West Virginia Statewide Rule
West Virginia Regulates Tiny Homes as Manufactured Housing (Code 21-9)
Key Facts
- Statute
- W. Va. Code §21-9
- Agency
- Manufactured Housing Construction & Safety Board
- Coverage trigger
- 320+ sq ft or 8 ft wide
- Standard
- Identical to federal HUD code
- Civil penalty
- Up to $1,000 per violation
Summary
A tiny home built on a permanent chassis and used as a dwelling becomes a "manufactured home" under W. Va. Code §21-9-2(j) once it reaches 320 square feet on site or eight feet in width, pulling it under the state's HUD-identical construction and safety standards.
"Manufactured home" means a structure, transportable in one or more sections, which in the traveling mode is eight body feet or more in width or 40 or more feet in length or, when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and electrical systems contained therein
Full Breakdown
West Virginia's Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act (W. Va. Code Chapter 21, Article 9) reaches any tiny home that is transportable, built on a permanent chassis, and either 320-plus square feet when erected on site or eight body feet or more in width. Section 21-9-5 designates the West Virginia Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Board as the enforcement agency and requires state construction standards "identical to the federal standards": the HUD code. Section 21-9-4 empowers the Board to propose legislative rules, inspect, and hold hearings for anyone adversely affected. A towable tiny home below that size threshold, or one not built on a permanent chassis, falls outside Article 9.
Violations & Penalties
Under §21-9-12 each violation of Article 9 or a Board rule draws a civil penalty up to $1,000, capped at $1 million for a related series within one year; willful violations threatening health or safety are a misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a tiny home count as a manufactured home in West Virginia?
Who enforces manufactured-home standards in West Virginia?
What if my tiny home is smaller than 320 square feet?
Sources
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