Chino, CA Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Pathway 1 — ADU: Under Gov. Code §65852.2 (re-codified by SB 477 of 2024 at Gov. Code §66310 et seq.) and Chino's ADU ordinance adopted March 17, 2020 (CMC Title 20), a detached ADU may be up to 1,200 sq ft, height limited to 16 ft (or 18 ft if a transit/SF lot exception applies, or up to 25 ft / 2 stories if attached to a 2-story primary dwelling). Setbacks: 4 ft side and rear minimum. Owner occupancy is NOT required for ADUs permitted 1/1/2020–1/1/2025; JADUs always require owner occupancy. Tiny homes built on a permanent foundation meeting the California Residential Code qualify as ADUs. Pathway 2 — JADU: Gov. Code §65852.22 (now §66333 et seq.) — up to 500 sq ft, located within the walls of an existing single-family dwelling, must share an entrance OR have its own, requires owner-occupant of the property. Pathway 3 — Movable tiny house: A tiny house on wheels meeting ANSI A119.5 or built to RV standards (NFPA 1192) is regulated as a recreational vehicle under Cal. Health & Safety Code §18010 and is NOT a permanent dwelling under Chino zoning. Chino, like most CA cities, allows RVs to be stored on a single-family lot (subject to Title 20 yard/screening rules) but does not allow them to be occupied as a permanent residence. Some California cities have adopted Movable Tiny House (MTH) ordinances allowing an MTH as an ADU; Chino has not separately adopted MTH provisions, so a tiny home must be on a permanent foundation to be a permitted dwelling.