Tiny home rules in Boston, MA — 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.
Boston does not recognize tiny houses on wheels as legal dwellings. Tiny homes on foundations must meet full 780 CMR building code and minimum zoning unit size. ADUs are separately governed under 2023 reform.
Boston zoning does not distinguish tiny homes from other dwellings, meaning a tiny house on a foundation must meet 780 CMR minimums (habitable rooms at least 70 sq ft, ceiling height 7 feet, bathroom and kitchen per code) and the district minimum dwelling size (typically 400 to 600 sq ft net floor area). Tiny houses on wheels are regulated as recreational vehicles and cannot be used as year-round dwellings on a residential lot. The Massachusetts ADU law (Ch. 150, 2023 Affordable Homes Act) allows accessory dwelling units up to 900 sq ft by right statewide; Boston ADU regulations implementing this reform took effect in 2024 and allow one ADU per single-family lot with ISD permit.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Boston code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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See how Boston's tiny homes rules stack up against other locations.
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