Tiny House
A very small dwelling, defined in the model International Residential Code as 400 square feet or less excluding lofts, built either on a permanent foundation or on a wheeled trailer.
What Is a Tiny House?
A tiny house is a complete, very small home, usually with a kitchen, a bathroom, and often a sleeping loft. The term is informal, but the model International Residential Code (IRC), which the International Code Council says is in use or adopted in 49 states, has included an optional appendix on tiny houses since its 2018 edition. That appendix defines a tiny house as a dwelling of 400 square feet or less in floor area, excluding lofts.
The appendix relaxes some rules that are hard to meet in a small space. It covers ceiling heights, compact stairs and ladders to lofts, guards, and emergency escape openings. It applies only where a state or local government has adopted it.
How Tiny Houses Work
How a tiny house is regulated depends mostly on whether it sits on a foundation or on wheels.
| On a foundation | On wheels | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical standard | Local building code (and the tiny house appendix, if adopted) | Often built to recreational vehicle (RV) standards |
| Legal status | A permanent dwelling, subject to zoning | Often a vehicle; long-term occupancy set by local rules |
| Common uses | Backyard units, small-home clusters | Mobile living, RV parks, some backyard placements |
Federal rules exempt recreational vehicles from the HUD manufactured housing code if they are designed only for recreational use, not as a primary residence, and are either self-propelled or built and certified to a recognized RV standard. In a 2018 rule, HUD said regulating how people use and occupy RVs is up to state and local authorities, not HUD. Some states have built their own category. Colorado, for example, separates state-approved “Tiny Homes” on a permanent chassis, which it approves for long-term living, from “Tiny Houses.”
A tiny house on a foundation can sometimes serve as an accessory dwelling unit where local rules allow.
Criticisms and Limitations
- Land and zoning. Minimum house sizes, minimum lot sizes, and limits on living in RVs can rule tiny houses out entirely.
- Cost per square foot. A kitchen and bathroom cost about the same in any size home, so small homes can cost more per square foot even when the total price is lower.
- Financing. A tiny house on wheels is often treated as a vehicle rather than real estate, so it may not qualify for a conventional home mortgage.
- Household fit. A home of 400 square feet or less suits one or two people more readily than a family with children.
Sources
- 2018 International Residential Code, Appendix Q: Tiny Houses, as adopted in the 2019 California Residential Code (UpCodes) (opens in a new tab)
- International Code Council — 2018 International Residential Code: overview and adoptions (opens in a new tab)
- 24 CFR § 3282.15 — Exemption for recreational vehicles (Cornell LII) (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Register — HUD final rule clarifying the exemption for recreational vehicles (November 16, 2018) (opens in a new tab)
- Colorado Division of Housing — Tiny Homes and Tiny Houses (opens in a new tab)
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