1482?

A two-unit structure where the owner lives in one unit is exempt from the state cap if the owner lived there when the tenancy began and neither unit is an ADU or junior ADU. Local ordinances have their own coverage rules. Check both, and keep the exemption paperwork in order.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rental rules in Marin changed several times between 2018 and 2026, so have a California landlord-tenant attorney review the rent roll, notices and local coverage for your building before you close. When you are ready to look at Marin buildings, start with our investor services.

Sources & notes

Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.