Merced, CA Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

060 of the Merced Municipal Code treats a tiny home on wheels (THOW) as a category of accessory dwelling unit, approved ministerially by the director of development services once specific conditions are met. 5 Park Model Recreational Vehicle standards. The permit expires if the unit is removed from the approved property, if DMV registration lapses, if it falls out of compliance with those ANSI/NFPA standards, or if the owner fails to renew with the city every five years. One THOW is allowed per single-family lot; multi-family lots may have no more than two detached ADUs total, counting THOWs and conventional detached ADUs together.

Development standards include a minimum five-foot setback on the side and rear yards with THOWs barred from the front yard entirely, a required six-foot clearance from any other building, a floor area under 400 square feet excluding lofts (with a 100-square-foot interior living space minimum), and a maximum height of 14 feet. Design rules bar flat roofs, require a roof pitch of at least 2:12, require exterior materials matching the primary dwelling, and require the wheels and hitch to be screened from view. Every THOW must sit on a paved parking pad, at least two inches of asphalt or three inches of cement, and must connect to the parcel's water, sewer, and electrical service; the city allows only one water and sewer connection per parcel.