Birmingham, AL Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Birmingham's principal restriction on backyard tiny homes appears in Appendix D - Zoning, Part 3, Title 1 - General Provisions, Article III Section 9 (Accessory buildings - Use for dwelling purposes), which prohibits using an accessory structure as a separate dwelling unit except for domestic servants entirely employed on the premises. As a result, Birmingham does not have a general accessory dwelling unit (ADU) allowance comparable to West Coast cities, and a backyard tiny house used as a long-term residence is not a permitted use in standard residential districts. A tiny home placed as a primary dwelling on its own lot must comply with the city's adopted International Residential Code (IRC), the underlying zoning district's lot area and setback requirements, and the building code provisions of Title 5 of the Code of Ordinances. Birmingham has not separately adopted IRC Appendix Q (Tiny Houses), so dwellings under 400 square feet are reviewed against the standard IRC habitable-room and ceiling-height requirements; confirm with PEP whether Appendix Q is currently in effect. Tiny houses on wheels (THOWs) are generally treated as recreational vehicles or manufactured homes rather than permanent dwellings and are not permitted as full-time residences in single-family residential districts. Mobile home and manufactured housing placement is restricted to designated districts under Title 2.