NAVIGATION
What Is NOAH
NOAH For Tiny Homes
NOAH Pros And Cons
NOAH Verses NOAH
NOAH Certification FAQAfter 10 or so years in the tiny house world, I can definitively say that a NOAH certified tiny house isn’t always the smartest move for homeowners. If you’re diving into the tiny house life for the first time, you’re probably ready to see more freedom and less tedious building code mess! I’m here to help you make those crucial first decisions about building codes and certifications.
Hi, I’m Ryan
I live full time in my tiny house. I learned pretty early on how important it is to make sure my tiny home is up to code in my own way, instead of succumbing to frivolous systems like NOAH.
What Are NOAH Certified Tiny Homes?
In a nutshell, the National Organization of Alternative Housing (NOAH) RDI Home Inspection and Certification is a third-party inspection body for RVs and mobile tiny homes.
The NOAH certification is nationally accredited through the ANSI national accreditation board. This certification gives THOW owners a nationally accredited stamp of approval when it comes to safety laws.
There are two main certification options that you can choose as a tiny homeowner, You can either certify your THOW on wheels through an external middle party like NOAH or RVIA, or you can check the vehicle on your own by accessing and interpreting the local building codes in your area.
What Are The NOAH Certification Requirements?
The NOAH certifications requirements basically match the national safety requirements for mobile homes and RVs. With this being the case, certifying your tiny home through NOAH is not a particularly necessary venture. It’s important to note that certifying your tiny home through NOAH is NOT mandatory.
Basically, NOAH RDI adopts several integral safety codes into their inspection process. So, a tiny home that’s officially NOAH certified will be evaluated under guidelines primarily pulled from ANSI building standards, specifically the ANSI A119.5 Park Model RV Standard (2020 Edition).
You can access NOAH’s full list of building standards on their website, so you can see exactly what you’re in for, from an automatic bathroom fan set on a timer to the application of warning labels.
Does My Tiny House Need A NOAH Certification?
You don’t need a NOAH certification for your tiny house. To me, NOAH sort of seems like a money grab. While it’s true that getting your tiny house certified by NOAH does give you the security of house investigation, this can be done without obtaining the certification.
Will A NOAH Limit My Freedom As A Tiny Homeowner?
Yes, a NOAH certification can limit your freedom as someone who wants to live in a tiny house full-time. It’s important to talk about what a NOAH certification will do for your tiny house in the eyes of the law.
If you get NOAH certified as a tiny home, in the eyes of the city building code enforcement you become an RV, which means they’ll apply codes to you that apply. That typically means you aren’t legally allowed to live in the tiny house in cities and townships. RVs are supposed to be temporary and seasonal, so you can’t legally live in them as your permanent residence.
NOAH Certified Tiny Homes: Pros And Cons
On the flip side, there are a lot of tiny homeowners who support the idea of getting their house officially certified by NOAH. I get that certifying a tiny house through NOAH brings peace of mind to many homeowners.
My opinion stands that you don’t need to go through the checks and balances of NOAH if you’re able to keep your tiny house up to code on your own by looking into the building codes in your respective city or county. Using NOAH certainly has its pros and cons and is up for debate amongst homeowners.
Pros and Cons Of A NOAH Certified Tiny House
Pros
- Peace of mind with official safety check
- Easier to insure and finance NOAH certified house
- More parking options (RV parks)
- Easier to sell with certificate
Cons
- Restricts full-time living freedom
- More expensive
- Only checks specific safety features
- More leg work / hoops to jump through
NOAH Versus RVIA: Which One Is Better For A Tiny House?
In many ways, NOAH and RVIA are almost identical organizations. Both groups are national, third-party vehicle investigation services with their own certification process and standards. Both NOAH and RVIA permit your tiny house on wheels in recognized RV parks and make your vehicle easier to insure. However, both groups do have differences worth noting.
NOAH Verses RVIA
NOAH
- Easier for DIY tiny house builders
- Includes eco-conscious requirements
- More expensive
- Longer inspection time
RVIA
- Harder for DIY tiny house builders
- Standard safety requirements only
- Less expensive
- Faster inspection time
NOAH Certified Tiny House Frequently Asked Questions
It’s always important to stay informed when it comes to any tiny home. It’s wise to know answers to common questions before diving into anything super new like a building certification!
Does NOAH Accept DIY Trailers?
Yes, NOAH accepts DIY trailers as long as the trailer design has an engineered stamp. This is a step up from RVIA, which does not accept DIY trailers.
Is It Easier To Insure A Tiny House With NOAH?
Convincing tiny house owners that it’s easier to insure their home with NOAH is one of the key ways NOAH can suck you in. While it is true that insuring a NOAH certified house is fairly simple, it’s also easy to insure a tiny home without NOAH. You can insure virtually any house very easily if you know what steps to take.
How Long Do NOAH Inspections Take?
When using NOAH inspection services, the scheduler will allow 30 minutes for the inspection window, however, it rarely takes that long in actuality. NOAH RDI requires homeowners to give 24 hours’ notice prior to the inspection. Additionally, homeowners have the option to cancel any scheduled inspection up to 12 hours in advance without incurring fees.
What Is The NOAH Certification Cost?
A NOAH certifications costs $120. NOAH certifications have a flat rate, while the RVIA certifications have a range of prices.
How Can I Check My THOW Safety Without NOAH?
Many states use the ICC (International Code Council) to create their safety laws, but not all states use it. Some states have their own individual codes or use the ICC as a base to expand on for their state.
Whatever the case may be, you’ll need to decipher what your state allows and make sure your THOW measures up to those codes on your own.
- Will your tiny home be NOAH certified? Why or why not?
- What steps or precautions are you taking to make sure your tiny house is as safe as possible?
I am very glad I certified my Tiny. I just moved it to a Tiny Home Community outside Asheville, NC, and having the certification made getting required insurances MUCH easier. It also gave me peace of mind on my build, and I believe whole heartedly it will make selling my Tiny easier and it will sell for more $ when I decide to sell. No regrets.
Hi I am Robin CEO of NOAH, thanks for mentioning us in your blog. We started this voluntary service in 2015 to help with the tiny House community. The biggest challenge now is placement. So, we have a NOAH+ standard based in the RV standard ANSI 119.5 and a new standard based in the dwelling codes and standards. You can choose which one to use. Our goal is to give Tiny Housers their best fighting chance for placement, insurance and safety.
There are two standards writing movements going on right now. In September 2022 a subcommittee for THOW standards, ASTM E06.26 was approved and this spring ICC announced they were going to write a standard.
We are an inspection company, here for the community; so whatever the community wants and needs is what we will use. Right now, we think our NOAH+ Standard base on ANSI 119.5 and/or now the new standard based on the dwelling codes will give you your best fighting chance for placement.
CEI Butler, Thank you for the update on the industry and the progress you have been making. I plan in the next 5 years to build myself a tiny on wheels and travel the country so this is very important to my future.