Glenn County, CA Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Glenn County Code Title 15 does not use the term 'tiny home,' so how a small dwelling is regulated depends on its construction. A tiny house built or placed on a permanent foundation is treated as a single-family dwelling or, if it is a separate unit on a lot with an existing residence, as a 'second dwelling' under Chapter 15.175 and the Minimum Residential Construction Standards of Chapter 15.590. Section 15.590.020(A) requires all units to be attached to a permanent foundation pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 18551, with exterior walls framed with a minimum of two-by-four (nominal) studs; it also allows an 'efficiency dwelling unit' as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 17958.1 provided it meets the building code, and allows certified manufactured/mobile homes meeting the chapter's standards. Critically, Section 15.590.020(C) provides that 'Travel trailers, recreational vehicles, or other similar vehicles capable of travel on public roadways shall not be allowed as a dwelling.' That means a tiny house on wheels (a movable RV-type structure) cannot be used as a permanent residence under the county code. A tiny home that qualifies as an ADU is also governed by current California ADU law (Government Code Sections 66310-66342), which requires ministerial approval of a conforming unit. Temporary placement of a mobilehome, trailer or RV as a residence during construction of a permanent building is allowed only for a limited period under Section 15.590.040.