Westminster, CA Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

The City of Westminster does not have a dedicated tiny-home ordinance, and its code does not use the terms "tiny house" or "movable tiny house." Instead, tiny dwellings fall under existing categories. The city's code-enforcement guidance states that living in accessory structures is prohibited and that single-family residential zoning limits each lot to one housing unit, and that recreational vehicles and trailers may not be used as living quarters unless located in an approved mobile home park. As a practical matter, a tiny home intended as a legal dwelling must be permitted as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) under Municipal Code Section 17.400.135 / Ordinance No. 2572, which means it must meet ADU development standards and California ADU law (Gov. Code 65852.2). A factory-built or manufactured tiny home can qualify as an ADU because Westminster's ADU definition includes an efficiency unit (Health & Safety Code Section 17958.1) and a manufactured home (Health & Safety Code Section 18007). A tiny house on wheels that is not registered and built to applicable building standards generally cannot be used as a permanent dwelling. Because the city defers to state ADU law, the most reliable path for a tiny home is the ministerial ADU process. Movable tiny houses are also addressed by California state law and HCD guidance (Information Bulletin 2016-01), which the city's building standards follow.