Aurora, CO Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)
Tiny home rules in Aurora, CO, 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.
Key Facts
- Zoning
- R-MH district only
- Wheels
- Must be removed
- Foundation
- Permanent foundation required
- Utilities
- Water, sewer, electric before 30 days
- Min. area
- 1,000 sq ft or 1.5x floor area
Summary
Aurora, Colorado treats tiny houses as manufactured housing under its Unified Development Ordinance, restricting them to the R-MH Manufactured Home Park zone district with foundation, utility and minimum-area rules.
All Tiny House Dwellings shall have wheels removed, shall be installed on a permanent foundation, and shall be connected to City water, sewer, and electric utilities before occupancy for a period of more than 30 consecutive days.
2. Minimum Area Per Dwelling Unit.
a. The use must contain a defined area for the use of each dwelling unit.
b. No Manufactured Home, Pre-1976 Mobile Home installed before the Effective Date of this UDO, or Tiny House Dwelling shall occupy a defined area smaller than 1,000 square feet or one and one-half times the gross floor area of the dwelling unit, whichever is larger.
3. Landscaping.
a. The minimum amount of outdoor common area incorporated into any project shall be 25 percent of the gross acreage.
b. Landscaped setbacks for Manufactured Home Parks shall comply with 146-4.7 (Landscape, Water Conservation, Storm water Management), 4.7-2 including but not limited to Table 4.7-2 (Buffer Widths and Allowed Reduction Table) as applicable to multifamily development.
4. Detention Ponds. Any required detention and retention ponds shall be integrated into the site design and shall meet the requirements of the Aurora Storm Drainage Design and Technical Criteria and the Aurora Roadway Design and Construction Specifications Manual (which addresses retaining walls for detention ponds).
5. Street Standards.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Aurora's UDO defines a Dwelling, Tiny House as a wheeled-frame home under 400 square feet and places it only in the R-MH district, alongside manufactured and pre-1976 mobile homes. Per UDO § 146-2.3.6.D.1, a Tiny House Dwelling must have its wheels removed, sit on a permanent foundation, and be connected to City water, sewer, and electric before any occupancy beyond 30 consecutive days. Each unit needs a defined area of at least 1,000 square feet or 1.5 times its floor area. Installation must also comply with Chapter 90 of the Aurora City Code (Manufactured Homes and Trailers); the stricter of the two governs any conflict.
Violations & Fines
Noncompliant installation is a UDO violation subject to a notice of violation, stop-work order, withheld permits or certificate of occupancy, permit revocation, and summons to Aurora Municipal Court for uncorrected violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I place a tiny house anywhere in Aurora, CO?
Does a tiny house need a foundation in Aurora?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado accessory structures overview
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