York County, SC Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)
Tiny home rules in York County, SC, 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
- Tiny house on wheels as ADU
- Prohibited, § 155.631(D)
- Site-built tiny house
- Allowed under IRC Appendix AQ, § 150.04(B)
- Building code base
- 2021 IRC as modified by SC Codes Council
- Appeal body
- York County Building Board of Appeals
- Zoning penalty
- Up to $500/day, § 155.9999
Summary
A tiny house on wheels can't serve as an accessory dwelling unit anywhere in unincorporated York County under § 155.631(D), but a permanently sited, code-built tiny house can qualify because § 150.04(B) adopts the 2021 International Residential Code's Appendix AQ, the state's tiny-house construction standard, into the county building code.
§ 155.631(D) Prohibited dwelling types. A manufactured home, recreational vehicle, tiny house on wheels, travel trailer, or camper shall not be used as an accessory dwelling unit. § 150.04(B) Except as herein amended, the installation, workmanship, construction, maintenance or repair of new residential construction, additions, alterations or repairs shall be administered as provided in Chapter 1 of the 2021 Edition of the International Residential Code with modifications and Appendices AH (patio covers), AJ (existing buildings and structures), and AQ (tiny houses), as modified by the South Carolina Codes Council, is hereby adopted by reference and made an integral part of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-49: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 3925, passed 6-16-25).
Full Breakdown
Section 155.631(D), part of the county's accessory dwelling unit rules, is direct: 'A manufactured home, recreational vehicle, tiny house on wheels, travel trailer, or camper shall not be used as an accessory dwelling unit.' A wheeled tiny house is grouped with RVs and campers, not with permanent construction, so it cannot legally serve as an ADU regardless of lot size or district. Separately, York County's building code chapter takes a different stance on site-built tiny houses: § 150.04(B) adopts, 'for new residential construction, additions, alterations or repairs,' the 2021 International Residential Code 'with modifications and Appendices AH (patio covers), AJ (existing buildings and structures), and AQ (tiny houses), as modified by the South Carolina Codes Council.' Appendix AQ is the IRC's dedicated tiny-house construction chapter, covering foundations, ceiling heights, egress and loft standards for small dwellings, and York County enforces it as part of Chapter 150 for any tiny house built to a permanent foundation, whether as a principal dwelling or as an accessory dwelling unit that otherwise meets §§ 155.630 through 155.633.
The county's Building and Codes Division, created under § 150.03 within Planning and Development Services, administers Chapter 150's adopted codes, and 'any property owner may appeal a decision of any representative of the building codes division directly to the building board of appeals.'
Violations & Fines
Using a tiny house on wheels as a permanent residence or accessory dwelling unit violates § 155.631(D) and is a zoning misdemeanor under § 155.9999, punishable by up to $500 per day; building a site-built tiny house without following the adopted IRC Appendix AQ standards under Chapter 150 violates the building code and can halt occupancy until corrected, with appeals running to the Building Board of Appeals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a tiny house on wheels as an ADU in York County?
Does York County allow tiny houses at all?
Who enforces the tiny-house construction standards?
What if I disagree with a building code decision on my tiny house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
Compare York County to another location·View the South Carolina accessory structures overview
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