Bolthole Index

Marin County, California

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Corte Madera, California

The Town of Corte Madera, in Marin County, California, has its own zoning code, and its Town Building Division reviews building permit applications for work inside town limits12. Living in a camp car or trailer on any lot in town is unlawful3. Septic permits come from Marin County Environmental Health Services, not the town4.

At a glance

Zoning
Town of Corte Madera zoning code (Title 18), including R-1 residential districts1
Building permits
Town Building Division reviews applications; full rules for every project type unconfirmed2
Septic
Marin County Environmental Health Services4
Sewer connections
Written district permit required before connecting5
RV or trailer living
Unlawful on any lot in town3
Maximum height (R-1 and R-1-A)
30 feet67
Maximum lot coverage (R-1-A)
25 percent of site area8
Flood zones
Residential lowest floor at least 1 foot above base flood elevation in zones A, AE, V and VE9

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Corte Madera Building Division

Building permit applications, plan review, inspections and code enforcement inside Corte Madera town limits

415-927-5128

buildingpermit@cortemadera.gov

300 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera, CA 94925

Zoning

Town of Corte Madera Planning Division

Zoning ordinance, land use and design review applications inside Corte Madera town limits

415-927-5064

300 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera, CA 94925

Septic permits

Marin County Community Development Agency - Environmental Health Services

Septic systems and wells in Marin County

415-473-6907

3501 Civic Center Drive, Suite 236, San Rafael, CA 94903

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Corte Madera means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Corte Madera have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and lot rules?

Yes. The Town of Corte Madera, California adopts its own zoning code, Title 18 of the municipal code, with residential districts named R-1, R-1-A, R-1-B and R-1-C10. The Planning Division maintains the zoning ordinance and handles land use applications11.

Rules differ by district. In the R-1 district, no structure may exceed 30 feet in height6. In the R-1-A district, structures are also capped at 30 feet, and structures taller than three feet may cover no more than 25 percent of the site78.

RV living is not an option on a Corte Madera lot. Using or occupying a camp car or trailer for living or sleeping on any lot or parcel in the town is unlawful3. The same section rules out temporary camping in a trailer12. Whether tiny homes are allowed here we could not confirm; ask the Planning Division.

Do you need a building permit in Corte Madera, and who issues it?

Inside Corte Madera town limits, the Town of Corte Madera Building Division, not Marin County, reviews building permit applications and plans for compliance with state and local building codes2. The county's own building permit rules cover only unincorporated Marin County13.

We could not confirm which small projects the town exempts from a building permit, or the town's inspection and certificate-of-occupancy rules, so call the Building Division at 415-927-5128 before you assume any job is exempt2. Applications are submitted electronically by email to buildingpermit@cortemadera.gov2.

Owner-builders: California law has a contractor-licensing exemption for owners who build on their own property, but it concerns licensing and does not replace a town permit14. Ask the Building Division which permit types an owner-builder may take out.

How do septic permits and sewer connections work in Corte Madera?

Septic systems everywhere in Marin County are permitted through Marin County Environmental Health Services, which processes permits for new and replacement septic systems4. A septic construction permit is required before building a system, and the county inspects the work before it is covered1516.

Sewer connections are a separate process. Connecting to, altering or disturbing a district sewer requires a written permit from the district first, with fees, connection charges and deposits as required5. The district board sets those fees17. We could not confirm a general rule on when connection is mandatory; ask the sanitary district before you buy.

For a well, drilling requires a county permit from Environmental Health Services in unincorporated Marin; we could not confirm the rule inside the town, so ask18.

Building a home in Corte Madera: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your lot's zoning district, height and coverage limits with the Planning Division11.
  2. Check whether the lot lies in a special flood hazard area: new residential construction in zones A, AE, V and VE needs its lowest floor at least 1 foot above base flood elevation9.
  3. Ask the sanitary district for a sewer permit before any connection work5.
  4. Submit your building permit application by email to the Building Division2.
  5. Schedule inspections through the town's online inspection portal; phone requests were discontinued in 20242.
  6. If any septic or well work is involved, contact Marin County Environmental Health Services18.

What stays with Marin County, and what to check before you buy in Corte Madera

Marin County's rules for land outside town limits do not apply inside Corte Madera: the county's Title 22 Development Code covers unincorporated areas only19. For land outside the town, see the Marin County page.

What stays with the county is septic and well permitting through Environmental Health Services4. Also check short-term rental limits: in town, only owner-offered units that meet eligibility conditions can get a license, and the owner may not hold another licensed rental in town20.

The typical home value is about $1,504,466 and the median property tax bill is about $10,001 a year, at an effective rate of 0.7 percent212223. These figures are for Marin County as a whole.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm the town's complete building permit exemptions, inspection rules or certificate-of-occupancy rules; call the Building Division at 415-927-51282.
  • Accessory dwelling unit rules are unconfirmed; ask the Planning Division, since the town code points to a separate ADU chapter11.
  • Camp cars and trailers cannot be lived in on any Corte Madera lot, so an RV is not a workable stopgap while you build3.
  • The county's emergency RV and tiny-home allowance for people designated as homeless applies only in unincorporated Marin County, not inside Corte Madera24.

Sources

  1. Corte Madera Municipal Code § 18.08.220 (Town of Corte Madera), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Corte Madera Building Division (cortemadera.gov)
  3. Corte Madera Municipal Code § 9.24.030 (Town of Corte Madera), quoted and re-checked
  4. Septic systems/onsite wastewater treatment systems, quoted and re-checked
  5. Corte Madera Municipal Code § 21.28.010 (Town of Corte Madera), quoted and re-checked
  6. Corte Madera Municipal Code § 18.08.220 (Town of Corte Madera), quoted and re-checked
  7. Corte Madera Municipal Code § 18.08.320 (Town of Corte Madera), quoted and re-checked
  8. library.municode.com (Town of Corte Madera), quoted and re-checked
  9. Corte Madera Municipal Code § 16.10.080 (Town of Corte Madera), quoted and re-checked
  10. Corte Madera Municipal Code § 18.08.220 (Town of Corte Madera), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Corte Madera Planning Division (cortemadera.gov)
  12. Corte Madera Municipal Code § 9.24.030 (Town of Corte Madera), quoted and re-checked
  13. Do I need a building permit?, quoted and re-checked
  14. Owner-Builder Overview, quoted and re-checked
  15. Septic systems/onsite wastewater treatment systems, quoted and re-checked
  16. Septic systems/onsite wastewater treatment systems, quoted and re-checked
  17. Corte Madera Municipal Code § 21.28.010 (Town of Corte Madera), quoted and re-checked
  18. Marin County Community Development Agency - Environmental Health Services (marincounty.gov)
  19. Title 22 - Development Code, quoted and re-checked
  20. Corte Madera Municipal Code § 5.34.040 (Town of Corte Madera), quoted and re-checked
  21. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  22. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  24. County Declares Shelter Crisis to Provide Temporary Emergency Housing, quoted and re-checked

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Corte Madera

Town of Corte Madera’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Corte Madera town; the municipal code contains Title 18, Zoning, including R-1 zoning standards.

    “The "FAR" for an R-1 zoned lot is not intended as a target to be achieved, but rather is the maximum allowable for any lot.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Corte Madera town zoning districts, including R-1, R-1-A, R-1-B, and R-1-C residential districts.

    “The "FAR" for an R-1 zoned lot is not intended as a target to be achieved, but rather is the maximum allowable for any lot.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in the R-1-A Low-Density Residential District.

    • Coverage is measured under § 18.24.060 as cited by the ordinance.

    maximum lot coverage: 25 percent

    “As measured in accordance with Section 18.24.060 , no more than twenty-five percent of the total site area shall be covered by structures greater than three feet in height.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Structures in the R-1 Medium-Density Residential District.

    • Height is measured as defined in § 18.24.060.

    maximum structure height: <= 30 feet

    “No structures shall exceed thirty feet in height, as defined in Section 18.24.060 .”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Structures in the R-1-A Low-Density Residential District.
      “No structure shall exceed thirty feet in height, as measured in accordance with Section 18.24.060 .”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Using or occupying a camp car or trailer for living or sleeping purposes on any lot inside Corte Madera town.

    “It is unlawful for any person to use or occupy any camp car or trailer for living or sleeping purposes upon any lot, piece or parcel of land in the town.”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Temporary camping or sleeping in a camp car or trailer on any lot inside Corte Madera town.

    “It is unlawful for any person to use or occupy any camp car or trailer for living or sleeping purposes upon any lot, piece or parcel of land in the town.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    New construction and substantial improvements in special flood-hazard areas and shoreline areas exposed to direct tidal action inside Corte Madera town.

    • Residential construction must have the lowest floor, including basement, at least one foot above the applicable base-flood elevation in zones A, AE, V, and VE.
    • Nonresidential construction may use specified elevation or floodproofing alternatives.
    • Manufactured homes have additional anchoring and elevation requirements.
    • On-site waste-disposal systems must be located to avoid impairment or contamination during flooding.

    minimum elevation above base flood elevation: >= 1 foot (Residential construction in zones A, AE, V, and VE)

    “In all areas of special flood hazards and shoreline areas exposed to direct tidal action, the following standards shall be required:”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals of residential units inside Corte Madera town.

    • A short-term rental is a rental of all or part of a residential unit for 30 consecutive days or less.
    • Only owner-offered units meeting the eligibility conditions may obtain a license.
    • The owner may not own another property within the town with a valid short-term-rental license.
    • ADUs, junior ADUs, multifamily units, RVs, tents, yurts, treehouses, and several other property types are ineligible.

    maximum rental duration: <= 30 consecutive days

    “Only properties where all of the following conditions are met are eligible to obtain a short-term rental license:”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Corte Madera

Town of Corte Madera does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Connections to the district sewer serving land inside Corte Madera town limits.

    • A written district permit is required before making a connection, opening, use, alteration, or disturbance.
    • Fees, connection charges, and cash deposits may be required.
    • The source does not state a general mandatory-connection distance or availability rule.
    “No person shall uncover, make any connection with or opening into, use, alter, or disturb any district sewer or appurtenances or perform any work on any lateral, other type of sewer without first obtaining a written permit from the district, and paying all fees and connection charges and furnishing cash deposits as required therein”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Sewer permits and sewer construction work inside Corte Madera town limits.

    • The district board sets permit fees or deposits from time to time.
    • Deposits may cover plan checking, inspection, engineering, and legal work; final accounting may result in a refund or additional payment.
    “The board shall set those permit fees or the amount of deposits that shall be made by the permit applicant for issuance of all types of sewer permits issued by the district.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Corte Madera or Marin County directly.

  • Building permit — Building work inside Corte Madera town limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders performing construction inside Corte Madera town limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Corte Madera town limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Corte Madera town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Corte Madera town limits.
7 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Corte Madera publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Marin County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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