Tiny House Friendly: ³⁄₁₀

• Tiny house regulations and codes may vary by city, town, or county.
• Tiny houses on wheels fall under the term ‘travel trailer.’
• A travel trailer refers to a portable vehicular unit mounted on wheels designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use.
• They do not require special highway movement permits when drawn by a motorized vehicle, and with a living area of less than 220 square feet, excluding built-in equipment (such as wardrobes, closets, kitchen units or fixtures) and bath and toilet rooms.
• They are not allowed to be used in a city.
• It is unlawful to park on a street or anywhere public.
• Tiny homes are allowed in the case of a disaster.
• Consider asking local zoning offices about installing tiny homes in cities across Missouri such as:
  • St. Louis
  • Kansas City
  • Springfield
  • Columbia
  • Jefferson City
  • Branson
  • Saint Charles

Missouri is another state that hasn’t officially addressed tiny houses. However, in many areas, tiny houses are considered travel trailers. Unfortunately, this classification puts restrictions on tiny homes that make it extremely difficult to live legally.

Tiny House Friendly: ⁴⁄₁₀

• There are currently no laws in place that govern tiny houses.
• Tiny house builders in Mississippi can construct any size tiny, but they usually range between 100 and 900 square feet.
• Tiny houses were used as emergency shelters after Hurricane Katrina. Since then, it doesn’t appear that local governments have taken on tiny houses as permanent housing. There are a number of companies that sell tiny houses in hopes that the trend will spread and they’ll become more widely accepted.
• It does appear that Shed to House Conversions are becoming popular in Mississippi.

Tiny House Friendly: ⁷⁄₁₀

• Tiny house regulations and codes may vary by city, town, or county.
• For zoning purposes, there are two common types of tiny houses in Minnesota: RVs and ADUs (accessory dwelling units).
• ADUs on a foundation fall under the same Minnesota State Building Code as all housing.

While tiny houses are more in demand than ever, finding a place to park or build proves tricky. However, a number of municipalities are in support of tiny homes as an option for the elderly, disabled, or those nearing end of life.

Minnesota Building Codes

Tiny House Friendly: ⁸⁄₁₀

• Tiny house regulations and codes may vary by city, town, or county.
• Briley Township in Northern Michigan has defined a new type of dwelling, and refers to it as an ‘Economy Efficient Dwelling.’
  • Economy Efficient Dwelling is a dwelling that is more than 240 square feet and less than 500 square feet with a minimum side elevation of no less than 12 feet and no more than 20 feet, minimum length of 20 feet and a maximum length of 30 feet built to all Michigan building and sanitary codes and qualifies for a certificate of occupancy.
  • An economy efficient dwelling must be placed on a permanent approved foundation.
  • These homes are allowed in residential 2, forest rec, and agriculture areas.

Michigan has adopted their zoning regulations to be more tiny house-friendly. There is some discussion to get ADUs to be allowed in residential areas.

Tiny House Friendly: ⁴⁄₁₀

• Tiny house regulations and codes may vary by city, town, or county.
• Tiny houses are not yet acknowledged by the state.
• Laws are more friendly toward tiny houses on foundations, rather than tiny houses on wheels.
• Tiny houses on wheels fall into the category of RV, but the only place they can be parked legally is in a dedicated RV park. Most RV parks have restrictions on length of occupancy.

While the demand is certainly there, some counties and cities in Maryland have zoning laws in place that greatly restrict people from living in tiny houses. The more rural a tiny homeowner is willing to go, the more likely they will be able to find a place to park or build a tiny house.

Tiny House Friendly: ⁹⁄₁₀

• Tiny house regulations and codes may vary by city, town, or county.
• Maine has created statewide construction guidelines for tiny houses; defining them as a dwelling less than 400 square feet allowing sleeping lofts, permitting ladder access to lofts, and approving skylights as points of emergency egress.
• It’s important to note that towns are still able to approve or deny the construction of tiny houses.
• In most cases, your tiny house built on a permanent foundation needs to comply with Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code.
• Camping in a tiny house on wheels is allowed in North Yarmouth, Maine as long as:
  • When placed on a site for more than 120 days per year, all requirements for residential structures are met.
  • You do not build on a permanent foundation.
  • It is on the lot existing before the date of the ordinance or larger than 30,000 square feet.

Maine is one of the leading states in the tiny house movement, as they are the first to have adopted statewide construction guidelines for tiny houses. It’s also common to convert old boat houses into tiny houses as a secondary dwelling.

Maine Uniform Building Codes

Tiny House Friendly: ⁴⁄₁₀

• Tiny house regulations and codes may vary by city, town, or county.
• All cities in Louisiana are supposed to follow the 2012 International Residential Code (IRC).
• According to the 2012 IRC, one room in the tiny house must measure at least 120 square feet in size.
• Safety regulations require a loft to have a window and stairs–not a ladder.
• Stairs, hallways, and doors must be at least 3 feet wide and ceilings must be at least 7 feet tall (including loft areas).

By following the 2012 IRC, building a tiny house with all of the mentioned specifications isn’t easy. Tiny house enthusiasts are hoping Louisiana will put the previously delayed 2015 IRC into effect.

Tiny House Friendly: ⁵⁄₁₀

• Tiny house regulations and codes may vary by city, town, or county.
• Tiny homes are allowed in Louisville Metro provided they apply with the following codes:
  • Permanent/site-built: These tiny homes built on a foundation are reviewed and processed the same as any new home.
  • Prefabricated/modular: Tiny house kits can fall under this category. They are typically fabricated off-site, assembled on-site, and then placed on foundations. Additional documentation and review may be required with this option. If the structure is assembled completely off-site then it would be classified as “pre-manufactured,” and would require prior approval by the state.
  • Portable: Tiny houses on wheels would fall under this category, and would not be intended for permanent placement on a site. Tiny houses on wheels are still subject to zoning requirements.

Conversations are moving forward concerning tiny houses in the state of Kentucky. While Louisville seems to be giving the nod to tiny, other areas have yet to address them officially. Similarly to many other states, the further away from the city you go, the more “grey area” it becomes to live in a tiny house.

Tiny House Friendly: ³⁄₁₀

• Tiny house regulations and codes may vary by city, town, or county.
• The Council of Iowa Falls adopted changes to City Code that reduces the minimum size for new homes from 600 square feet to 500.

While the tiny house movement is really catching on in metro areas with high housing and land costs, it doesn’t mean building your tiny house in these places will be easy. The major obstacle to tiny houses is found in the local zoning ordinances which dictates minimum square footage or lot sizes.

Tiny House Friendly: ⁶⁄₁₀

• • • The state of Indiana allows counties to establish specific building codes.
    • Tiny house regulations and codes may vary by city, town, or county.
    • Important to note: They specifically exclude codes that apply to private homes built by the individuals and used for their own occupancy–also known as the Log Cabin Rule.
    • Log Cabin Rule does not protect tiny houses on wheels.

  The Log Cabin Rule appears to exist to honor the traditional housing of the State of Indiana.
• Schererville Indiana Allowing Tiny House
• Since 2015 the State considers Tiny Houses and Park Models the same as an RV. You also cannot live in them permanently.