MarinCountyGuide

Top 10 Best Property Managers in Marin County, California (Updated 2026)

This list shows the best property managers near you in Marin County, California, with the address, phone number and website for each.

By town

California has no separate property manager license. A person who leases homes or collects rent for an owner, for pay, needs a real estate broker license from the state Department of Real Estate (DRE), or a salesperson license under a broker. A Marin County owner should check that license on the DRE lookup and ask about the trust account for rents and deposits. More than one in three occupied homes in Marin County are rented, according to the Census Bureau.

Property managers need a real estate broker license

California does not issue a property manager license. The Department of Real Estate (DRE) says there is no "property manager" or "property management" license in the state, and that the manager's activities decide whether a real estate license is needed.

A real estate broker license is required for anyone who, for compensation and on behalf of someone else, leases or rents property, offers it for rent, solicits tenants, negotiates leases or collects rents. A licensed salesperson may do the same work, but only under the supervision of a broker of record. Real estate agents hold the same license, and both sit in the directory's real estate section.

More than one in three occupied homes in Marin County are rented, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, table B25003.

Who can manage rental property without a license

The exceptions come from Business and Professions Code section 10131.01 and a DRE alert on rental management.

Who Why no license is needed
An owner managing their own property The owner is not acting for another person for compensation
The resident manager of an apartment building or complex, and that manager's employees Exempt by statute
A person arranging stays of 30 days or less in a home, condo or apartment The transient occupancy exemption
Employees of a firm hired to manage an apartment building, supervised by a broker They may show units, accept applications, deposits, rents and signed leases, and quote rents from a schedule

How to check a property manager's license

Search the manager's name or license ID on the DRE public license lookup, or call DRE at (877) 373-4542. DRE's Quick Guide for Landlords Hiring a Property Manager lists what to confirm before you sign.

  1. The license status reads "Licensed".
  2. An agent with a salesperson license works for a broker.
  3. You have looked into any disciplinary action or restrictions on the license.
  4. The manager has a trust account for security deposits and rents that are not held in escrow or given directly to you.
  5. The management agreement requires monthly accounting reports and has a clear termination date.

Building permits for repair work come from the city or town where the property is, or from the County of Marin for unincorporated areas, as listed on the government page.

How a property manager must handle rents and deposits

Rents and deposits belong to other people, and the law treats them as trust funds. Under Business and Professions Code section 10145, a broker who accepts funds belonging to others must place them in a neutral escrow, hand them to the broker's principal, or deposit them in a trust fund account at a bank or recognized depository in California. The money stays there until paid out on the instructions of the person entitled to it.

Commingling a client's money with the broker's own is grounds for suspending or revoking a license. Brokers must keep trust records for three years, and DRE can audit them.

Resident manager rule for buildings with 16 or more units

Title 25, section 42 of the California Code of Regulations requires a manager, janitor, housekeeper or other responsible person to live on the premises of every apartment house with 16 or more apartments when the owner does not.

An apartment house with more than four but fewer than 16 apartments must instead post the name and address of the owner, or of the owner's agent in charge, if the owner lives elsewhere.

State rent cap, just cause and security deposit rules

A property manager applies these Civil Code rules for the owner. Only state law is covered here.

Rule What the statute says
Rent cap, section 1947.12 Over any 12-month period, rent may not rise more than 5 percent plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower, measured from the lowest rent charged in the prior 12 months.
Just cause, section 1946.2 After a tenant has continuously and lawfully lived in the unit for 12 months, the owner may not end the tenancy without just cause stated in the written notice. A no-fault cause requires a payment of one month's rent or a waiver of the final month's rent.
Security deposit, section 1950.5 No more than one month's rent, on top of the first month's rent. The itemized statement and any refund are due no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out.

For Marin County, the cost of living measure is the Consumer Price Index for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area. The rent cap and just cause rules do not apply to housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years. A single-family home or condominium is also exempt when the owner is not a corporation, a real estate investment trust or an LLC with a corporate member, and the tenant was given the required written notice. Both sections carry a built-in repeal date, so read the current text before relying on them.

The deposit limit is two months' rent for a small landlord, meaning a natural person, or an LLC whose members are all natural persons, who owns no more than two rental properties with no more than four units. The higher limit does not apply when the tenant is a service member. For a dispute over a specific tenancy, the directory lists attorneys.

Questions about property managers in Marin County

Who licenses property managers in California?

The California Department of Real Estate (DRE). The state has no property manager or property management license. Leasing, offering places for rent, soliciting tenants and collecting rent for someone else, for compensation, are acts that require a real estate broker license, so DRE licenses and disciplines the people who do them.

Does a property manager need a license in California?

Yes, a real estate broker license, if the manager leases, rents, solicits tenants or collects rent for another person for compensation. A licensed salesperson can do this work only under a broker's supervision. Owners managing their own property and resident managers of apartment buildings do not need a license.

How do I check a property manager's license?

Look up the person or company on the DRE public license lookup, or call DRE at (877) 373-4542. DRE tells owners to make sure the license status is Licensed, that a salesperson works for a broker, and to look into any prior disciplinary action or restrictions on the license.

How do I file a complaint against a property manager in California?

File a written complaint with the Department of Real Estate on form RE 519 or through its Enforcement Online Complaint System. DRE suggests a complaint when rent checks from the manager are consistently late or short, or a check bounces, because there may be issues that warrant an audit.

Does an apartment building in California need an on-site manager?

State housing regulations require a manager, janitor, housekeeper or other responsible person to live on the premises of every apartment house with 16 or more apartments when the owner does not live there. Buildings with more than four but fewer than 16 apartments must post the owner's or agent's name and address.

How much can rent be raised in a year in California?

For housing covered by Civil Code section 1947.12, no more than 5 percent plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower, over any 12-month period. The law has exemptions, including housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years.

How this list is put together

Listings come from public business profiles and from businesses that add themselves. We leave out profiles that show signs of being lead-generation fronts and not local firms, and businesses that have closed. Listings marked "Claimed" are run by the business itself, which checked its own details, and they appear first. If your business is missing, add it here.

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