Kanawha County, WV Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)
Tiny home rules in Kanawha County, WV, 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
- On Foundation
- Dwelling under State Building Code
- Small Homes
- IRC Appendix Q (400 sq ft or less)
- On Wheels
- RV or mobile home rules
- Permit
- Required to place either
- County Zoning
- No district limits
Summary
In unincorporated Kanawha County, a foundation-built tiny home is a dwelling under the West Virginia State Building Code, while a tiny home on wheels is treated like an RV or mobile home. Placing either requires a county permit.
A BUILDING PERMIT SHALL BE REQUIRED IN ANY AREA OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF KANAWHA COUNTY IF YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY, CURRENTLY OR PLAN TO DO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: BUILD, RELOCATE OR PLACE ANY TYPE OF STRUCTURE NEW or USED PLACE A MOBILE HOME NEW or USED
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Kanawha County classifies a tiny home by how it is built. A foundation tiny house is a single-family dwelling under the adopted West Virginia State Building Code, including IRC Appendix Q standards for homes 400 square feet or less, and needs approved water, wastewater, and, on septic, enough lot area under the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department. A tiny home on wheels is titled and placed like a recreational vehicle or manufactured home, and the county's guidelines require a permit to place a mobile home, new or used. With no county zoning districts, placement is limited mainly by the building and floodplain rules rather than a zoning table, though cities zone within their limits.
Violations & Fines
Occupying a foundation tiny home without a final certificate, or placing a mobile or manufactured tiny home without the required county permit, brings code enforcement and doubled or tripled fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a tiny home on my land in Kanawha County?
Is there a minimum size?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kanawha County
Compare Kanawha County to another location·View the West Virginia accessory structures overview
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