QUICK FACTS:
Are Tiny Houses Legal In Montana: Yes
Tiny House Costs In Montana: $50,000 – $200,000
Tiny House Friendly Cities: Missoula, Bozeman City, Helena
Woodland Ridge Tiny Home Crafters Livingston, Montana
You can purchase the company’s crown jewel model, the Ridgeline 20, for $78,000, or partner with them to custom build the tiny house of your dreams at $325 per square foot.
Tiny Homes Montana Columbia Falls, Montana
Foothold Bozeman, Montana
Steer In Trailer Sales Three Forks, Montana
Full Throttle Trailer Sales Billings, Montana
XB Trailer Sales Great Falls, Montana
Tiny Houses For Sale In Montana
There are many reasons to live in the gorgeous state of Montana. From the vast Northern Great Plains to the steep Rocky Mountains to Glacier National Park, there are many opportunities for the more adventurous types to commune with nature.Big Sky Country is famous for being home the most beautiful wildlife and state parks in the country.
Apart from the allure of its natural beauty, Montana takes pride in having some of the most eclectic small towns full of kind locals, quirky hole-in-the-wall cafes, and precious boutiques. Additionally, the state is ranked extremely well regarding its job market and economy.
Montana prides itself in providing visitors with rich history and culture, a vibrant arts scene, ski resorts and activities in the winter, and water activities in the summertime. Consider booking a stay at a tiny house Airbnb for your next vacation.
St. Mary Village
The tiny home village at St. Mary is a wonderful summer vacation spot for the entire family to enjoy. The village includes 10 tiny houses for guests to stay in for months at a time during the summer.
Each tiny home sleeps up to four people and has a separate, stand-alone, private luxury bathhouse. Additionally, the tiny homes include a sliding barn-style door separating a compact sleeping area from the cozy living area.
St. Mary Village embraces a number of eco-forward elements, such as a fresh water/gray water system and energy-efficient appliances. The village is located only a few miles from the east entrance of Glacier National Park and Going-To-The-Sun Road.
Bozeman Cohousing
Founded in April 2019, Bozeman Cohousing is an intentional living community that values being supportive, respectful, flexible, and friendly with all members of the community. The community shares governance and resources in a cohousing style.
Shared facilities include a common house, garden and greenhouse, vehicles, library, workshop, large kitchen, internet, and outdoor recreation areas like a firepit, hot tub, hot springs, and play areas.
At Bozeman Cohousing, members come together to enjoy activities like playing games, ice skating, picking apples, and sharing meals together. All homes are currently reserved for purchase, but the community keeps a waitlist of interested individuals and families.
Riverside Landing Tiny Home Resort
River Landing resort includes six tiny house properties available to rent. These homes are 399 square feet each and sit right on the water.
Located just outside of St Maries, Idaho, River Landing has a lot to offer you and your family. Each unit is fully furnished, has a well-equipped kitchen, and is able to sleep up to six adults. The bedroom has a queen-size bed, the living room has a queen-size sleeper sofa, and the loft has both queen-size and twin-size mattresses.
Guests also have their own outdoor living area with a gas grill and patio set to eat dinner under expansive, starry skies. Walk down to the river and you will find a community meeting area if you are looking to make connections with other tiny housers staying on site. Check out River Landings’ website for booking, pricing, and availability.
Montana Off the Grid and Homesteading
The Montana Off the Grid and Homesteading Facebook page is a group of likeminded people who are interested in learning homesteading basics such as sewing, oil changes, gardening, canning and food preservation, and more. Members also share and discuss off-grid living practices like composting, greywater methods, and solar panels. Anyone in Montana can join the conversation.
Southwest Montana Gardening Group
The Southwest Montana Gardening Group is a Facebook page for Montana natives who love to garden and are seeking a community they can talk with about all things garden including landscaping, vegetables and fruits, flowers, soil types, vertical planting, and more. The group currently has over 1,000 members and anyone can join.
Western Montana Farm and Ranch
The Western Montana Farm and Ranch Facebook page is all about life on the farm. The page covers farming and ranching topics like farm care, animal basics, how to make your farm into a business, how to find land, and other advice for farmers and ranchers in Western Montana. Anyone can join!

In the section 24.301.154 of the State’s official building code, the department vows to officially recognize and regulate tiny houses as their own category of dwelling, effective in all areas of the state beginning on December 7, 2019, and onward. This is great news for those who are looking to live tiny in the state of Montana.
Are Tiny Houses On Foundation Legal In Montana?
The official building code for the state of Montana explains that the state defers to the Appendix Q in the 2018 International Residential Code, while adding a few of its own amendments to the code. These amendments are listed below and can also be read in the Administrative Rules of Montana.
Appendix Q is the tiny-house friendly Appendix in the IRC. It legalizes lofts, lowers the minimum ceiling height for traditional dwellings, creates egress requirements specifically for lofts, and allows the building of stairs and ladders in small spaces. It applies to tiny houses used as single-dwelling units.
Here are some of the regulations worth noting from Appendix Q:
- 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 heights. - Lofts may have ceiling heights less than 6 feet, 8 inches.
- Lofts shall have a floor area of not less than 35 sq. ft. and shall not be less than 5 ft. 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 (Read the PDF here).
- In sleeping lofts, egress roof access windows shall be deemed to meet the requirements of Section R310. (Read the PDF here)
- 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. (Read the PDF here)
In Montana, Appendix Q applies to any city, county, or town building code jurisdiction. In addition to the regulations from the IRC, Montana’s secretary of state has amended certain sections of the code to apply specifically to Montana.
Here of the parts of Appendix Q that have been changed in the state of Montana:
- Chapters 11 through 14 of Appendix Q have been deleted.
- Subsection R102.7 has been deleted and replaced with “The legal occupancy of any structure existing on the date of this code shall be permitted to continue without change, except as is specifically covered in this code or the legally adopted fire code as administered by the fire authority having jurisdiction.”
- Subsection R301.6 is deleted and replaced with the following “Snow loads shall be determined by the building official. In areas of the state outside of certified city, county, or town jurisdictions, the design snow load shall be based on the ground snow loads.”
- In Subsection 302.2.2 delete “Chapters 34 through 43” and replace with “the adopted electrical code in ARM Title 24, chapter 301, subchapter 4.”
- In Subsection 302.2.4 delete exception number five and replace with the following “Townhouses separated by a common two-hour fire-resistance-rated wall as provided in Section R302.2.”
- Subsection R302.13 is deleted.
- Subsection 309.5 is deleted.
- Subsection R311.7.5.1 is amended to allow a maximum riser height of 8 1/4 inches.
- Subsection R311.7.5.2 is amended to allow a minimum tread depth of nine inches.
- In Subsection 312.1.1, delete the first sentence and replace with the following: “Guards shall be located along open-sided walking surfaces, including stairs, ramps, and landings, that are located more than 30 inches measured vertically to the floor or grade below.”
- Section R313 is deleted in its entirety.
- In Subsection R403.1.1, add the following: “Exception: The building official may allow footings to be designed in accordance with Section R403 of the 2012 IRC or may allow footings engineered by a design professional.”
- Subsection 403.1.6 is deleted.
If these regulations are followed, your tiny house on foundation should be legal in the state of Montana. However, if you’re unsure, you can always call the department in your local municipality that deals with building laws and ask them for clarity.
Are Tiny Houses On Wheels Legal In Montana?
Not only is the State of Montana at the top of their game when it comes to tiny houses on foundation, they also officially recognize tiny houses on wheels as their own independent dwelling category, sperate from recreational vehicles or traditional dwellings.
If you don’t know, it’s extremely common for tiny homes on wheels to kind of get lost in the shuffle when it comes to building laws. Some states categorize them as recreational vehicles, some as mobile homes, and others don’t have a solid category for them at all. Montana is leading the charge.
The State of Montana classifies tiny houses on wheels in House Bill No. 494 (Read the PDF Here), created in 2019 through the Montana legislature. Essentially, this bill revises statewide travel trailer laws to explicitly all the development of tiny homes on wheels.
Section 15-24-201 of the bill defines a tiny home on wheels as a home exceeding 8 feet in width or 45 feet in length designed to be moved from one place to another by an independent power connected to the tiny house, or a tiny house up to 8 feet in width or 45 feet in length, or tiny home on wheels that is used as a principal residence.
While Montana does have its own section for tiny houses on wheels, they still belong under the larger umbrella of travel trailer laws. This means tiny houses on wheels will still need to comply with all relevant regulations and restrictions on an RV.
Tiny House Building Codes In Key Counties Of Montana
Some counties are more friendly to tiny homeowners while others prohibit the lifestyle. County building laws have a lot of power in the state of Montana when it comes to what is and is not allowed.
Missoula County, Montana
Missoula County, Montana, is welcoming of tiny house enthusiasts. They were one of the first counties to vote yes on the introduction of Appendix Q.
Tiny House Building Codes In Key Cities Of Montana
Some cities are especially accommodating of the tiny house lifestyle. Other cities, particularly the more urban ones, tend to make it harder to live tiny.
Missoula, Montana
Missoula, Montana, is highly in favor of tiny housers. The city allows tiny houses and defines them as any residential structure on a permanent foundation with a surface area of 320 square feet or less.
Bozeman City, Montana
Bozeman City, Montana, is also accommodating to the tiny house lifestyle. The city has even welcomed a tiny house village, Housing First Village, which actively works to prevent homelessness through the provisions of tiny homes.
Tiny House Building Codes In Montana:
Tiny House Laws In Montana:
*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/
Hi. My name is Debbie and I recently purchased a tiny home on wheels. The company is based out of Tennessee, however they are fairly new in building these particular homes so there is no history on how they do with snow loads. He did a video where he added a lot of weight on the roof and left it for a week. The home did very well, but that was just a week. I can not find any information on this particular home and how it weathers in the snow. I have 20 acres in Helmville and do not know how much snow that city gets. I can always move the home prior to the snow but I am concerned on the wear and tare of these moves.
I would like to speak with someone that either lives in a tiny home and or rents them in Montana. Any information will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you…
We have a tiny shed cabin. Nearly had the ceiling buttoned up when we found moisture on the top of the ceiling. We have the ridgevents open and fans going. Should we cut the plastic out of the peak and cover with screen? Any advise?
Hi do you besides bukding tiny home also sell the tiny home with land at all ?
thank you
Laurent