Marin County Horse Properties for Sale

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

Most Marin County horse properties are on unincorporated land in West and North Marin, where the County of Marin Development Code (Title 22) decides whether you can keep horses. In the county’s agricultural districts (A2, A3 to A60 and ARP), horses and equestrian facilities are listed as principally permitted. In most residential districts they depend on a Use Permit or the criteria in Section 22.32.030. Confirm the zoning district and whether the parcel is in a city or in the coastal zone before you price a barn or arena into the deal.

At a glance

Where to look in Marin County

Horse-friendly parcels are mostly in the unincorporated valleys and coastal ranchlands, not in the city grids along Highway 101. Start with the Marin County real estate hub, then narrow by area:

• Nicasio Valley. Open grazing land and ranch parcels; see Nicasio real estate.
• San Geronimo Valley. Larger lots and hillside parcels around San Geronimo homes for sale, Woodacre real estate, Lagunitas real estate and Forest Knolls real estate. Many lots here are small or steep, so the zoning district matters more than the address. Our San Geronimo private road guide covers access questions.
• West Marin coast and Tomales Bay. Ranch and agricultural parcels near Point Reyes real estate, Olema real estate, Inverness real estate, Marshall real estate, Tomales real estate and Dillon Beach real estate. Much of this area is in the coastal zone, which has separate coastal zoning districts and permits under the Local Coastal Program.
• North Marin. Unincorporated land around Novato real estate and Lucas Valley-Marinwood real estate. Parcels inside Novato city limits follow the City of Novato’s zoning, not the county’s.

For how we compare Marin towns by housing type, jurisdiction and services, see our where to live in Marin County guide.

What to check before you buy

Zoning district and animal-keeping rules

The county’s land use tables (Development Code Article II) list "Horses, donkeys, mules, ponies," "Livestock operations, large animals" and "Equestrian facilities" as separate uses. In the A2, A3 to A60 and ARP agricultural districts, those uses are shown as principally permitted, with Section 22.32.030 (Animal Keeping) setting the standards. Livestock sales yards, feed lots and stockyards need a Use Permit even in agricultural districts.

Residential districts are different. Horses appear as either permitted or Use Permit depending on Section 22.32.030 in RA, RR, RE, R1, RSP, R2 and RMP, and large-animal livestock is limited to RA and RE (plus RSP and RMP on sites of 3 acres or more). Equestrian facilities need a Use Permit in RA and are not listed in RR, RE or R1. The county code’s footnotes are numbered inconsistently in the published tables, so ask the Marin County Community Development Agency to confirm the use for your specific parcel and district before you remove contingencies.

What to request from the seller and the county:

1. The zoning district and any combining district (for example a "-B" lot-size suffix), from the county parcel record.
2. Permits for every barn, stall, arena and shed. Our Marin property access and improvement review explains how to compare built improvements against permit history.
3. Any existing Use Permit for boarding, lessons or an equestrian facility, including its conditions and whether it runs with the land.

Coastal zone and agricultural easements

West Marin parcels in the coastal zone follow the Local Coastal Program, not only Title 22, and may need a coastal permit for new barns, fencing or grading. Many ranches also carry agricultural conservation easements or Williamson Act contracts that limit new structures and divisions. Read the preliminary title report for recorded easements early; our Williamson Act guide explains how those contracts affect use and taxes.

Water, septic and wells

Horses need reliable water, and most rural Marin horse properties rely on a private well, a spring or a small water system. Order a well yield and water-quality test, and read our guides on Marin County septic systems and well and septic inspections in Napa and Marin before you write the offer.

If the property diverts water from a creek or a spring that flows off the parcel, ask for the seller’s water-right records. Under Water Code section 5101, most surface-water diverters must file an annual Statement of Water Diversion and Use with the State Water Resources Control Board. The Board exempts some small springs (under 25 acre-feet per year that do not flow off the property) and uses already covered by a registration, permit or license.

Fire hazard, insurance and evacuation with animals

Much of rural Marin is in mapped fire hazard severity zones. Check the parcel’s zone and line up insurance early (see our North Bay fire hazard severity zone guide and homeowners insurance during escrow).

For horses, Fire Safe Marin’s equine planning page recommends an evacuation kit for each horse and directs owners to emergency.marincounty.gov for current alerts. It also notes that the Marin Horse Council runs an equine evacuation program. The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s disaster preparedness guide for horse owners adds that owners should have trailers ready, practice loading, arrange more than one destination and evacuate early. Ask how a trailer gets out on the road you’d use: a narrow private road can change the plan.

Trails and riding near Marin horse properties

Point Reyes National Seashore allows horses and pack animals on most established trails and beaches, but not off-trail. The Five Brooks and Bear Valley trailheads are common starting points, and a private stable operates at Five Brooks. The park closes parts of the Bear Valley Trail and the Meadow and Old Pine Trails to horses on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Grazing is not allowed, and riders must bring weed-free feed. Backcountry camps that allow horses need a permit. The park lists temporary trail closures on the same page, so check it before planning a ride.

The Marin County Parks open space preserves also have multi-use fire roads. Rules differ by preserve, so check the preserve map for each trailhead you’d ride from.

Questions people ask

Can I keep a horse on a residential lot in unincorporated Marin?

Sometimes. The county’s land use tables list horses as permitted or Use Permit, depending on Section 22.32.030 criteria, in the RA, RR, RE, R1, RSP, R2 and RMP districts. They are not listed in RX or RF. Lot size and the specific standards decide which applies, so confirm with the Community Development Agency for the parcel.

Which Marin zoning districts allow horses by right?

The A2, A3 to A60 and ARP agricultural districts list horses, large-animal livestock, grazing and (with a note in A3 to A60) equestrian facilities as principally permitted. The standards in Section 22.32.030 still apply.

Do county rules apply in Novato, San Rafael or Fairfax?

No. Title 22 covers unincorporated Marin. Inside a city limit, that city’s municipal code sets animal-keeping rules, so check the city code before you rely on a mailing address.

Does a barn need a permit in Marin?

Expect to need building and possibly coastal permits for new structures, and verify permits for existing ones. Agricultural accessory structures are a listed use in the agricultural districts, but that doesn’t waive building, grading or coastal review.

Can I board other people’s horses?

A commercial equestrian facility is a separate use in the county tables. It’s listed as permitted in the agricultural districts (with a Conditional or Temporary Use Permit note in A3 to A60) and needs a Use Permit in RA. Ask whether the seller holds a Use Permit and what its conditions are.

Where can I ride in West Marin?

Point Reyes National Seashore allows horses on most established trails and beaches, with weekend and holiday closures on some Bear Valley-area trails. County open space preserves have their own posted rules.

What should I plan for horses in a wildfire?

Have a kit, ID and records for each horse, keep trailers fueled, practice loading and know more than one destination, as CDFA recommends. Sign up for alerts through emergency.marincounty.gov.

Sources & notes

1. County of Marin Development Code, Title 22, Article II land use tables and Section 22.32.030 (Animal Keeping). Read via the Zoneomics mirror of Article II. Confirm the current text on the official Marin County Code or with the Community Development Agency. The published table footnotes are inconsistent, so treat footnote-dependent uses as "confirm with the county."
2. National Park Service, Horse Riding at Point Reyes National Seashore.
3. Fire Safe Marin, Equine emergency planning and response in Marin County.
4. California Department of Food and Agriculture, Disaster Preparedness for Horse Owners.
5. State Water Resources Control Board, Statements of Water Diversion and Use; Water Code §5101.

This page doesn’t state Section 22.32.030’s numeric setbacks or animal limits, because we couldn’t open the section text itself. Ask the county for the current standards. General information, not legal advice. Updated November 2026. Primary sources are linked in this guide.

Related: Marin County homes for sale · Where to live in Marin County · Marin County land for sale · Woodside residential and equestrian property · Equestrian, ranch and acreage properties in Sonoma County