Our state and city pages answer the three questions every future tiny house owner asks: whether you can live in one, where you can put it, and how to do it legally.

The rules come in layers. Your state sets the first layer, and your city or county adds its own on top. Every state has its own page below, so start with yours.

Hi, I’m Ryan

Learning the rules before you buy land or start building is the surest way I know to avoid paying for a fix later. It also takes the worry out of going tiny, because you’ll know your house is welcome before it ever arrives.

Find Your State’s Tiny House Laws

Pick your state below to see the rules that apply to a tiny house there.

The District of Columbia isn’t a state, but it has its own page too, so you’ll find it in the list.

How Tiny House Rules Work

Tiny house rules are split between your state and your local government. The state sets the building code, decides how a tiny house on wheels, or THOW, is titled, and passes some broader rules, such as laws on accessory dwelling units, or ADUs.

Your city or county handles zoning, which decides where a tiny house can go and how small it can be. That’s why two cities in the same state can give you very different answers. We cover the rules for 103 cities so far, and each state page links to its city pages.

Tiny House On Wheels Or On A Foundation

Wheels or a foundation decides which set of rules you follow. A tiny house on wheels is usually treated as an RV, so the real question is where you’re allowed to park it and live in it.

A tiny house on a foundation is treated as a house. The questions there are its minimum size, the building code, and the zoning on your lot. Once you know which kind you’re building, open your state page for the answer where you live.

Questions Or Corrections

Rules change, and I want these pages to stay right. If you spot a rule that has changed or a detail that looks off, contact us with what you found and a link to the source if you have one.