Mendocino County, CA Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)
Tiny home rules in Mendocino County, CA, 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
- Minimum size
- 150 gross sq ft
- Maximum size
- 400 gross sq ft
- Towing height limit
- 14 feet (Veh. Code § 35250)
- Required certification
- ANSI 119.5 or NFPA 1192
- Registration
- CA DMV license and registration
- Allowed uses
- Primary dwelling, ADU, or 2nd unit
Summary
Mendocino County allows Moveable Tiny Homes as a primary dwelling, ADU, or second residential unit in any residential zoning district, capped between 150 and 400 gross square feet, with a 14-foot towing height limit and mandatory ANSI or NFPA certification.
Moveable Tiny Homes may be established as a single-family dwelling, accessory dwelling unit and/or second residential unit in all zoning districts that allow residential dwellings and/or accessory uses, subject to the limitations contained in this Chapter. ... (1)Height. A Moveable Tiny Home shall have a maximum height of fourteen (14) feet when being towed, per California Vehicle Code section 35250. ... (3)Minimum and Maximum Size.(a)Minimum size: one hundred fifty (150) gross square feet.(b)Maximum size: four hundred (400) gross square feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).
Full Breakdown
170 governs Moveable Tiny Homes, defined separately from recreational vehicles and travel trailers under Sec. 005. Sec. 010 permits them as a single-family dwelling, accessory dwelling unit, or second residential unit in any zoning district that allows residential dwellings or accessory uses, subject to the chapter's limitations. Sec. 166. Design standards in subsection (B) require skirting to hide the wheels and undercarriage, minimum R-13 wall/floor and R-19 ceiling insulation, an approved compacted parking pad with bumper guards or curbs, California Building Code-compliant exterior materials, double-pane windows, an efficiency kitchen, and an approved water source and waste disposal system from the Division of Environmental Health, with generators barred except in emergencies.
Sec. 5 or NFPA 1192 standards, carry third-party inspection certification, display a compliance sticker or plaque, and be licensed and registered with the California DMV.
Violations & Fines
A Moveable Tiny Home used as a dwelling without DMV registration, without ANSI/NFPA certification, or that exceeds the 400-square-foot cap or the 14-foot towing height on a public road, violates Chapter 20.170 and California Vehicle Code Section 35250. Zoning violations are enforced under Sec. 20.216.010 as an infraction under Government Code Section 25132 or through administrative enforcement under Chapter 1.08, with the Planning and Building Services Department authorized to issue a stop-work order and each day of continuing violation treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I live in a Moveable Tiny Home full-time in unincorporated Mendocino County?
How big can a Moveable Tiny Home be in Mendocino County?
Does a Moveable Tiny Home need to be DMV registered?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mendocino County
California rules heatmap·Compare Mendocino County to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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