Apple Valley, CA Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

The Town of Apple Valley does not have a stand-alone tiny-home ordinance; tiny dwellings fall under existing Development Code categories depending on their form. The ADU definition in Section 9.29.120 (Ordinance No. 530) expressly includes an efficiency unit (Health & Safety Code 17958.1) and a manufactured home (Health & Safety Code 18007), so a permitted small second home is generally regulated as an accessory dwelling unit, with the same ministerial review, size limits (up to 1,200 sq ft or 50% of the primary structure), and 30-day minimum rental term. A manufactured or factory-built home used as a primary single-family dwelling is governed by Section 9.29.060 (Manufactured Housing Standards), which requires installation on a permanent foundation with the finished floor at grade, a HUD/federal construction-standards label, and generally bars installation if more than 10 years have elapsed between manufacture and the permit application. A tiny house on wheels that remains a recreational vehicle is treated as an RV under Section 9.29.025 (Trailers, Campers, Fifth-Wheels, Recreational Vehicles and Buses) and cannot simply be parked and lived in as a permanent residence. Because the Town preserves its open desert and rural-Estate character, anyone considering a tiny home should confirm with the Community Development/Planning Division which category applies before buying or building.