QUICK FACTS:
Are Tiny Houses Legal In Illinois: Yes
Tiny House Costs In Illinois: $40,000 – $100,000
Tiny House Friendly Cities: Evanston, Quincy, Elgin, Champaign
Bantam Built Elgin, Illinois
PRICE RANGE
$44,000-$100,000
Check out each tiny home’s dimensions, colorful photos, and features online to make an informed decision before you make a purchase of your own.
Switchgrass Tiny Homes Champaign, Illinois
PRICE RANGE
Contact for pricing information
Pin Oak Tiny Homes Fithian, Illinois
PRICE RANGE
Contact for pricing information
Pin Oak partners with buyers from the preconstruction planning to the finished product. You can look into the designs on its website.
Imperial Trailer Manufacturing & Sales Olney, Illinois
PRICE RANGE
$5,000-$10,000
Kate’s Kars and Trailer Sales Arthur, Illinois
PRICE RANGE
$4,000-$13,000
Funk’s Trailer Sales Morris, Illinois
PRICE RANGE
$2,000-$12,000
Tiny Houses For Sale In Illinois
Why live the tiny life in the great state of Illinois? There are many reasons why you should live tiny in Illinois including vibrant cities, diverse culture, and a rich foodie environment.
If you’re feeling inspired to try the tiny life but don’t feel ready to buy your own tiny house, check out these Airbnb listings:
Stelle Community
The Stelle community is rooted in a philosophy of community, cooperation, and democracy. In this intentional living community, residents have shared control of many infrastructures. You can join through their website. Residents share a community center, utilities, common grounds, greenbelts, parks, and roads.
Maybe you aren’t wanting to buy your own tiny house quite yet but are still looking to learn more about the tiny house social community. It might be worth your while to check out some of these groups around Illinois. I encourage you to look for your own social groups and comment your findings at the bottom of our page. Or better yet, start your own group and tell us about it!
Illinois Tiny House Co-mmunity
Illinois Tiny House Co-mmunity is a Facebook group for anyone who is interested in tiny houses. This group allows anyone to post and share ideas, materials and tools, and advice.
It welcomes anyone who wants to live in a tiny house on wheels, a shed conversion, a cabin, a bus conversion or skoolie, those going off grid, those looking for land, and more.
The Garden Clubs of Illinois
The Garden Clubs of Illinois is an organization whose members are dedicated to the conservation, beautification, and education in Illinois communities. There are over 7,000 members throughout the state.
Tiny house regulations in the state of Illinois are a little bit gray. The State leaves building and zoning laws up to each individual city and county when it comes to what is legal, but there are some statewide regulations worth observing.
Are Tiny Houses On Wheels Legal In Illinois?
In Illinois, tiny houses on wheels are classified as recreational vehicles. The State of Illinois allows tiny houses on wheels to be parked in campgrounds, in mobile home parks, and on private properties. Beyond that, individual counties have authority over where you can and cannot live in your tiny house on wheels full time.
Section 1-169 of The Illinois General Assembly explains regulations for every camping trailer, motor home, mini motor home, travel trailer, truck camper, or van camper used primarily for recreational purposes and not used commercially nor owned by a commercial business.
Are Tiny Houses On Foundation Legal In Illinois?
When it comes to tiny homes on foundation, the State of Illinois leaves all rules and regulations up to the individual cities and counties to decide what’s allowed. The State doesn’t use a statewide building code, and it has also not yet adopted Appendix Q via the IRC 2018.
Tiny House Laws in Key Illinois Counties: Local Zoning Ordinances
Made up of 102 counties, the state of Illinois has a lot of room for variation when it comes to its building laws. Each county has the freedom to amend the statewide building laws in order to accommodate the needs of their specific county. I’ve explored some of the counties and the laws they’ve set out below.
Cook County, Illinois
Tiny homes on foundation and on wheels are not legal in Cook County, Illinois. Those who want to live tiny in Illinois should look to other counties.
Tiny House Laws in Key Illinois Cities: Local Zoning Ordinances
Independent cities also have the power to create their own laws and addendums to the statewide laws. Many cities in Illinois have become more accommodating of tiny living in recent years, while others have been more restrictive.
Chicago, Illinois
Tiny homes, both on wheels and on foundation, are illegal in Chicago. And they’re fairly strict about it! Tiny housers in Chicago should look into more rural areas to live out their tiny house dreams.
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois, approves the adoption of Ordinance 13-0-21 by the City Council on March 22, 2021. While tiny homes are not legal in Cook County, the city’s ordinance overrides county law and allows homes to be 500 square feet or less. This is great news for the tiny house community in Evanston.
Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, Illinois, is a tiny home-friendly city. They have a community of tiny homes for veterans within the city limits.
Tiny House Building Codes In Illinois:
Tiny House Laws In Illinois:
*Disclaimer: The information provided on this website should not be taken as an expert opinion, consultation, or advisement of any kind. Building codes, home building, zoning, local laws etc are complicated and ultimately your responsibility to execute legally and safely. You must do your own research, consult with and verify with all applicable authorities, local officials, regulatory bodies, code and zoning officials, and city/state/federal governments. See our full legal page for further information here: https://thetinylife.com/about-us/legal/
How do I contact the proper authorities in Evanston, IL for permission that have a tiny house on a foundation in Evanston in 2023z
Learned quite a bit from your article- Im looking to build a tiny home in West Illinois and needed your references. I especiialy appreciate your section on building code.
Reach out to March of dimons darlene sault ste marie ontario canada so I’m not jumping around 2000 tiny home in lllions