Tiny home rules in Hampshire County, MA — 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.
A tiny home's rules in Hampshire County turn on its foundation. Built on a permanent foundation at 900 square feet or less, it now qualifies as a by-right accessory dwelling unit; on wheels, it is an RV that zoning does not treat as a permanent home.
A tiny house on a permanent foundation is a dwelling under 780 CMR and must meet the state building code for egress, ceiling height, and alarms. When it is 900 square feet or smaller on a single-family lot, MGL c.40A §3 makes it an accessory dwelling unit allowed by right, so no Hampshire County town or city can require a special permit for it. A tiny house on wheels is registered and titled as a recreational vehicle or trailer; it is not a permanent dwelling, and local zoning bylaws restrict living in one full-time. Either way the town or city, since there is no county government, permits and inspects.
Placing a foundation tiny home without a building permit is illegal construction under 780 CMR. Living full-time in a titled RV parked on a lot conflicts with local zoning and draws enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Hampshire County, MA
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See how Hampshire County's tiny homes rules stack up against other locations.
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