Tiny home rules in Howard County, MD — 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.
Howard County has no standalone tiny-home zoning category. A permanent tiny dwelling is regulated as an accessory apartment under Section 128.0.13, which requires an owner-occupied property, limits floor area, and requires a Department of Planning and Zoning permit. Tiny houses on wheels are treated as trailers, not permanent housing.
Howard County does not have a dedicated tiny-home ordinance. A permanent tiny dwelling on a single-family lot is treated as an accessory apartment under Zoning Regulations Section 128.0.13, meaning it must be within or accessory to an owner-occupied dwelling. Historically an accessory apartment could occupy no more than one-third of the building's net floor area, up to 1,500 square feet, and required a Planning and Zoning permit. Council Bill 3-2026, effective April 8, 2026, allows a detached accessory dwelling unit up to 75% of the principal dwelling's footprint, one per single-family lot, with no short-term-rental use. Movable tiny houses on wheels are considered trailers or recreational vehicles and are not permitted as permanent residences in the county's residential districts.
Occupying an unpermitted tiny dwelling, exceeding the size limits, or parking a tiny house on wheels as a residence is a zoning violation subject to Planning and Zoning enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Howard County's tiny homes rules stack up against other locations.
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