QUICK FACTS:
Are Tiny Houses Legal In Minnesota: Yes
Tiny House Costs In Minnesota: $40,000 – $130,000
Tiny House Friendly Cities: Minneapolis, Duluth, St. Paul
JB Home Improvers Monticello, Minnesota
PRICE RANGE
$35,900–$108,000
Dickinson Homes Nearby in Iron Mountain, Michigan
PRICE RANGE
$80,000–$120,000
Escape Traveler Nearby in Rice Lake, Wisconsin
PRICE RANGE
$48,300–$143,000
The tiny houses at Escape Traveler include panoramic windows, full kitchens, large bathrooms, first floor bedrooms, washer/dryers, plenty of storage, full climate control, LED lighting, and off-grid options. They have nine prefabricated designs as well as a custom option!
Escape designs have been in use for years in one of the most brutal climates in America — northwestern Wisconsin. Temperatures reach the 90s in the summer and stay below zero in the winter for extended periods, but these tiny houses are built to withstand the contrasting weather. Contact Escape Traveler through the website to start building your tiny house.
Felling Trailers Sauk Centre, Minnesota
PRICE RANGE
$4,000–$20,000
M & G Trailers Ramsey, Minnesota
PRICE RANGE
$3,000–$11,000
Brinkman Trailers Delano, Minnesota
PRICE RANGE
$3,000–$14,000
Tiny Houses For Sale In Minnesota
Minnesota is a gorgeous state to move to as a family, young married couple, or retiree. The state is most famous for its charming cities and quaint small towns, lakes and boating culture, and its abundance of annual festivals and fairs. If you’re considering moving to Minnesota, check out some of these tiny houses for sale.
The Sanctuary Minnesota
Located in St. Paul, Minnesota, The Sanctuary is a tiny house village located on top of 80 acres of wooded trails, privately owned by couple Bill and Brenda Campbell. Bill and Brenda created The Sanctuary after spending many years in the corporate world. They felt there was a simpler way of life and they wanted to lean into that vision.
The Sanctuary Minnesota Village consists of spaces for parking tiny houses. Residents share several common areas in which residents have access to shared amenities within the main house. Village spaces to park your tiny house are available to rent for $350–$450 a month with a minimum lease of six months. Contact Brenda and Bill through their website to set up an appointment to visit and learn more about life in The Sanctuary.
Zephyr Valley Community Co-op
Zephyr Valley Community Cooperative is an intentional living community located in Rushford, Minnesota. The community sits on 500 acres of land in the bluff country of southeast Minnesota. There are eight individual homes, one home under construction, a common house, two barns, and several outbuildings for residents to use communally.
The community has 80 acres of agricultural land that members use for farming, hay production, cattle pasture, and prairie seed gathering. The Zephyr co-op has two creeks, four ponds, including a lined swimming pond, pastures, goat prairie bluffs, and forest. Check out their website if you are interested in joining their community.
Minnesota Tiny House Lovers
The Minnesota Tiny House Lovers is a Facebook group for those in Minnesota who are interested in the tiny home movement. Anyone in Minnesota who is interested in tiny homes or minimalist living is encouraged to join the conversation.
Minnesota Homesteaders
Minnesota Homesteaders is a Facebook group created for homesteaders throughout Minnesota. Those in the group use the page to discuss things like finding land, raising chickens, living off grid, and more. Members of the page are welcome to share stories and wisdom.
Minnesota Gardeners
The Minnesota Gardening Facebook page was created as a space for gardeners in Mississippi to connect and bond over planting tips and crops. The page discusses gardening tips, tricks, and skills in Minnesota.
In the state of Minnesota, permanent tiny houses that are site-built are accessory dwelling units. ADUs must be built on a foundation in Minnesota, and they must comply with the same building codes that traditional houses in Minnesota abide by.
While tiny homes on foundation are easier to come by in Minnesota, the classification of tiny homes on wheels as recreational vehicles makes it harder to find legal parking places for your THOW.
However, a number of municipalities in Minnesota are in support of tiny homes as an option for the elderly, disabled, or those nearing the end of their lives.
Are Tiny Houses On Wheels Legal In Minnesota?
In the State of Minnesota, tiny houses on wheels are classified as recreational vehicles. This means when traveling in your tiny house on wheels throughout Minnesota, your mobile tiny homes will need to abide by recreational vehicle laws within the state of Minnesota.
In Minnesota, “recreational vehicle” means travel trailers including those that telescope or fold down, chassis-mounted campers, motor homes, tent trailers, and converted buses that provide temporary human living quarters.
A “Recreational Vehicle” In Minnesota:
- is not used as the residence of the owner or occupant;
- is used while engaged in recreational or vacation activities; and
- is either self-propelled or towed on the highway incidental to the recreational or vacation activities
Unfortunately for tiny homeowners, this also applies to tiny homes on wheels, meaning you may be hard pressed to find an abundance of places you can park your tiny home. My best advice is to check out campsites that allow RVs and camping trailers. This comprehensive list of long-term campsites and RV parks in Minnesota is a great place to start.
Are Tiny Houses On Foundation Legal In Minnesota?
Due to the State’s adoption of Appendix Q, Minnesota does abide by specific safety laws and building codes for tiny houses on foundation. As a general rule of thumb, here are some of the regulations Appendix Q lays out:
- Habitable space and hallways in tiny houses shall have a ceiling height of not less than 6 feet, 8 inches.
- Bathrooms, toilet rooms, and kitchens shall have a ceiling height of not less than 6 feet 4 inches.
- Obstructions such as beams, girders, ducts, and lighting shall not extend below the minimum ceiling height.
- Lofts may have ceiling heights less than 6 feet, 8 inches.
- Lofts shall have a floor area of not less than 35 square feet and shall not be less than 5 feet in any horizontal dimension.
- The loft guards shall be located along the open side of the lofts.
- Loft guards shall not be less than 36 inches in height or one-half of the clear height to the ceiling, whichever is less.
- Tiny houses shall meet the requirements of Section R310 in the One-and-Two-Family Dwelling Building Code for Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings.
- In sleeping lofts, egress roof access windows shall be deemed to meet the requirements of Section R310.
- Windows shall be installed such that the bottom of the opening is not more than 44 inches above the loft floor, provided the egress roof access window complies with the minimum opening area requirements of Section R310.2.1.
In addition to adopting Appendix Q, the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has developed its own state building code (Read the PDF Here) which specifically addresses tiny homes and their use throughout the state. The following codes are used to regulate tiny homes in the state:
- Minnesota Energy Code
- Minnesota Mechanical Code
- Minnesota Electrical Code
- Minnesota Rules Chapter 1303
- Minnesota Plumbing Code
Tiny House Laws in Key Minnesota Cities: Local Zoning Ordinances
There are several cities in Minnesota that have restrictions which make it illegal to live in a tiny home, especially one on wheels. Other cities have specifically allowed tiny houses into their city-wide zoning codes.
Duluth, Minnesota
The city of Duluth, Minnesota, has recently changed its zoning code to allow tiny homes. This has encouraged Simply Tiny Development, a Colorado based company, to begin building in Duluth.
St. Paul, Minnesota
On Jan. 20, 2022, the St. Paul City Council approved changes to its zoning code that will make it easier for residents to live in their tiny homes, cottage clusters, and accessory dwelling units. The change to the code amends restrictions on building and installation of tiny homes to make them more accessible in the city.
Tiny House Building Codes In Minnesota:
Tiny House Laws In Minnesota:
*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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