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

Imperial County does not regulate 'tiny homes' as a separate land-use category. A tiny dwelling on a permanent foundation is permitted as an Accessory Dwelling Unit under Title 9, Division 4, Chapter 5 (Section 90405): a detached ADU may be up to 1,200 square feet (Section 90405.03.E), and a junior ADU up to 500 square feet may be created within an existing single-family structure (Section 90405.11). A manufactured home may serve as an ADU under the same terms as a conventional home if it meets California Code of Regulations Title 25 requirements (Section 90405.07.L). Tiny homes on wheels and recreational vehicles, by contrast, cannot be used as permanent residences outside a licensed facility. The county's Camping Ordinance, Title 9, Division 29, Chapter 3 (Section 92903.02), makes it unlawful to camp in, dwell in, or inhabit any structure, or to park a vehicle, recreational vehicle, or mobilehome for purposes of sleeping in or otherwise inhabiting it, on any property other than a licensed campground, recreational vehicle park, mobilehome park, or governmentally controlled public-use area where camping is specifically authorized. It also prohibits maintaining any shanty, shack, or abandoned vehicle used for human habitation. Because Imperial County has many agricultural-residential parcels and colonias, owners seeking a small dwelling should pursue the permitted ADU/JADU path on a foundation rather than placing an RV or tiny house on wheels.