Merced, CA Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Unlike most California cities, the City of Merced adopted express tiny-home-on-wheels standards in Section 20.42.060 of its Zoning Ordinance (Ord. No. 2555, 2023), regulating a THOW as a type of detached accessory dwelling unit. A THOW is approved ministerially if it is licensed and registered with the California DMV and certified to meet ANSI A119.2 / A119.5 and NFPA 1192 recreational-vehicle and park-model standards; the permit also requires renewal with the City every five years. Only one THOW is allowed per lot with a single-family dwelling. Development standards include: floor area less than 400 square feet excluding lofts (with at least 100 square feet of first-floor living space); a maximum building height of 14 feet; a minimum five-foot rear and side setback; and a minimum six-foot separation from any building or structure. A THOW may not be placed in front of the primary residence or parked in the driveway, flat roofs are prohibited, and the wheels and hitch must remain attached and screened from view. The THOW must sit on an approved paved parking pad (asphalt, concrete, permeable pavers, or approved alternative). Motorhomes and other recreational vehicles may not serve as a THOW. Because Merced permits only one water and sewer connection per parcel, the THOW connects to the existing service. Note this differs from the City's separately defined 'small lot single-family homes' (Chapter 20.40), which are conventional foundation-built homes, not movable tiny houses.