Yosemite National Park’s primary southern gateway, Mariposa town’s Gold Rush heritage, severe wildfire risk, and a recreation-dominated rental market where AB 1482 applies with no standalone MSA CPI
📍 County Seat: Mariposa — Mariposa County Superior Court 👥 ~17K residents — California’s 50th most populous county ⚖️ Superior Court • 5088 Bullion St, Mariposa, CA 95338
Mariposa County is the southern gateway county to Yosemite National Park, with the Big Oak Flat and El Portal entrances accessible via Highway 140 through the Merced River canyon — the primary year-round western approach to Yosemite. The county seat and only incorporated city is Mariposa, a small community of roughly 2,000 in the foothills that is one of California’s best-preserved Gold Rush towns. El Portal, inside the park boundary at the park’s western entrance, provides housing for NPS and concessionaire staff. The county’s population of roughly 17,000 makes it one of California’s smallest.
Mariposa County’s economy is almost entirely Yosemite-dependent: NPS employment, concessionaire operations, gateway hospitality, and the service and retail economy that supports Yosemite visitors. The county experienced severe wildfire events including portions of the 2013 Rim Fire (in adjacent Tuolumne County, affecting Mariposa’s Highway 120 corridor) and the 2018 Ferguson Fire that burned through the Merced River canyon near El Portal. Wildfire risk throughout the county is severe; insurance availability is constrained. No rent control; AB 1482; no standalone MSA CPI.
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
Mariposa
Population
~17K
Top Employers
NPS / Yosemite National Park, Aramark (Yosemite concessionaire), county government, retail/service (Mariposa town), tourism/hospitality
Median Rent
~$1,000–$1,500/mo; extremely limited inventory near Yosemite
County-Wide Rent Control
None — AB 1482 is the primary framework
AB 1482 CPI Index
No standalone MSA — verify applicable BLS index before any rent increase
Penal Code § 396: 10% cap during declared emergencies
Security Deposit Cap
1 month’s rent (Civil Code § 1950.5)
Deposit Return
21 calendar days with itemized statement
Court Filing
Mariposa County Superior Court — 5088 Bullion St, Mariposa, CA 95338
Mariposa County — State Law & Local Highlights
Topic
Rule / Notes
AB 1482 Coverage & CPI Index
Most Mariposa County rental housing built before 2010 and not otherwise exempt is subject to AB 1482’s 5%+CPI rent cap (max 10%) and just-cause eviction after 12 months. Mariposa County has no standalone BLS MSA. Verify the applicable CPI index with HCD guidance or a licensed California attorney before any AB 1482 rent increase. Key exemptions: units built within 15 years, SFRs/condos without corporate ownership (written notice required), owner-occupied duplexes. Expires January 1, 2030.
No Local Rent Control
No rent control in Mariposa County or any city within it as of early 2026. AB 1482 is the sole regulatory framework for eligible units throughout the county.
Yosemite Gateway Economy
Mariposa County’s rental market is almost entirely driven by Yosemite National Park. NPS employees, Aramark concessionaire staff, and the broader hospitality and service workforce that supports Yosemite visitors constitute the primary tenant pool. NPS employment is stable federal W-2 income. Concessionaire employees and hospitality workers may have seasonally variable income; annual W-2 or tax return documentation is appropriate. Long-term rental inventory near El Portal and the Merced River corridor is severely constrained — most housing in the immediate park area is NPS or concessionaire-provided.
🔥 Wildfire Risk & 2018 Ferguson Fire
Mariposa County has severe wildfire risk throughout its Sierra Nevada foothill and mountain terrain. The 2018 Ferguson Fire burned through the Merced River canyon near El Portal and the Yosemite western approach, forcing park closure during peak summer visitation. Civil Code § 1941.8 disaster remediation obligations apply to properties in fire-affected areas. Insurance availability in Mariposa County is severely constrained; verify fire coverage annually. FAIR Plan plus DIC supplemental coverage is the standard approach for properties without standard carrier coverage.
El Portal & NPS Housing
El Portal, inside the Yosemite park boundary, is the park’s administrative and employee housing community. Most housing in El Portal is NPS-provided. Private rental properties in El Portal are extremely rare. The primary private rental market in the county is in Mariposa town and the foothill communities along Highway 140.
SFR Exemption & Deposit Cap
SFR/condo exemption from AB 1482 requires written notice in every eligible lease. Security deposit capped at 1 month’s rent (Civil Code § 1950.5; eff. July 1, 2024). Return within 21 days with itemized statement.
Last verified: March 2026
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AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act) requires just cause for evictions of tenants in place 12+ months. 3-day notice can only include rent - no late fees, utilities, or other charges. AB 2347 (eff. Jan 2025/2026) doubled tenant response time from 5 to 10 business days. Notice excludes weekends and court holidays.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Superior Court (Unlawful Detainer). Pay the filing fee (~$385-435).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about California eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified California attorney or local legal aid organization.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Underground Landlord
🏘️ Communities & Screening Tips
CPI index verification: No standalone MSA. Verify applicable BLS index with HCD or an attorney before any AB 1482 rent increase.
NPS employees: Stable federal W-2 income. Standard qualification. Most reliable income profiles available in the county.
Aramark and concessionaire staff: Annual W-2 or tax return for seasonal workers. Park concessionaire operations peak in summer; annual documentation provides the reliable full-year income picture.
Mariposa town service workers: County government and local retail/service workers: stable W-2 income; standard qualification.
Wildfire zone properties: Most Mariposa County residential properties are in high or very high FHSZ areas. Verify fire insurance annually. FAIR Plan + DIC supplemental is standard. Maintain rent records as price gouging baseline.
Very limited inventory: Long-term rental supply near Yosemite is extremely constrained. Application pools are competitive even at a county this size.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Mariposa County Landlord-Tenant Law: Yosemite’s Southern Gateway and California’s Most Park-Dependent Rental Market
Mariposa County has perhaps the most singular economic identity of any California county: it exists, in economic terms, as the southern approach to Yosemite National Park. Almost everything that drives the county’s rental market — NPS employment, Aramark concessionaire operations, highway hospitality, service and retail support for millions of annual visitors — connects directly back to the park. The county seat of Mariposa preserves Gold Rush heritage in its Victorian storefronts and the California State Mining and Mineral Museum, but the economic present is Yosemite, and Yosemite is the lens through which Mariposa County landlords should understand their market.
The NPS and Concessionaire Workforce
Yosemite National Park employs hundreds of NPS staff in permanent and seasonal positions, ranging from rangers and law enforcement to administrative and maintenance workers. Most NPS employees in permanent positions have stable federal W-2 income at GS pay scales that are reliable and well-documented. Aramark, the park’s concessionaire operator, employs additional workers in hotel, dining, retail, and activity operations; these positions have more seasonal income variability concentrated in summer peak season, making annual W-2 or tax return documentation the appropriate standard.
The most important geographic fact for Mariposa County landlords is that most housing immediately adjacent to the park — particularly in El Portal — is NPS or concessionaire-provided. The private rental market is centered in Mariposa town and the Highway 140 corridor communities, which serve both the park workforce and the county’s own residential population.
Wildfire Risk and the Ferguson Fire
The 2018 Ferguson Fire burned through the Merced River canyon near El Portal during peak summer season, forcing a weeks-long Yosemite closure that devastated the county’s tourism-dependent economy and triggered disaster law obligations for properties in the fire-affected corridor. Mariposa County’s foothill and mountain terrain carries severe wildfire risk; virtually all non-valley residential communities are in high or very high fire hazard severity zones. Insurance market deterioration mirrors what is described for Tuolumne, Calaveras, and other Sierra foothill counties. Verify fire insurance annually.
This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Mariposa County has no standalone BLS MSA — verify the applicable CPI index for AB 1482 with HCD guidance or a licensed attorney. Civil Code § 1941.8 applies to fire-affected properties; Penal Code § 396 applies during declared emergencies. No local rent control as of early 2026. Unlawful detainer filed at Mariposa County Superior Court, 5088 Bullion St, Mariposa, CA 95338. Security deposit cap: 1 month’s rent (effective July 1, 2024). AB 1482 expires January 1, 2030. Consult a licensed California attorney. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Mariposa County has no standalone BLS MSA — verify the applicable CPI index for AB 1482 with HCD guidance or a licensed attorney before any rent increase. No local rent control as of early 2026. Unlawful detainer filed at Mariposa County Superior Court, 5088 Bullion St, Mariposa, CA 95338. Security deposit cap: 1 month’s rent (effective July 1, 2024). AB 1482 rent cap: 5%+CPI (verify index), max 10%. Just cause after 12 months. Expires January 1, 2030. Consult a licensed California attorney. Last updated: March 2026.
