Tiny home rules in Dane County, WI β covering tiny houses on wheels (THOWs), park model RVs, and tiny home on foundation builds β determine where they are legal and how they get permitted.
Foundation-built tiny homes in Dane County are treated as standard dwellings under Wis. Admin. Code SPS 320-325 (UDC). Tiny homes on wheels are classified as RVs/mobile homes under Wis. Stat. Β§101.91. 2017 Wisconsin Act 67 and Act 317 expanded ADU flexibility. Minimum habitable size is generally 150 sq ft under IRC Appendix Q.
Wisconsin treats tiny houses in two tracks. Foundation-built tiny homes under 400 square feet are governed by the Uniform Dwelling Code (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 320-325), which as of the 2020 UDC update adopts IRC Appendix Q for houses 400 sf or less: minimum ceiling height 6 ft 8 in (6 ft 4 in in lofts), minimum room size 70 sf (excluding kitchens), and habitable lofts with alternating tread stairs allowed. Madison (MGO Β§28.151) permits ADUs on most single-family lots following 2017 Wisconsin Act 67 and Act 317 which preempt local bans on accessory dwelling units; minimum ADU size is typically 300 sq ft. Fitchburg adopted an ADU ordinance in 2022, and Dane County Ch. 10 allows ADUs in agricultural residential districts. Tiny houses on wheels (THOW) are classified as recreational vehicles under Wis. Stat. Β§340.01(48r) and cannot be used as a permanent dwelling outside a licensed mobile home park or campground. Some Dane County townships (e.g., Springdale, Vermont) have experimented with THOW overlay districts. Utility hookups must meet SPS 382 plumbing and SPS 316 electrical. Septic systems require a Wisconsin Plumbing Permit under SPS 383 if outside a sanitary district.
Unpermitted tiny dwellings: Madison stop-work, occupancy prohibited, forfeitures $500 to $5,000. THOW used as primary residence on residential lot: Dane County Ch. 10 Zoning citation, removal required. Septic violations SPS 383: DNR enforcement up to $5,000 per day.
Dane County, WI
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