Spring Hill, FL Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Florida has not adopted Appendix Q (Tiny Houses) of the International Residential Code into the Florida Building Code 7th Edition, so 'tiny home' in Spring Hill is regulated under standard FBC residential rules and Hernando County Code Appendix A as either a small single-family dwelling or an accessory dwelling unit. Site-built tiny homes on a permanent foundation may be: (1) the principal single-family dwelling — must meet the underlying Hernando County residential district's minimum lot area, lot width, setbacks, and minimum living area. R-1A requires a 6,000 sq ft lot with a 600 sq ft minimum dwelling. R-1B requires 7,500 sq ft with 900 sq ft minimum. R-1C and R-2.5 require 10,000 sq ft and 13,000 sq ft respectively, each with 900 sq ft minimum. RR (Rural Residential) requires 7,500 sq ft with 900 sq ft minimum. Setbacks are uniformly 25 ft front (20 ft for lots created prior to Ordinance 72-3 or lots on a waterway), 10 ft side (7 ft pre-72-3), and 20 ft rear (15 ft pre-72-3). Maximum height is 35 ft / 2.5 stories. The 600-900 sq ft minimum living area effectively rules out the smallest tiny homes (under 400 sq ft) as a principal residence; (2) an Accessory Dwelling Unit under the Appendix A ADU standards — must be attached to the principal dwelling, capped at 50% of the primary's gross habitable square footage, owner-occupied principal residence, one per lot, no separate sale, intended for non-paying family guests; detached tiny homes are NOT permitted as ADUs in Hernando County. Tiny homes on wheels (THOWs) registered with the Florida DHSMV as travel trailers, park-model RVs, or recreational vehicles do NOT meet the Florida Building Code as administered by the Hernando County Building Division and cannot serve as a principal or accessory residence in any Spring Hill residential district. RVs may be parked on a property but may not be inhabited as a permanent residence. Manufactured (HUD-Code) homes built to 24 CFR 3280 standards are permitted only in the R-1MH Manufactured Home district under Hernando County Code Appendix A; they are not permitted in R-1A, R-1B, R-1C, R-2, R-2.5, R-3, R-4, RM, or RR. The 2022 Hernando County BoCC presentation on modifying LDR to allow tiny homes did not result in code changes — the existing standards remain in force. In the AG Agricultural district (10-acre minimum) and AR Agricultural-Residential district, more flexibility exists for accessory dwellings and caretaker residences.