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Beaverton, OR Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Tiny home rules in Beaverton, OR, 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

Governing section
BC 8.02.160
Appendix Q status
Not adopted / preempted
Applicable standard
Full Residential Specialty Code
Scope
Beaverton city limits only

Summary

Beaverton has not adopted Appendix Q's special tiny-house standards, so a tiny house here must meet the same full Residential Specialty Code requirements as any other dwelling.

R101.2.3.2 Matters preempted by the state building code. The following matters are not adopted, are preempted by the state building code and may not be adopted by a local municipality:

1. Appendix A (Sizing and Capacities of Gas Piping).

2. Appendix B (Sizing of Venting Systems Serving Appliances Equipped with Draft Hoods, Category I Appliances, and Appliances listed for use with Type B Vents).

3. Appendix C (Exit Terminals of Mechanical Draft and Direct-vent Venting Systems).

4. Appendix D (Recommended Procedure for Safety Inspection of an Existing Appliance Installation).

5. Appendix G (Piping Standards for Various Applications).

6. Appendix I (Private Sewage Disposal).

7. Appendix J (Existing Buildings and Structures).

8. Appendix L (Permit Fees).

9. Appendix M (Home Day Care—R-3 Occupancy).

10. Appendix N (Venting Methods).

11. Appendix O (Automatic Vehicular Gates).

12. Appendix P (Sizing of Water Piping System).

13. Appendix Q (Tiny Houses).

14. Appendix T (Solar-ready Provisions—Detached One- and Two-family Dwellings and Townhouses). R101.2.4 Appendices. The following appendices are adopted as part of the Oregon Residential Specialty Code:

1. Appendix E (Manufactured Housing Used as Dwellings).

2. Appendix F (Radon Control Methods).

3. Appendix H (Patio Covers).

4. Appendix K (Sound Transmission).

5. Appendix R (Light Straw-clay Construction).

6. Appendix S (Strawbale Construction).

Full Breakdown

BC 8.02.160, the city's adopted version of the Oregon Residential Specialty Code, lists Appendix Q (Tiny Houses) among the matters that are "not adopted, are preempted by the state building code and may not be adopted by a local municipality." That means Beaverton cannot offer the reduced ceiling-height, room-size, or loft-access allowances that Appendix Q provides elsewhere; a tiny house built in Beaverton, whether a standalone dwelling or an accessory structure, must comply with the standard Oregon Residential Specialty Code provisions in full. This applies inside Beaverton city limits, Washington County, Oregon, and is separate from any Development Code siting, size, or zoning rules for accessory dwelling units.

Violations & Fines

Building a tiny house that does not meet standard Residential Specialty Code requirements is handled as a building code violation under BC 8.02.120: civil penalty up to $250, each day separate, with authority to stop work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I build a code-minimum tiny house under Appendix Q in Beaverton?
No. BC 8.02.160 lists Appendix Q (Tiny Houses) as not adopted and preempted from local adoption, so standard Residential Specialty Code requirements apply instead.
Are tiny houses banned in Beaverton?
No, but they get no special size or ceiling-height exemptions -- they must meet the same building code as any full-size dwelling.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Beaverton

All Beaverton rules

Compare Beaverton to another location·View the Oregon accessory structures overview

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