Tiny home rules in Palm Springs, 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.
Palm Springs treats tiny homes based on construction type. Tiny homes on foundations are regulated as ADUs under California Gov Code §65852.2 and SB 1211/AB 2533 (2024); tiny homes on wheels are RVs/park trailers regulated by HCD and generally NOT allowed as permanent dwellings on single-family lots outside RV parks. Movable Tiny Houses meeting ANSI 119.5 can qualify as JADUs in limited cases.
California's ADU framework (Gov Code §65852.2) requires cities to ministerially permit detached and attached ADUs up to 1,200 sq ft (larger under recent updates), and Palm Springs has adopted a conforming ADU ordinance. A foundation-built tiny home meeting California Building Code is simply a small ADU and faces the same ministerial approval path. SB 1211 (2024) raises detached ADU limits in multifamily contexts and AB 2533 limits city ability to impose additional fees or delay. Tiny homes on wheels (THOW) are generally classified as either RVs (ANSI A119.5 park models) or manufactured homes on chassis - these cannot be permanently occupied on standard residential lots; California only allows them as temporary dwellings in approved RV parks or in specific circumstances for caregiver/emergency housing. Palm Springs does not have a dedicated THOW program and conventional zoning and HCD rules apply. HOAs cannot prohibit ADUs under recent state ADU law but can impose reasonable architectural standards. Utilities, setbacks (4 ft rear/side for ADUs under state default), and fire access all apply.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Palm Springs code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Riverside County.
See how other cities in Riverside County handle tiny homes.
See how Palm Springs's tiny homes rules stack up against other locations.
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