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Marin County, California

Insurers that price wildfire risk must give discounts for listed hardening work, sellers in fire zones must disclose vents, gutters, and the first 5 ft, and several fire districts help pay for the work.

Insurance
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Grants, rebates, and tax breaks
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Rules for homeowners
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Free help
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Insurance

Rules that make insurers count mitigation, and the certification many of them recognize.

Insurance ruleIn effectReady to proceed

Safer from Wildfires

California. California Department of Insurance

Insurers that use wildfire risk models must give discounts for ten listed mitigation actions, in three layers: the house, the yard and first 5 ft, and the neighborhood.

The Department of Insurance says insurers must offer discounts from 4% to 40% for these actions, largest for the highest-risk homes (briefing, March 2026).

Ready to proceed. It applies to insurers in your state. Keep the record of the work.

Work it may recognize
Vents and the first 5 ft around the house
Details and how to use it
Details
House layer: Class A roof (not wood shake), ember- and fire-resistant vents with fine metal mesh, 6 in of noncombustible material at the base of exterior walls, enclosed eaves, upgraded windows (multi-pane or shutters). Yard layer: 5 ft ember-resistant zone including replacing wood fencing attached to the house with metal, cleared vegetation and debris under decks, combustible sheds and outbuildings moved at least 30 ft away, state and local defensible space met. Community layer: Firewise USA site or Fire Risk Reduction Community. Gutters and garage seals are not on the list.
How
Do the actions and keep dated photos and receipts. Send your insurer, or the FAIR Plan, the list with proof, and ask it to apply the Safer from Wildfires discounts and review your wildfire score. Ask what proof it accepts.
We prepare
Mitigation record and Request for a mitigation review

Official source: California Department of InsuranceChecked Nov 3, 2026.

CertificationOpenReady to proceed

Wildfire Prepared Home

Nationwide. Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)

A certification from the insurance industry’s research institute that a house meets its wildfire standard. An evaluator visits and documents the work, and many insurers in the states where it’s offered recognize it.

Discounts vary by insurer and state and aren’t guaranteed. A designation lasts 3 years, with a yearly photo review to keep it active.

Ready to proceed. It applies to insurers in your state. Keep the record of the work.

Work it may recognize
Vents, gutters and gutter guards, and the first 5 ft around the house
You’ll need
A fee and a yearly review
Details and how to use it
Details
Essential, the ember level, also asks for a Class A roof and 6 in of noncombustible wall base. Enhanced adds gutter guards, enclosed eaves, tempered windows, and noncombustible siding and decks. Garage doors aren’t named.
How
Do the work with the How-To Prepare checklist, then apply online with photos of every side of the house and the 0 to 5 ft zone. An evaluator visits; if something falls short, you have 60 days to fix it and send photos.
We prepare
Certification checklist and Mitigation record

Official source: Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)Checked Nov 3, 2026.

Grants, rebates, and tax breaks

Money back for work on your house. Read what each one needs before you buy.

GrantCheck statusApply before buying

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority resident grants

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority member area (most of Marin County). Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (Measure C)

Reimburses residents for vents, metal gutters and guards, fence transitions, and Zone 0 and Zone 1 clearing that their Wildfire Risk Report flags. Funded by the Measure C parcel tax.

Up to $2,500 per parcel with no resident match required; lifetime maximum of $15,000 across MWPA assistance programs (FY 2024-25 page; current-year figures not posted).

Apply before buying. It wants an assessment before you buy parts or start work.

Work it may recognize
Vents, gutters and gutter guards, and the first 5 ft around the house
You’ll need
An assessment before the work, itemized receipts, before and after photos, and a home inside the program’s boundary
Details and how to claim
Details
Fire-resistant vents with 1/8 in or finer screening; metal gutters and gutter guards (combustible gutters may be upgraded to metal first); a noncombustible gate or fence section attached to the house; hazardous vegetation in Zone 0 and Zone 1 (first 30 ft) as listed in the Wildfire Risk Report. Garage door seals are not listed. Equipment purchases are not eligible. Same work cannot be funded by both MWPA and a local agency grant.
How
Get a full evaluation so the risk shows in your Wildfire Risk Report, then apply from the report with an estimate or proof of payment. After approval (within 2 weeks), finish work and send itemized invoices, proof of payment, after photos, and the signed agreement within 6 weeks.
We prepare
Grant or rebate packet and Mitigation record

Official source: Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (Measure C)Checked Nov 3, 2026. Figures for FY 2024-25.

GrantCheck statusApply before buying

San Rafael Fire wildfire mitigation grants

City of San Rafael. San Rafael Fire Department, with Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority

Reimbursement grants for San Rafael residents, paying 100% for vents, gutter guards, Zone Zero clearing, and fence transitions, and 50% for some larger hardening work. Use either the city or MWPA grant for a given project, not both.

FY 2025-26: vents and gutter guards 100% up to $2,500; Zone Zero clearance 100% up to $1,000; fence or gate transition 100% up to $1,000; parallel wood fence within 5 ft up to $2,000 per shared line; wood shake roof 50% up to $7,500; Tier 2 hardening 50% up to $1,000; Quick-Fix $250 flat. Up to $15,000 per parcel over the 10-year tax measure.

Apply before buying. It wants an assessment before you buy parts or start work.

Work it may recognize
Vents, gutters and gutter guards, and the first 5 ft around the house
You’ll need
An assessment before the work, itemized receipts, before and after photos, and a home inside the program’s boundary
Details and how to claim
Details
Vents and gutter guards are paid only if Tier 1 vegetation items are done and Zone Zero is clear. Approval first is required for decks, siding, and Tier 2 hardening, and recommended for larger projects. A garage door battery backup is covered up to $200; garage door seals aren’t mentioned. The 100% share and $2,500 cap shown are for vents and gutter guards.
How
Get a full defensible space evaluation (within 1 year of applying), do the work, then apply in the grant portal with itemized invoice, W-9, proof of payment, photos, and the signed agreement. Preapproval is required for decks and siding and recommended for larger projects; contractors must be registered with the city.
We prepare
Grant or rebate packet and Mitigation record

Official source: San Rafael Fire Department, with Marin Wildfire Prevention AuthorityChecked Nov 3, 2026. Figures for FY 2025-26.

GrantCheck statusApply before buying

Sleepy Hollow 2026 Zone Zero pilot

Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District. Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District

Free removal of vegetation and combustibles within 5 ft of structures, plus free vent inspection and ember-resistant mesh installation when needed, done by licensed local contractors. Applications opened May 15, 2026, first come first served.

Vegetation removal and vent mesh work are free; noncombustible ground cover (cloth, gravel, stone) is offered at a discount.

Apply before buying. It wants an assessment before you buy parts or start work.

Work it may recognize
Vents and the first 5 ft around the house
You’ll need
An assessment before the work and a home inside the program’s boundary
Details and how to claim
Details
Participants must accept both the vegetation removal and the vent work.
How
Apply online from the district page and agree to a full property inspection by Marin Wildfire or district staff, with a Wildfire Risk Report. Email [email protected] with questions; wait about 2 weeks before following up.
We prepare
Grant or rebate packet and Mitigation record

Official source: Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection DistrictChecked Nov 3, 2026. Figures for 2026.

GrantCheck statusConfirm your property’s eligibility

California Safe Homes grant program (AB 888)

California. California Department of Insurance

A new state grant law (effective Jan 1, 2026) to help low-income homeowners with roof replacement and a 5 ft noncombustible zone. Owners must be insured by an admitted insurer or the FAIR Plan. CDI is still setting up applications and amounts.

Amounts not yet set; the state budget gave $3 million to start the program (CalMatters, Jan 2026). Funds depend on appropriation.

Confirm your property’s eligibility. It needs a home in a mapped hazard zone and household income under its limit. Check your address on the official page.

Work it may recognize
The first 5 ft around the house
You’ll need
An income limit and a home in a mapped hazard zone
Details and how to claim
Details
Priority uses in the statute: (1) roof replacement to Safer from Wildfires standards, (2) a 5 ft noncombustible zone around the structure, (3) community projects. Some news reports say vents and gutter guards may be included; not confirmed in the statute text we read.
How
Watch the CDI site for the application portal (expected spring 2026, not confirmed open). Expect to show income at or below the county low-income limit, an admitted-insurer or FAIR Plan policy, and that your ZIP overlaps a high or very high fire hazard zone.
We prepare
Grant or rebate packet and Mitigation record

Official source: California Department of InsuranceChecked Nov 3, 2026. From secondary sources, so confirm on the official page.

Rules for homeowners

What you may owe when you sell, rebuild, or keep up the ground around the house.

When you sellIn effect

Home hardening disclosure when you sell (Civil Code 1102.6f)

California. California Legislature (Civil Code); enforced through real estate transactions

Sellers of homes built before Jan 1, 2010 in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone must give buyers a notice listing vulnerable features. Since July 1, 2025 they must also give the state low-cost retrofit list and say which retrofits they completed while they owned the home.

Asks about
Vents, gutters and gutter guards, and the first 5 ft around the house
You’ll need
A home in a mapped hazard zone
Details and how to comply
Details
Features to disclose: eave, soffit, and roof vents with openings over 1/8 in or not flame and ember resistant; rain gutters without metal or noncombustible covers; combustible landscaping or materials within 5 ft of the home and under an attached deck. Also untreated wood shingle or shake roofs, single-pane or non-tempered windows, and loose or missing bird stopping or roof flashing. A seller with a final defensible space inspection report must give a copy or say where to get it.
How
Before listing, check whether the home is in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone and was built before 2010. Note which listed features exist and which low-cost retrofits you completed, with dates and receipts, and give the buyer the notice and retrofit list.
We prepare
Seller disclosure worksheet and Mitigation record

Official source: California Legislature (Civil Code); enforced through real estate transactionsChecked Nov 3, 2026.

When you sellIn effect

Defensible space papers when you sell (AB 38)

California. California Legislature (Civil Code); local fire agencies and CAL FIRE do the inspections

Since July 1, 2021, sellers in high or very high fire hazard severity zones must give buyers documentation that the property meets defensible space rules (PRC 4291 or the local vegetation ordinance). If the seller has none, buyer and seller sign an agreement that the buyer will get it.

You’ll need
A home in a mapped hazard zone and an assessment before the work
Details and how to comply
Details
The statute names defensible space compliance, not specific projects. Defensible space under PRC 4291 includes the 5 ft ember-resistant zone once the Zone 0 regulations take effect.
How
Request a defensible space inspection from your local fire agency or CAL FIRE; where no local ordinance applies, the documentation must be from the 6 months before the sale. If you do not have it, sign a written agreement that the buyer will get it; where only a state or nonprofit inspection program applies, the buyer has 1 year after close of escrow.
We prepare
Mitigation record

Official source: California Legislature (Civil Code); local fire agencies and CAL FIRE do the inspectionsChecked Nov 3, 2026.

Required clearanceNot in effect yet

Zone 0 ember-resistant zone rules (AB 3074)

California. California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, enforced by CAL FIRE and local fire agencies

New statewide rules for the first 5 ft around homes and attached decks: no bark mulch, wood chips, firewood, dead plants, or new combustible fences in the zone. The Board approved them Aug 19, 2026; they take effect after Office of Administrative Law review and filing.

Asks about
The first 5 ft around the house and gutters and gutter guards
You’ll need
A home in a mapped hazard zone
Details and how to comply
Details
Within 5 ft: no bark mulch, wood chips, firewood, fallen leaves, or dead or dying plants; roofs and gutters kept clear of debris; no vegetation within 1 ft of walls (or to the eave edge if farther); no plants within 2 ft of windows, doors, and vents; no plants within 5 ft of an attached deck; a 5 ft noncombustible fence section where a fence meets the house, and no new combustible fences or gates in the zone; sheds in the zone need noncombustible walls and roof. Some maintained plants and trees may stay.
How
New construction must meet the rules once they take effect. Existing homes: within 3 years clear mulch, firewood, debris, dead plants, and gutters; within 5 years handle fences, gates, sheds, and the larger items, on the schedule your local agency sets.
We prepare
Mitigation record

Official source: California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, enforced by CAL FIRE and local fire agenciesChecked Nov 3, 2026. From secondary sources, so confirm on the official page.

Required clearanceIn effect

100 ft defensible space law (PRC 4291 and Gov Code 51182)

California. CAL FIRE in State Responsibility Areas; local fire agencies in Local Responsibility Area very high zones

Owners of structures in State Responsibility Areas must keep 100 ft of defensible space (not past the property line), with more intensive fuel reduction from 5 to 30 ft, a roof clear of leaves and needles, and no tree limbs within 10 ft of a chimney. Gov Code 51182 sets a similar rule in local Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.

Asks about
The first 5 ft around the house
You’ll need
A home in a mapped hazard zone
Details and how to comply
Details
The statute requires an ember-resistant zone within 5 ft of the structure (attached decks count as part of the structure), but that part applies only after the Board of Forestry regulations take effect for new structures, and 3 years later for existing ones. Also: roof kept clear of vegetative debris, dead wood removed from plants next to or over the house, limbs cut back 10 ft from chimneys.
How
Clear and space vegetation out to 100 ft and keep it maintained all year. CAL FIRE or your local fire agency inspects; uncorrected hazards can be cleared by the agency with the cost made a lien on the property.
We prepare
Mitigation record

Official source: CAL FIRE in State Responsibility Areas; local fire agencies in Local Responsibility Area very high zonesChecked Nov 3, 2026.

Free help

Assessments and services you don’t pay for.

Neighborhood programOpen

Firewise USA

Nationwide. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

A neighborhood program. Residents form a small board, get a risk assessment, write an action plan, and log the work they do each year to stay recognized. Some state insurance rules and some insurers count a recognized neighborhood.

Details and how to use it
Details
Community work: clearing, chipping days, and education. Your own retrofit work counts toward the neighborhood’s yearly total.
How
Look up recognized sites near you, or start one with your neighbors through NFPA’s Firewise USA portal. Your state forestry agency usually helps with the assessment.

Official source: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)Checked Nov 3, 2026.

In progress in California

Zone 0 rules: the Board of Forestry adopted them on August 19, 2026 and sent them to the Office of Administrative Law on August 28. We found no approval as of November 3, 2026. Once in effect, existing homes get 3 years for mulch, firewood, debris, and dead plants, and 5 years for fences, gates, and sheds. The Safe Homes grant (AB 888) took effect January 1, 2026 with $3 million to start; we couldn’t confirm applications have opened.

General information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Rules and funding change, so open the official page before you apply or buy for a program.