Tiny home rules in Chico, CA — 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.
Chico has no separate tiny-home ordinance; tiny dwellings are regulated under CMC §19.76.130 (ADUs) and California state law. A tiny home on a permanent foundation that meets the California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5) may qualify as an ADU in R1/R2 zones (detached minimum 4 ft side/rear setback, max 1,200 sq ft). Tiny Houses on Wheels (THOWs) that do not meet HCD park trailer (HSC §18009.3) or manufactured home definitions are not legal full-time dwellings outside a permitted mobilehome/RV park, per HCD Information Bulletin 2016-01.
Per HCD IB 2016-01, a tiny home that is site-constructed or mobile and does not fit MH (manufactured home), FBH (factory-built housing), RV, PT (park trailer), or CC (camping cabin) categories is a dwelling unit that must comply with the California Building Standards Code to be legally occupied. Park Trailers under HSC §18009.3 are for temporary/seasonal recreational use only, not year-round residency. In Chico, a site-built tiny home meeting CRC Appendix Q (lofts, ladders, ceiling heights for dwellings under 400 sq ft) may be permitted as an ADU or JADU on a parcel with an existing single-family or multi-family use. Detached ADUs require 4 ft side/rear setbacks; max height is 16 ft (or 18 ft if compliant with ministerial state standards). Owner-occupancy is not required for ADUs in Chico.
Living in a THOW or RV as a permanent dwelling on a residential parcel cited under CMC §19.42 (residential zone uses) and CMC §19.76.130. Code enforcement may require removal of the unit or conversion to a permanent foundation. RV occupancy on private residential lots is limited under state and local law to temporary stays only.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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