San Bernardino, CA Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

California law treats tiny homes in two fundamentally different categories. Tiny homes on a permanent foundation, meaning those permanently affixed to the ground and connected to utilities, are dwelling units under the California Residential Code and, when placed on a residential lot with an existing primary dwelling, are permitted and approved as Accessory Dwelling Units under Government Code 65852.2. These ADU-tiny-homes must meet the same standards as any ADU, including the 850 to 1,200 square foot size limits, 16-foot height safe-harbor in some configurations, minimum efficiency kitchen and bathroom, Title 24 energy compliance, smoke and CO alarms, and utility connections. Tiny homes on wheels, also called Park Model RVs or Movable Tiny Houses, are regulated under California Health and Safety Code as recreational vehicles or manufactured housing and are generally not allowed as permanent full-time dwellings on single-family lots. They may be used in approved RV parks or mobilehome parks licensed by the state, and limited state-permitted pilot programs exist for unsheltered residents. Assembly Bill 1620 and related legislation have loosened some rules for Movable Tiny Houses in certain park settings, but San Bernardino zoning still generally does not permit year-round occupancy of a tiny home on wheels on a single-family lot. Property owners interested in the tiny-home lifestyle on their own land typically pursue the ADU path to get a legal permanent unit.