QUICK FACTS:
Are Tiny Houses Legal In Michigan: YES*
Tiny House Costs In Michigan: $30,000 – $110,000
Tiny House Friendly Cities: Detroit, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids
Great Lakes Tiny Homes Blanchard, MI
Great Lakes Tiny Homes is owned by husband and wife Tony and Andrea Assaf. Tony is passionate about designing and building rustic tiny homes that fit any budget and lifestyle. Andrea has a life-long interest in minimalistic and rustic elegant interior design styles. Together, this team offers 12 different customizable tiny houses on wheels modeled after the natural, rustic aesthetic in the state of Michigan.
Dickinson Homes Iron Mountain, MI
Dickinson Homes creates properties of all genres, including tiny homes. Throughout the process, Dickinson builders provide a preliminary meeting, site visit, design help, permit assistance, building of the home, and move-in assistance. Customers will also be given a project manager for each build. From start to finish, your project manager will work alongside you through the design process. Prefabricated models are not available because every project is custom designed. Clients can bring in a sketch of their own ideas, modify any design plan, or start from scratch.
Cool Tiny Homes Oakland Township, MI
A family-owned business in a Michigan Township, Cool Tiny Homes uses local materials to create tiny homes. The company’s target audience is Michigan hunters and outdoor adventurers, so they build their THOWs with a hook-up to your vehicle for a tough and rugged shelter at any time. Providing amenities within their designs is a major focus of the company. They currently have four models available to buy.
Aspire Tiny Homes Portage, MI
Run by Tom Molter and Jess Anderson, Aspire Tiny Homes has an array of tiny houses on wheels for purchase as well as customization options to bring your tiny living dreams to life. Tom has worked in home building previously where he gained expertise that he brings with him to Aspire. Jess has a background in nonprofit development and construction project management with an eye for detail and a knack for creating tiny house designs. Aspire assists clients in the planning/designing phase, building/construction, and moving in. There are currently two THOW models for purchase on their website, or you can design your own model.
Kaufman Trailers Detroit, MI
Run by Tom Molter and Jess Anderson, Aspire Tiny Homes has an array of tiny houses on wheels for purchase as well as customization options to bring your tiny living dreams to life. Tom has worked in home building previously where he gained expertise that he brings with him to Aspire. Jess has a background in nonprofit development and construction project management with an eye for detail and a knack for creating tiny house designs. Aspire assists clients in the planning/designing phase, building/construction, and moving in. There are currently two THOW models for purchase on their website, or you can design your own model.
Beck’s Trailer Store St. Johns, MI
With over 1,350 open and enclosed trailers to purchase, Beck’s Trailer Store is one of the world’s largest trailer dealers. The store features a diverse selection of UTV, utility, snowmobile, motorcycle, dump, equipment, landscape, car, ATV, and enclosed trailers. It also features aluminum, steel, and galvanized steel products in many sizes and options. Visit the website for more design options.
Trailer Sales of Michigan Jackson, MI
Trailer Sales of Michigan has lots of trailer options that can work well for tiny living, including gooseneck and flatbed trailers. What’s more, the business is committed to providing the highest quality trailers at the lowest possible prices. If you live in southern Michigan, northern Indiana, or eastern Illinois, you’re well within driving distance of the store.
Michigan Tiny Houses For Sale
Michigan is a phenomenal state for adopting the tiny house lifestyle due to its low cost of living and awe-inspiring natural landscapes. It’s a great state for exploring, camping, and hiking independently or with loved ones. The rugged, naturalist atmosphere of the state aligns with the intentional lifestyle that many tiny house owners hope to adopt when choosing to permanently live in their tiny home.
Basically, the state of Michigan is a haven of natural parks, forests, and lakes. The acclaimed Great Lakes and 103 state parks make the state a hub for those looking to get a taste of the great outdoors. Michigan also contains several gorgeous global destinations, like Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the upper peninsula, both great destinations for traveling in your own tiny house on wheels.
If you’re looking to buy a tiny house to live in with your family, check out these local tiny houses for sale in the state. If you aren’t seeing your dream tiny home in Michigan, you might want to browse the listings in border states like Indiana or Ohio.
Not only is Michigan a wonderful state to call home, but its lush forests, shimmering lakes, and vast mountain ranges make it an ideal state for your family to take their next vacation in. Consider renting a tiny Airbnb in Michigan to try tiny house living without making the commitment to buying your own home. Check out these houses for rent in the Great Lakes State:
Tiny communities facilitate an intimate social connection between members or residents as they strive to improve the lives of their constituents. Check out some of the tiny house communities located in Michigan:
Michigan Ecovillage
A huge aspect of living tiny is not just the size of your home, but the way you engage with your environment. Living tiny is about reconsidering what’s truly important in life and evaluating the space you take up as a person on Earth. Intentional living communities are a great reflection of the minimalistic, environmentally conscious, authentic lifestyle that tiny home owners strive for.
Michigan Ecovillage in southeastern Michigan is an intergenerational, live-work community dedicated to intentional living and environmental consciousness. They focus on living holistically with one another. Residents of Michigan Ecovillage will maintain a sustainable social environment within the community by practicing participatory democracy, adopting and abiding by fair and inclusive organizational policies, and working to co-create an appealing culture that resonates broadly among members.
The village desires its existence to have the smallest possible impact on the environment while also affordably sustaining the basic needs of members. This means that the Ecovillage will be intentional in choosing building designs and materials, energy and consumption patterns, land and water use concerns, and in relation to transportation of people and materials in order to best serve the planet and be good stewards of resources.
Members have the opportunity to rent or buy a small family dwelling to live in during their time with the village. Participants are also able to enjoy the community center with a cafeteria, exercise classes, meeting rooms, social gatherings, and quiet places to relax. There are various work opportunities, educational classes, community activities, and volunteer or employment opportunities within the Ecovillage as well.
Cottage Estates
One luxurious way to live tiny with family is to live in a park model home. Cottage Estates is an RV resort with park model housing rentals that sits on 150 acres of trees, ponds, and meadows. Staying on the resort grants access to various amenities like laundry facilities, a pool and spa, library, fitness center, clubhouse, Wi-Fi and cable, a full-service RV hookup, nature trails, and much more. Traverse Bay RV Resort also offers opportunities for scenic touring, beach lounging, boating, fishing, shopping, exploring, golfing, dining, hiking, biking or gaming.
In general, the Grand Traverse area is filled with beautiful lakes and rivers, miles of sandy beaches and scenic vistas along Lake Michigan, and quaint marinas and harbor towns, making it a tranquil summer stop if you and your family are hoping to escape for a bit.
Social groups are a great way to learn more about tiny houses, as well as other topics like intentional living, environmental consciousness, or minimalism. They also provide an opportunity to talk to others who share a passion for these things. There are several groups in Michigan that educate locals and visitors on what it means to live tiny.
See some exciting social groups and events to join below. If none of these seem to interest you, we encourage you to look for your own groups and comment your findings at the bottom of our page. Or better yet, start your own group and tell us about it!
Michigan Tiny House Group
Anyone can join this Facebook page to begin engaging in conversations with others about tiny living in Michigan. The page is targeted at tiny house lovers in Michigan, but all tiny house lovers and enthusiasts are welcome to join. The owner of the page is highly passionate about the tiny house movement and all that it represents. They would love for you to share all your tiny house experiences with others who are members of this interconnected network.
Michigan Solar Users
There are lots of benefits when it comes to powering your tiny house with solar power. Using renewable energy sources to heat and power your tiny home is another example of a means to live more intentionally and sustainably. There’s also a financial benefit — I’ve been powering my tiny house off solar panels for almost a decade now, which has been incredibly helpful for my personal finances.
There are thousands of solar energy users and owners in Michigan, and that number will continue to grow as the cost of solar decreases. Michigan Solar Users is an informal Facebook group used to share information and support the development of solar energy throughout the state. Anyone who is interested in learning more about the many applications of solar energy or sharing their own experiences can become a member of the group.
City Writers in Hamtramck, Michigan
Bullet journaling is a popular activity for those looking to enjoy the kind of intentional lifestyle that goes along with tiny living. It’s reflective, meditative, and creative. The act of writing down your thoughts, keeping up with your goals, and putting your dreams on paper can reduce stress and deeply improve your overall mood.
City Writers is an in-person workshop group with the goal of dedicating more time to writing and self-discovery. The group meets at for a weekly writing session. Minimal conversation is expected. They meet every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon in order to dedicate time to just sitting down and writing.
Get your own printable bullet journal with rugged mountains or tropical leaves styling.
Tiny House Laws and Building Codes in Michigan
The legality of your tiny home depends not only on the state it’s located in, but also on the specific county and city you live in. Building codes in Michigan are fairly flexible, but do include statewide regulations.
In general, the state requires tiny houses to follow the same laws as traditional housing (Read The PDF Here), meaning they must to be built to code and can be no less than 500 square feet. This is on the larger side for tiny homes and may feel limiting to those looking to get the full experience. However, there are several cities and counties throughout the state of Michigan that have amended this general law to accommodate tiny home owners.
Of course, there are always more specifics when it comes to building laws. Read more about the codes for tiny houses in the state of Michigan:
How Can I Make My Tiny House Legal In Michigan?
While there are no statewide rules that address tiny houses specifically, the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (Read The PDF Here) allows each legislative body within the state to establish its own zoning requirements that permit flexibility, innovation, and variety for residential housing in each area. This act has led many cities and counties to amend requirements for residential dwellings to accommodate smaller spaces.
The Home Builders Association of Michigan (HBAM) and the International Code Council (ICC) have worked together to publish a targeted book explaining the changes in the 2018 version of the International Residential Code that the State of Michigan has yet to adopt like other states. The book is titled, “2018 Select IRC Options For Use With The Michigan Residential Code.” It was created to familiarize tiny home owners with the changes that the 2018 code includes so they can submit them to the enforcing authority for approval as an alternative to the 2015 version of the code. Unfortunately, the State of Michigan is staying with the 2015 version of International Residential Code which does not include Appendix Q, until reconsideration in 2021.
Printable Structure Versus Accessory Structure.
The State of Michigan also distinguishes principal structures from accessory structures in its laws, which will affect the legality of your tiny house. If your house is a detached, independent structure, it will need to follow the same laws as residential dwellings (Read The PDF Here). The applicable requirements for traditional housing are laid out by the International Residential Code (IRC) (Read The PDF Here) and include regulating the dwelling to be no smaller than 500 square feet.
If your tiny house is attached to a larger, principal structure or is a smaller house on the same property as a principal structure, it would fall under separate municipal requirements for accessory dwellings. An accessory dwelling unit or ADU is classified as any structure that is subordinate in purpose to a principal structure, but exists on the same zoning lot. The applicable requirements for these structures as outlined in Division 5 of the Michigan municipal codes.
ADU Requirements:
- Detached accessory dwellings are limited to one story and can be no taller than 15 feet
- No detached accessory dwelling can be located closer than ten feet to a principal building
- No accessory dwelling can be built prior to building the principal building
- No accessory dwelling can be occupied unless the principal structure is occupied
- No truck, semitrailer, bus, or RV may be used as a permanent structure or as an accessory building
- A permit is required through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Are Tiny Houses On Wheels Legal In Michigan?
The State of Michigan does not have its own set of laws for tiny houses on wheels (THOWs). Technically, tiny houses on wheels aren’t illegal, but they aren’t explicitly legal either. They just aren’t mentioned.
The Municipal Building Code for Michigan does, however, provide the following definition for a recreational vehicle in Chapter 17, Article II. It defines an RV as “a vehicle primarily designed and used as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel purposes, including a vehicle having its own motor power or a vehicle mounted on or drawn by another vehicle.” Since many tiny homes are connected to vehicles through trailers and used for travel, this may be the category the state uses for tiny houses on wheels.
The Following Rules Apply To RVs:
However, if this is the case, THOWs have their own set of restrictions that may make it hard to live in permanently in Michigan.
- No person can park overnight or permit the parking overnight of any recreational vehicle upon any public highway, street, alley, park, or other public place within the city
- No person can park or permit the parking of a recreational vehicle for occupancy on any private property, only in a mobile home park or campground. Except if they are parking an unoccupied recreational vehicle in a backyard. This is allowed provided they are not using it as living quarters.
- You can only have one recreational vehicle on your property and it can only be occupied for a period of 30 days at a time. You also need a permit from the state to make this happen.
These rules may make it difficult to live in a tiny house on wheels permanently in Michigan. Feel free to contact your local government or start a petition to alter municipal codes if you want these restrictions changed to be more inclusive of the tiny house movement.
Where Can I Legally Park My Tiny Home In Michigan?
Figuring out where you’re allowed to park your tiny house on wheels can come with its own set of legal issues. Article XVIII, or the Supplemental Regulations Section of the Michigan Building Code (Read the PDF Here) lays out parking requirements for THOWs within the state. Basically, any occupied dwelling or trailer parked somewhere besides a mobile home or trailer park needs to be on private property. Also, no more than one dwelling or trailer can be parked on that site, with only a few exceptions as outlined in Article XVIII (Read the PDF here).
Tiny House Laws in Key Michigan Counties: Local Zoning Ordinances
Like I mentioned earlier, there are several counties throughout Michigan that have amended the statewide zoning laws to be accommodating to tiny home owners. However, there are also counties that have implemented harsher restrictions.
With 83 individual counties stacked throughout Michigan and each with the freedom to create its own zoning ordinance, there’s lots of room for variation. Let’s look at the conventions in place within a few individual counties.
Montmorency County, Michigan
Montmorency County in northern Michigan has amended the statewide regulations on small structures by defining an entirely new type of dwelling. By doing this, they have given tiny home owners more freedom. The lawmakers of Briley Township, Montmorency’s county seat, have created a definition for a new category of dwelling: an economy efficient dwelling.
An economy efficient dwelling must be more than 240 square feet and less than 500 square feet. The dwelling must also have a minimum side elevation of no less than 12 feet and no more than 20 feet, and a length of no less than 20 feet and no more than 30 feet. The dwelling must be placed on a permanent approved foundation and be built to all Michigan building and sanitary codes (Read the PDF here) and qualify for a certificate of occupancy. They are allowed in residential, forest recreational, and agricultural areas.
The creation of this category in Montmorency County gives tiny home owners the ability to live in spaces smaller than 500 square feet in the area.
Wayne County, Michigan
The county seat of Wayne County Michigan,— Detroit — has regulations on accessory dwellings within the limits of the city itself. The reason for this is to minimize space taken up by a single occupant in heavily urban areas. The further out into the county you go, or the further you get from the city, the more likely it is that you can live in a tiny house without any issues.
However, within the confines of any district defined as an R1 and R2 district in Detroit (Read the PDF here), no one is allowed to live in an accessory property (ADU). This means you can live in a small, principal property as long as it is up to code within the state (Read the PDF here), but cannot have a secondary property within these districts. See a district map of Wayne County, Michigan, for more clarity.
Leelanau County, Michigan
Another example of a county that has made tiny home-friendly alterations is Leelanau County. In August of 2018, Leelanau County’s Cleveland Township changed its zoning ordinance regulations by adding Article V, Section 5.06 to Leelanau’s residential building codes (Read the PDF here). This law changes the minimum house size of a traditional dwelling from the restrictive 750 square feet to 480 square feet, making it easier to live tiny in the township.
In the neighboring township of Centerville, also in Leelanau, the original minimum building size of 800 square feet was removed altogether as of February 23, 2020, through the amended version of the township’s zoning ordinance (Read the PDF here). This means you can live in a home of any size in the township as long as the home meets Michigan Building Code standards.
Kalamazoo County, Michigan
Kalamazoo County is worth noting for making it easy to live in a tiny home. There aren’t many restrictions on tiny homes in Kalamazoo, and the building codes are fairly gracious with the allowed dimensions. You can build a house as small as 120 square feet, and as long as it isn’t on wheels, you can put it pretty much anywhere. However, the devil is often in the details with these things, so be sure to read through Appendix A of the zoning ordinance for yourself before building.
There is one restriction that complicates tiny living in Kalamazoo: accessory dwelling units aren’t allowed. Therefore, you can only live tiny in your main house within the county.
Tiny House Regulations in Michigan Cities
While the state requires tiny houses to satisfy residential building codes (Read the PDF here) and be no less than 500 square feet, local cities and jurisdictions each have the freedom to adapt the dwelling laws of the IRC (Read the PDF here) and make the changes they see fit.
Some cities are especially accommodating to the tiny house lifestyle while others have regulations opposing construction. Let’s take a closer look at some major cities in the Great Lakes State and identify their building laws specific to tiny living.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
As of June 2019, the City of Grand Rapids has created a new definition for micro dwellings to aid in the construction of tiny houses amongst its constituents. The city’s zoning code defines and regulates micro-apartments as this new type of dwelling.
Its definition for “micro-units” requires a maximum size of 475 square feet as defined in Section 5.16.02 of the ordinance. This specific category of tiny properties comes with its own set of building codes specific to the city, so make sure to leaf through the ordinance for more specific information.
Multi-family developments that include micro-units, like tiny homes connected, for example, are exempt from the minimum lot area requirements above and are subject to the general standards for dwellings explained in Section 5.6.08 of the ordinance.
Smaller houses are not necessarily categorized as micro units either. The Grand Rapids municipal building codes requires that single family dwelling units must have a minimum gross floor area of 750 square feet. These homes would not be considered micro dwellings.
Ann Arbor, Michigan
In the City of Ann Arbor, the minimum square footage for a tiny dwelling has been modified to give citizens an easier time if they want to make the switch to tiny living. In the municipal housing codes for Ann Arbor, Chapter 105 explains the requirement for every dwelling unit is to have at least 225 square feet of habitable room area. This is an amendment to the statewide restriction of 500 square feet, making tiny living more accessible in the area.
Additionally, Ann Arbor City Council legalized accessory dwelling units in 2015. Paz-Norman and others who spoke at the start of the City Council’s meeting requested the council to budget $25,000 to hire a consultant to come up with zoning recommendations that would accommodate the dimensional needs of accessory dwelling units.
Lansing, Michigan
Some cities, like the state’s capital of Lansing, do not provide any minimum square footage requirement specific to the city. Instead, the city of Lansing provides its own minimum size requirements for the property lots in DM-3 Residential Districts, which allow two-family dwellings, multiple dwelling, or accessory structures (ADU).
The lot area requirements in these districts as explained in Chapter 1256 of the municipal code are:
- For each efficiency dwelling unit there shall be 1,100 square feet of lot area
- For each one-bedroom dwelling unit there shall be 1,300 square feet of lot area
- For each two-bedroom dwelling unit there shall be 1,500 square feet of lot area
- For each three-bedroom dwelling unit, or any unit with more than three bedrooms, there shall be 2,200 square feet of lot area
Check out Lansing’s general zoning ordinances for more specifics surrounding building your tiny house on your own property.
Tiny House Building Codes In MIchigan:
Tiny House Laws In Michigan:
*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/
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