QUICK FACTS:
Are Tiny Houses Legal In Pennsylvania: YES*
Tiny House Costs In Pennsylvania: $30,000 – $115,000
Tiny House Friendly Cities: Philadelphia, Elizabethtown, Harrisburg
Liberation Tiny Homes Leola, PA
PRICE RANGE
$29,000-$115,000
Currently, Liberation Tiny Homes has seven prefabricated designs available, as well as an option to partner with the company to create your own tiny house shell.
Greenwood Tiny Homes Lancaster, PA
PRICE RANGE
$30,000-$95,000
TinyLux Homes Paradise, PA
PRICE RANGE
Contact Seller For Pricing
While TinyLux specializes in tiny homes both on foundation and on wheels, it also builds off-grid homes, garages, playhouses, sheds, pool houses, cave spaces, and other structures great for your own accessory dwelling unit. Check out their website to see what they have to offer.
Brechbill Trailers Chambersburg, PA
PRICE RANGE
$5,000-$23,000
Smouse Trailers Mt. Pleasant, PA
PRICE RANGE
$2,000-$11,000
- Aluminum trailers
- Galvanized trailers
- Utility trailers
- Car hauler trailers
- Dump trailers
- Cargo trailers
- Equipment trailers
- Horse and Livestock trailers
AJ’s Truck & Trailer Center Harrisburg, PA
PRICE RANGE
$4,000-$9,000
Located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, AJ’s Truck & Trailer Center services cities all across the state and offers a large selection of trailer variations and hauling products including hitches, plows, and salt spreaders. The company also carries and installs vehicle accessories like electrical connectors to brake controllers. For tiny houses on wheels, AJ’s has single and tandem axel flatbed utility trailers as well as a car hauler series.
AJ’s Trailer Center serves the following cities in Pennsylvania:
- Harrisburg, PA
- Dauphin, PA
- Marysville, PA
- Mechanicsburg, PA
- York, PA
- Hershey, PA
- Lebanon, PA
- Scranton, PA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Lancaster, PA
Tiny Houses For Sale In Pennsylvania
There are many reasons to settle in Pennsylvania for the long haul. Pennsylvania locals enjoy beautiful natural scenery, lively professional sports culture, creative arts experiences, and high-quality cuisine, all for a surprisingly affordable price compared to many other states whose metropolitan areas offer similar perks. Check out these tiny homes for sale in the Keystone State.
Vacationing in Pennsylvania has some major advantages. Many of the national parks in Pennsylvania are designated historical sites that offer walking trails, tours, or other outdoor activities on the property. It has 121 state parks, 19 national parks, and seven National Heritage Areas for residents and tourists to explore.
Pennsylvania is historically rich, which is a huge reason why many tourists visit. Whether you want to tour the hall where the Declaration of Independence was adopted or scope out the battlefield at Gettysburg, the Quaker State has many historical attractions to offer.
Check out these tiny houses on Airbnb to book your next trip in Pennsylvania.
There are many reasons that living in a tiny house community is beneficial and can genuinely change your life. Existing in these communities allows you to do life alongside others, gives you access to shared resources, and reduces your bills. Check out this tiny house community in Pennsylvania, as well as in neighboring states like Ohio and New York.
Tiny Estates
Located near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Tiny Estates is a tiny house community for those who want to live in a tiny house full time. The community does not host tiny house rentals, as all of its residents own their tiny houses.
Tiny Estates has tiny houses for sale as well as lot availability where you can bring your own tiny house on wheels to the community and join in the tiny experience. It hosts many community events to participate in together, like game nights, festivals, movie showings, and holiday parties.
The community welcomes families, couples, and single adults to join its network of tiny life enthusiasts. You can apply to join by downloading the application.
Boiceville Cottages
Boiceville Cottages is located in the heart of the beautiful Finger Lakes in Brooktondale, New York. The community is made up of 140 tiny houses, two separate dog walking parks (well-behaved dogs and cats are welcome), and a busy community meeting house with a gym and a full-sized kitchen. A short drive, bus trip, or cycle to Cornell University and Ithaca College, Boiceville is ideal for students.
The community is multigenerational with a real neighborhood vibe. All apartments are wheelchair accessible, and if any special modifications are required, they’ll take care of it. The tiny houses are designed to be efficient and low cost, making them an attractively affordable option for anyone interested in a greener, lower-cost lifestyle.
Boiceville Cottages’ second location, La Bourgade on Seneca, opened recently. Situated on the hillside of Seneca Lake, La Bourgade has only 40 tiny houses, so it offers a more intimate, village-style living experience.
Cedar Springs Tiny Village
Cedar Springs Tiny Village is the first tiny living community in the state of Ohio — another neighboring state of Pennsylvania. The community is made up of tiny homes owned by the residents, BYOTH (bring your own tiny house) style. However, the plots are rented or leased out to tiny homeowners by Cedar Springs.
Living in Cedar Springs Tiny Village brings with it many privileges to increase your quality of life. New Paris has all the seasons — warm summers, seasonal farmers markets in the fall, beautiful springs, and gorgeous, snowy winters with activities like sledding and snow tubing.
The rental plots are a quick walk from Natural Springs Resort, which offers day and seasonal passes to access the pool, beach, fishing, scuba diving, and other fun activities. The Cedar, a local coffee shop, is conveniently located within walking distance at the north end of the community. Check out Cedar Springs’ website to see what plots are available for lease and how you can join this tiny village.
Pennsylvania Tiny House Association
The Pennsylvania Tiny House Association is a Facebook group that anyone in the state of Pennsylvania is welcome to join. The group welcomes all who own or are simply interested in what it’s like to live in a tiny house. The page was developed as an effort to spread the word about tiny homes in the state and encourage acceptance by homeowner associations across the state. Members can post tips and share ideas to help promote tiny house living, or share their own pictures and experiences with the community.
Pennsylvania Gardening Group
This Facebook group of over 30,000 members exists for gardening lovers in the state of Pennsylvania. The group is private, but anyone who loves gardening is welcome to send a join request. The group exists for members to share tips, stories, pictures, or advice about their own personal gardens and ways to start a garden.
Philadelphia Solar Energy Association
A huge aspect of the tiny life is living minimally and reducing your carbon footprint as much as possible. Tiny housers are all about alternative energy methods like solar panels. The Philadelphia Solar Energy Association is a volunteer-based, member supported nonprofit that encourages solar energy throughout Philadelphia. PSEA hosts events, conferences, and campaigns to promote the use of solar energy in the city. Check out the Facebook page to learn more about this nonprofit.
When it comes to building and residential codes, the State of Pennsylvania has adopted the 2018 version of the International Residential Code to create its own Residential Code Of Pennsylvania.
Unfortunately, Pennsylvania’s residential code does not mention tiny houses explicitly, but there are several cities and counties that make specific accommodations to the tiny house community in favor of tiny homeowners. Let’s take a look at the statewide residential code, then dive into tiny house accommodations in specific cities and counties throughout the state.
Are Tiny Houses On A Foundation Legal In Pennsylvania?
Yes! However, a lot of it is going to come down to local municipalities as opposed to being handled at a state level. Like in most states, it will likely be easier to live below the legal statewide dimensions if you live in a rural area. It’s harder to get your tiny home legalized in large cities and urban areas of Pennsylvania.
Tiny homes on foundation are considered traditional dwellings by the State of Pennsylvania, so any and all regulations outlines by the Building Code and Residential Code of Pennsylvania are going to apply to your tiny house.
This means that tiny homes are not illegal, but are also not explicitly stated as legal either. The best way to decipher what is and what is not allowed is to defer to specific regulations in individual Pennsylvania cities and counties.
Are Tiny Houses On Wheels Legal In Pennsylvania?
Yes, they are! However, similar to tiny homes on foundation in Pennsylvania, tiny houses on wheels do not receive their own specific classification. Instead, they are considered recreational vehicles by the state. All rules and regulations outlined by the 2018 Board of Vehicles Act 134 should be followed when it comes to mobile tiny homes.
The way your tiny home will be classified can get muddy, and is heavily dependent on its features and build. Federal vehicle regulations drive this classification and are certified by the manufacturer as complying with NFPA 1192 Standard on Recreational Vehicles or ANSI A119.5 Park Model Recreational Vehicle Standard and includes the following types:
- Motor home
- Travel trailer
- Fifth wheel travel trailer
- Folding camping trailer
- Truck camper
- Park model RV
Each of these categories of recreational vehicles have their own regulations and rules which can apply to your tiny house on wheels.
Tiny House Laws in Key Pennsylvania Counties: Local Zoning Ordinances
Each county has the freedom to amend the statewide building laws in order to accommodate the needs of their specific county. Several of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties have created their own regulations on tiny housing to expand on the statewide building code. Some counties are tiny house friendly while others make it harder to live tiny in the area.
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County is one of the most tiny house-friendly counties in the Quaker State. Lancaster has developed its own tiny house community, Tiny Estates, which is linked above. The county is able to allow houses below the minimum square footage of the state due to the rules of Ridge Run Campground. Due to the fact that the campground functions like a mobile home park with residents living permanently in their recreational vehicles, the county agreed to allow tiny homes under the same rules. Tiny homeowners must abide by the original rules set by the Ridge Run Campground.
York County, Pennsylvania
In York County, tiny homes are unfortunately prohibited to live in full time. The minimum habitable space requirement of 700 square feet or more, yet tiny homes are typically 500 square feet or less. The county municipalities also only allow one primary use on a property, or one permanent residence. This limits the use of tiny houses as accessory dwelling units as well.
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Bucks County is fairly limiting to tiny housers. The zoning ordinance for Bucks County explicitly states that recreational vehicles are not allowed to be designed for use as a permanent dwelling, but as a temporary living quarter for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use. This limits people from living in their tiny houses on wheels full time.
Tiny House Building Codes In Key Cities Of Pennsylvania
Some cities in Pennsylvania have created their own rules surrounding tiny homes to make it easier to live tiny in the city, while other more urban cities have restrictions that limit tiny homeowners. Let’s look at the legality of tiny houses in Pennsylvania’s key cities.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tiny homes are legal in the bustling city of Philadelphia, with these two specific requirements set by local municipalities:
- A tiny house needs to have one room of 120 sq. ft. or more
- Other rooms must be at least 70 sq. ft. or more (except for kitchens), including height to the ceiling
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Tiny houses are becoming more popularized in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. There is currently a proposal underway to build a tiny house community for veterans along the Susquehanna River. Residents of the city are hoping to expand statewide regulations on minimum allotted square footage in the city.
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
The city of Pittsburg has a growing demand for less required square footage from the tiny homeowner community. The city does not currently allow tiny houses smaller than 700 square feet, but there are changes underway in the heavily populated city.
Tiny House Building Codes In Pennsylvania:
Tiny House Laws In Pennsylvania:
*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/
Thank you for all the info. My wife and I have been look to relocate to Pennsylvania and we have a friend in Lititz. Lancaster County. We think the houses are way too big. Do you have a recommendation for a realtor that understands tiny house? It is so hard to look for property in a location that would allow a tiny or small or multiple tiny houses. thanks
David
I have a small “tiny house” that is 12’x22′. It is totally empty. I bought it as a she from a company in Lititx Pa. I live in Zip Code 18629. I’m looking for a contractor to make this into a “tiny home”. I would like to have pastors and missionaries be able to spend a week at a time so they could recharge their life. Can you recommend someone for this project?
I’d LOVE to sell my townhouse in NE Philadelphia pa and build a small tiny home with some of the money I made from selling my townhome. But I really don’t want to be FAR AWAY from NE Philadelphia pa. Lancaster is to far, where else can you have smaller home near the NE Philadelphia pa???
That’s a good question Leslie. I live right outside of Philly in the western Burbs and I would really like to find out myself.
Really it’s going to be about rallying the state representatives and getting tye zoning and stuff changed to allow for the tiny homes in all of PA. Or go to local city council and petition them for the changes to local ordinance
Everyone reading this please wish me luck/ pray for me/us! One of my 4 kids- all w special needs- is about to turn 18. He can’t live alone yet he wants/deserves some kind of independence but I cannot bear to have him living in a facility. Thankfully I have a huge back yard with privacy in a bustling city… enough to have (3) 10×12 tiny homes out there. Im almost done converting my home into a duplex. This will allow all 4 of my kids to live on thier own, with a support system (each other) and help if they need it (me). So I’m gonna build 3 myself and I’m kinda nervous…