Placer County, CA Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Unincorporated Placer County does not have a stand-alone tiny-home ordinance. How a tiny home is regulated depends on its construction and foundation. A tiny home built on a permanent foundation to the California Building Code (or as a state-certified manufactured/factory-built home) is treated as a dwelling unit; if it is a second unit on a residential parcel, it is reviewed as an accessory dwelling unit under Placer County Code Section 17.56.200, with the same size, setback (4 feet from side/rear), height (zone limit, not less than 16 feet) and one-ADU-plus-one-JADU rules described in the county's ADU regulations. A detached ADU may be up to 1,200 square feet, so most tiny homes fall well within ADU size limits. A tiny home on wheels is generally classified as a recreational vehicle (RV) or, if HCD-certified, a manufactured home; an RV cannot lawfully be used as a permanent residence on a parcel and may only be occupied in approved RV parks or campgrounds, subject to the county's camping and RV rules. Manufactured/mobile homes on permanent foundations are allowed where zoning permits and must obtain the appropriate permits. Tiny homes used as ADUs cannot be rented for periods of 30 days or less. In the Tahoe Basin, TRPA coverage and permitting rules apply. Owners should confirm the classification and permit pathway with Placer County CDRA before placing a tiny home.