Tiny home rules in Alpine County, CA — covering tiny houses on wheels (THOWs), park model RVs, and tiny home on foundation builds — determine where they are legal and how they get permitted.
Alpine County has no standalone tiny-home ordinance. A tiny home built on a foundation is regulated as a dwelling or ADU; a movable tiny home on wheels is treated as a recreational vehicle/trailer and, as a temporary structure, requires a permit. A permanent tiny home as an ADU follows state ADU law.
Across unincorporated Alpine County, the county's Building Safety Division does not publish a separate tiny-home category. A tiny home built on a permanent foundation is reviewed as a single-family dwelling or as an accessory dwelling unit, and an ADU-style tiny home follows California ADU law (Gov. Code 65852.2) because Chapter 18.69 does not comply with current state law. The state efficiency-unit minimum referenced by the county is 220 square feet, or the minimum required under the applicable California Building Code. A tiny home on wheels is treated as a recreational vehicle or trailer: the Building Safety Division lists temporary structures such as a modular unit or a recreational vehicle/trailer among items requiring a permit, so using an RV-type tiny home is not an unregulated right. ADUs in the county may not be used as short-term rentals and must be rented for more than 30 days. Any habitable tiny home, like other dwellings, needs verified water (well or community supply) and wastewater (septic or community) capacity. In the Markleeville Historic District, design review may also apply. Because the county has no dedicated tiny-home or RV-occupancy ordinance posted, owners should confirm requirements directly with the Building Safety Division before siting one.
Placing a tiny home on wheels or an RV as a permanent residence without permits or utility approvals, or renting an ADU-type tiny home for fewer than 30 days, can result in code enforcement, fines, and orders to remove or vacate the unit.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Alpine County's tiny homes rules stack up against other locations.
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