Prescott Valley, AZ Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)
Tiny home rules in Prescott Valley, AZ, 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.
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- 2018 International Residential Code with Appendix Q, TINY HOUSES
- Adopting section
- Town Code § 7-03-005
- Appendix Q section
- § 7-03-440.Q, enacted by Ord. No. 861 on 05/23/19
- Permit authority
- Building official under § 7-01-140(A)
- Criminal penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor, fine up to $2,500, up to six months
- Civil sanction
- Up to $250 per citation
Summary
The Town of Prescott Valley, Arizona, adopts the 2018 International Residential Code together with Appendix Q, TINY HOUSES, under Town Code § 7-03-005 and § 7-03-440.Q. Ordinance 861 enacted the appendix on 05/23/19. The Town Code adopts the appendix by reference and does not reprint its text, so building permits come from the building official under Article 7-01.
The International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (International Residential Code), 2018 Edition, along with Appendices A, B, C, D, F, G, H, I, J, K, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S and T, all as copyrighted by the International Code Council, with amendments contained in this document, are hereby adopted by reference as though fully set forth herein, as one of the technical codes of the Town of Prescott Valley. At least three (3) copies of the aforesaid IRC shall be filed in the Office of the Town Clerk and made available for public use and inspection. ... Appendix Q, TINY HOUSES, of the International Residential Code for One- and Two- Family Dwellings.
Full Breakdown
Section 7-03-005 of the Prescott Valley Town Code adopts the 2018 International Residential Code "as one of the technical codes of the Town of Prescott Valley," and the appendices it lists run A, B, C, D, F, G, H, I, J, K, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S and T. Appendix Q is titled TINY HOUSES. Section 7-03-440.Q carries that title as its own heading, and its history note shows Ord. No. 861 enacted it on 05/23/19. The appendices that follow it, R (Light Straw-Clay Construction), S (Strawbale Construction) and T (Solar-Ready Provisions), were enacted by the same ordinance on the same date.
The Town Code does not reprint Appendix Q. It is adopted by reference, and § 7-03-005 requires at least three copies of the IRC to be filed in the Office of the Town Clerk and made available for public use and inspection. Dimensional limits and other tiny house construction rules therefore sit in the ICC appendix, which this page does not quote.
Administration stays with the Town, not the IRC. Section 7-03-010 deletes IRC Sections R105 (Permits), R108 (Fees), R109 (Inspections), R113 (Violations) and R114 (Stop Work Order) and sends administration to Article 7-01, the Town of Prescott Valley Administrative Code. Under § 7-01-140(A), no building or structure regulated by the technical codes can be erected, moved or converted without a separate permit from the building official, and that requirement comes on top of any zoning approval. The accessory building exemption in § 7-01-140(C)(1) reaches only one-story detached buildings used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses, with a projected roof area not over 144 square feet, and even those stay subject to inspection.
Fire protection follows the same adoption path: § 7-03-030(C) amends IRC Section R313 so that automatic fire sprinkler systems must meet Arizona Revised Statutes and the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority Code, as amended. A permit expires if work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance or completed within 365 days of the first inspection approval (§ 7-01-160(C)).
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Chapter 7 of the Town Code is a class 1 misdemeanor under § 7-01-130(A), punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,500, imprisonment not to exceed six months, or both, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense. A civil citation under § 7-01-130(B) carries a civil sanction not to exceed $250, processed under Article 1-08. Penalties do not excuse correcting the violation, and the Town Council, Town Manager, Town Attorney, building official or a specially damaged neighbor can seek an injunction or abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Prescott Valley adopt a tiny house appendix?
Where can I read the text of Appendix Q?
Does a tiny house need a building permit in Prescott Valley?
How long does a building permit last?
Who hears an appeal of a building official decision?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prescott Valley
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