Virginia Beach, VA Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Virginia Beach follows the Virginia USBC, which incorporates IRC Appendix Q for tiny houses 400 square feet or less. A tiny home on a permanent foundation must obtain a building permit and comply with egress windows, smoke and CO detection, minimum ceiling heights (6'8" habitable, 6'4" loft), sleeping loft ladder and guard standards, and septic or sewer connection. It must also meet the minimum lot size and setback requirements of the underlying zoning district, which typically require at least 7,500 to 10,000 sq ft lots in R-districts, making standalone tiny homes impractical unless part of an ADU or small-lot overlay. Tiny homes on wheels (THOWs) certified as RVs under ANSI A119.5 or NFPA 1192 cannot be used as permanent residences except in licensed recreational vehicle parks such as those in Sandbridge and Pungo. Park model homes under HUD or ANSI A119.5 are also limited to RV parks. Properties within AICUZ accident potential zones or 70+ dB DNL noise contours for NAS Oceana generally cannot add dwelling units. Prospective tiny home owners should consult the Planning Department early for zoning verification.