Tiny home rules in Sacramento County, 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 on a permanent foundation can qualify as ADUs in unincorporated Sacramento County. Tiny homes on wheels (THOWs) are regulated as recreational vehicles and generally cannot be used as permanent dwellings on residential lots.
Tiny homes built to the California Residential Code on a permanent foundation are treated as ADUs or primary dwellings and qualify for the Gov Code 65852.2 streamlined ADU pathway, with a minimum habitable floor area of 150 sq ft per CRC R304 and 220 sq ft for an efficiency dwelling. Tiny homes on wheels certified as RVs under ANSI A119.5 or park trailers (ANSI A119.5) are classified as recreational vehicles, not dwellings. County Code Title 22 limits RV occupancy on residential lots to 30 days per year without permit, and bans permanent RV occupancy in most residential zones. Movable tiny houses have been separately authorized in some California cities but Sacramento County has not adopted a dedicated THOW ordinance. Tiny homes in permitted mobile home parks follow separate rules under Title 25.
Illegal THOW occupancy can result in county abatement, zoning violations, and daily administrative fines.
Sacramento County, CA
Unincorporated Sacramento County Zoning Code restricts RV, boat, and trailer storage in residential zones. Generally allowed in side or rear yards with scree...
Sacramento County, CA
Unincorporated Sacramento County does not generally prohibit overnight street parking in residential areas. The CVC 22651(k) 72-hour rule applies. Some comme...
Sacramento County, CA
California Civil Code 841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act) presumes equal cost-sharing for boundary fences. 30-day written notice is required before building or rep...
Sacramento County, CA
Fences 7 feet and under in unincorporated Sacramento County do not require a building permit, but a zoning clearance is required for front-yard fences over 3...
Sacramento County, CA
Sacramento County allows backyard chickens in most residential zones: up to 6 hens on lots under 10,000 sq ft, no roosters in RD zones. Coops must be set bac...
Sacramento County, CA
Sacramento County Code 9.60 prohibits feeding wild mammals including deer, raccoons, coyotes, and wild turkeys. Bird feeders are allowed if they do not attra...
See how Sacramento County's tiny homes rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.