Richland County, SC Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)
Tiny home rules in Richland County, SC, 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
- Tiny-home ordinance
- None; no dedicated rule
- On foundation
- Treated as single-family dwelling
- Manufactured/HUD unit districts
- RU, RR, RS-E, MH park
- Standard
- Federal HUD (1976) code required
- As an ADU
- Manufactured home not allowed
Summary
Richland County has no tiny-home-specific ordinance. A tiny house on a permanent foundation is treated as a single-family dwelling that must meet the building code and district lot/setback standards. A tiny house on wheels is regulated like a manufactured/recreational unit and is not a general residential right; manufactured homes are
Dwellings, manufactured homes on individual lots. Use districts: Rural, Manufactured Home Park. Manufactured homes must meet the standards set by the Federal Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (which became effective June 15, 1976). The tongue, axles, transporting lights, and removable towing apparatus must be removed subsequent to final placement.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-24: This supplement is current through Ordinance No. 033-25HR).
Full Breakdown
The Land Development Code does not define or separately permit 'tiny homes.' A site-built tiny house on a foundation is simply a single-family dwelling and must satisfy the district's minimum lot size, setbacks and the building code. A factory-built unit is regulated as a manufactured home: Sec. 26-151 allows manufactured homes on individual lots only in the Rural, Rural Residential, RS-E and Manufactured Home Park districts, must meet the federal HUD (1976) standards, and requires removal of the tongue and axles plus permanent skirting. A manufactured home cannot serve as an accessory dwelling. Cities set their own tiny-home policies.
Violations & Fines
Placing a dwelling in a district where it is not permitted, or without meeting manufactured-home standards, is a zoning violation subject to removal orders and citations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are tiny homes legal in unincorporated Richland County?
Can I park a tiny house on wheels in my backyard to live in?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Richland County
Compare Richland County to another location·View the South Carolina accessory structures overview
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