Tiny Homes on Wheels
Tiny Homes on Wheels (THPWs) can provide great benefits to many different people and living situations, and the Nevada County Planning Department would like to get information out on the benefits of THOWs and the process to construct this type of housing option.
- Tiny Homes on Wheels Standards (PDF)
- Tiny Homes on Wheels Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
- Building Permit Fee Estimate (PDF)
Tiny Homes on Wheels (THOWs) Ordinance – Overview
Approved January 14, 2025, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors adopted a new Ordinance (PDF) allowing Tiny Homes on Wheels (THOWs) to be used as permanent residences. This important step expands affordable housing options in response to the region’s ongoing housing crisis.
Purpose of the Ordinance
The ordinance is part of a broader effort to provide creative, flexible, and cost-effective housing solutions for Nevada County residents. It builds on other housing initiatives such as the ADU Guidebook (PDF), preapproved housing master plans, and reduced regulations for rural owner-built homes.
As Supervisor Heidi Hall stated during the May 27, 2025, Alternative Housing Community meeting, “We are in a housing crisis, and the people who spoke here today are a testament to that... This is another incremental step toward providing housing solutions.”
What Qualifies as a Tiny Home on Wheels?
Tiny Homes on Wheels are defined as moveable homes no larger than 400 square feet, equipped with a kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area. Unlike recreational vehicles (RVs), THOWs are intended for permanent residential use and are constructed to meet higher safety and durability standards.
Where Are They Allowed?
The ordinance permits THOWs as:
- Primary dwellings
- Accessory dwelling units (ADUs)
- Units within dwelling groups, consistent with allowed zoning density
They are allowed in all zones where traditional housing is permitted and, importantly, now also allowed in the Medium Density Residential (R2) zone, which supports up to six units per acre with a development permit. This creates new opportunities for small-scale, clustered housing projects.
Why THOWs Are Different from RVs?
While many residents requested that the County consider all types of homes on wheels—including RVs—for permanent housing, this ordinance focuses specifically on THOWs. Unlike RVs, THOWs are designed and built to be lived in full time, and are generally constructed to meet more stringent safety and habitability standards. In contrast, RVs are not built for long-term occupancy, and their use as permanent housing is not permitted under this ordinance.
That said, the County acknowledges the growing interest in broader forms of alternative housing and has committed to revisiting the issue of RV and other mobile dwelling use later in 2025. For more information about the proposed Alternative/RV Housing work plan and project milestones, visit the Alternative/RV Housing webpage.
- Are Tiny Homes on Wheels allowed as permanent dwellings?
- How many Tiny Homes can I have on my property?
- What certifications are required for a THOW?
- Can I rent out my Tiny Home on Wheels?
- Are there any design standards for THOWs?
- What are the foundation requirements?
- What utility and connection requirements apply?
- Are fire protection plans required for THOWs in certain areas?
- zoning and other standards
- webpages AND other resources
Yes, THOWs are allowed as single-family dwellings, second dwelling units, or accessory dwelling units, as long as they comply with zoning and building permit regulations. To learn more about how an ADU will impact your property tax and learn about how the value is calculated, please visit the County Assessor's page on ADUs.
A Tiny Home can act as a single-family residence and an ADU. Properties zoned for Single Family and Rural districts would be allowed two Tiny Homes. Properties zoned Multi-Family would be allowed more based on zoning density requirements and acreage.
The THOW must comply with the California Health and Safety Code Section 18027.3 and bear a label indicating compliance with the state standard in effect at the time of manufacture.
Yes, but it must be rented for long-term use (30 consecutive days or more). Short-term rentals are prohibited.
Yes. THOWs must be designed to resemble conventional residential structures, including typical siding, pitched roofs, and windows with exterior trim. Specific materials and insulation standards are also required.
THOWs must retain their wheels, and the wheels must be supported on a surface like pavement or gravel. The unit must be tied down with anchors or stabilized according to the manufacturer’s design, with engineering certification for safety.
THOWs must be connected to approved water and sewage facilities, and a building permit is required for electrical systems. If the unit is off grid, it must meet specific off-grid standards.
Yes. THOWs located in high fire zones or on dead-end roads must submit a Fire Protection Plan as part of the building permit application, addressing issues such as access, emergency response times, water supply, and defensible space.
Areas that are zoned to allow single-family residential homes also allow an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), and therefore a tiny home on wheels (THOW), without subdividing your property. THOWs must adhere to the zoning requirements of Single-Family (R1, RA), Multi-Family (R2, R3), and Rural Districts (AG, AE, FR, TPZ). Accessory dwelling units and tiny homes on wheels are ministerially permitted, regardless of minimum parcel size and zoning densities on all parcels within RA, R1, R2, AE, AG, FR, and TPZ zoning districts, subject to zoning compliance and building permit issuance. Additional standards, including maximum allowable sizes, can be found in Sec. 12.03.191.
- Where a property does have available density (meaning the property is at least twice the minimum allowable lot size), an ADU or THOW may be permitted in RA, R1, R2, AE, AG, FR, and TPZ zoning districts without limiting the size of the unit, subject to an Administrative Development Permit. Additional standards apply which can be found in Sec. 12.03.192. For questions about allowed density, please contact the Planning Department at 530-265-1222 option 2, or planning@nevadacountyca.gov.
- Employee housing that does not satisfy zoning density is allowed as a permitted use, subject to building permit issuance and zoning compliance for four or fewer attached or detached units where the employee is engaged in on-site employment (or on a site under the same ownership) relative to a resource-based use (i.e., mineral extraction, timber harvesting, and agricultural operations). Employee housing for five or more employees requires a State-issued permit. Sec. 13.03.100 of Zoning Ordinance provides specific detail regarding the limitations on this type of housing.
- On commercial and industrially zoned properties, a maximum of four dwelling units per acre are allowed, in conjunction with development of the intended commercial or industrial use. Establishing dwelling units in a commercial or industrial zoning district requires a Use Permit.