Tiny home rules in Rialto, 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.
Tiny homes in Rialto are regulated either as ADUs under California Government Code §65852.2 (state ADU law) and Rialto Municipal Code Title 18, or as RVs/manufactured housing under state HCD rules. Permanent tiny homes on foundations qualify as ADUs and benefit from California's ministerial-approval preemption.
California state law (Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2 and Cal. Gov. Code §65852.22 for Junior ADUs) requires Rialto to ministerially approve ADUs up to 1,200 sf (detached) or 850 sf for studio/1-bedroom (minimum allowance), with no minimum lot size and no owner-occupancy requirement (subject to current statutory rules). A movable tiny home on wheels (THOW) registered as a recreational vehicle with the DMV is regulated under California Vehicle Code and California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Title 25 standards; it cannot be used as a permanent dwelling on a residential lot in Rialto except as authorized under state ADU law (which allows certain HCD-certified movable tiny houses as ADUs per AB 68 and related statutes). Tiny homes built to ANSI A119.5 (Park Model RV) are RVs and may only be occupied in licensed RV parks under HSC §18215. Permanent tiny homes must meet the California Residential Code adopted in RMC Title 15, including minimum room sizes (CRC Appendix Q allows tiny houses under 400 sf with reduced ceiling and stair standards), Title 24 energy compliance, and zoning setbacks/height/lot coverage in RMC Chapter 18.06.
Living in an unpermitted tiny home, RV, or trailer as a permanent residence on a Rialto lot is enforced by Community Compliance under Title 8 (Health and Sanitation) and Title 18 (Zoning), with citations, abatement orders, and potential removal. ADU approvals improperly denied may be appealed to HCD under Gov. Code §65852.2(h).
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