Tiny home rules in Ulster County, NY — 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.
New York recognizes tiny homes under Appendix Q of the 2020 Residential Code (permanent foundations) and treats RV-style tiny homes on wheels as recreational vehicles. Ulster County has no specific tiny-home law; each town decides where they are allowed.
The NYS Uniform Code adopted IRC Appendix Q, which relaxes ceiling height, loft, and stair rules for homes 400 sq ft or less on a permanent foundation — making legal tiny homes possible if the town allows small dwellings by zoning. Tiny homes on wheels (THOWs) are classified as RVs or park trailers and are only legal for long-term residence in licensed campgrounds under NYS Sanitary Code Part 7. Ulster County campgrounds (many in Shandaken, Olive, and Rochester) may host THOWs. Towns like New Paltz and Rosendale have discussed tiny-home overlay zones, but no countywide tiny-home ordinance exists. Minimum dwelling-size requirements in some rural town zoning can block tiny homes on private lots.
Occupying a THOW outside a licensed campground: zoning enforcement, fines $250-$1,000/day, order to remove. Building a foundation-based tiny home without a permit or outside a permitted zone: stop-work orders and removal orders.
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See how Ulster County's tiny homes rules stack up against other locations.
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