Where to Put It

Water, sewer or septic, power and solar: what California rules usually ask for, and what off-grid really means for a tiny home.

What to expect when your tiny home is delivered in California: road size limits, site prep and setup day.

Shopping for land for a tiny home in unincorporated San Diego County? Here's what to look for in a lot, from road access and utilities to septic, wells, zoning and fire areas.

Last checked: October 21, 2026. If your city or county doesn't allow a tiny home on wheels on private land, a licensed RV park, mobilehome park or tiny home community is usually the legal alternative. Below are places that say on their own websites that they accept tiny homes, park models or long-term stays. What parks usually require State guidance says park trailers and RVs generally may be lived in only in mobilehome parks or RV parks, unless a local ordinance allows other

Parks are the one place in California where a tiny home on wheels is allowed without a special local ordinance. What the state says Park trailers and RVs, "unless otherwise allowed by a local ordinance," generally may be occupied only in mobilehome parks or special occupancy parks (RV parks and campgrounds) (HCD IB 2016-01). Those parks are governed by the Mobilehome Parks Act and Special Occupancy Parks Act, with rules in Title 25 of the California Code of Regulations (HCD p

A backyard is the most common place for a tiny home in California. The path depends on whether the home is on a foundation (ADU) or on wheels (local rules only). Option 1: Foundation tiny home as an ADU State ADU law gives homeowners strong rights. Per HCD's ADU Handbook (updated March 2026) (PDF): One detached new ADU is allowed on a lot with an existing or proposed single-family home, up to 800 sq ft with 4-ft side and rear setbacks, and a height limit of 16, 18 or 20 ft de

Buying land and placing a tiny home on it is a popular dream. It is also where people most often get stuck. Here is what the rules actually say. The key point: it has to be a legal dwelling Living on vacant land means the tiny home is the primary dwelling. It must be one of the state-recognized types (HCD IB 2016-01): A house on a foundation built to the California Residential Code: the most widely accepted path. A manufactured home (HUD-code, 320 sq ft or more when set up),