Fort Myers, FL Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Fort Myers follows the Florida Building Code (which incorporates IRC Appendix Q standards for dwellings 400 sq ft or less — minimum ceiling heights, loft access by ladder/alternating-tread device, emergency escape and rescue openings, sleeping loft minimums). A site-built tiny home on a permanent foundation in a Fort Myers residential zone is either: (1) the principal single-family dwelling, in which case it must meet the dimensional standards of its zone — RS-E (32,000 sq ft minimum lot), RS-5 (8,000 sq ft), RS-6 (7,000 sq ft), or RS-7 (5,000 sq ft minimum lot, 50 ft minimum width) — plus the principal-building setbacks (20 ft front, 10 ft side and rear in RS-5/6/7); or (2) an accessory guest house under LDC § 118.3.11 capped at 30% of the principal structure's gross floor area and meeting accessory setbacks. The 5,000 sq ft minimum lot in RS-7 effectively precludes tiny home villages on very small lots. Tiny homes on wheels (THOW) classified as recreational vehicles, park model RVs, or trailers cannot be used as a primary or accessory dwelling in residential zones — they may be stored on private property subject to RV-storage rules but cannot be lived in. Permanent placement of a manufactured/HUD-code tiny home requires the same Florida Building Permit, foundation, hurricane-rated anchorage (170 mph), utility connections, and inspections as any single-family residence. The Florida Building Code Wind Zone for Lee County requires 170 mph design for all permanent structures.