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Tiny homes, string lights and a picnic area at Sherburn Tiny Homes in southern Minnesota at dusk, with farm fields behind

Tiny Homes in Minnesota: Laws, Rules and Communities

Updated November 4, 2026. Some laws may have changed since then. Confirm with your city, county or township before you buy land or a home.

The short answer

Yes, you can live in a tiny home full time in Minnesota, on a permanent foundation and where local zoning allows it. Minnesota's residential code includes the tiny house appendix, Appendix Q, for homes of 400 square feet or less, and every local government that has adopted the state building code has to apply it. Minnesota law has no category of its own for a tiny home on wheels, so your city, county or township decides where you can live in one. There is still no statewide ADU law, since the Minnesota Starter Home Act did not become law in the 2025 to 2026 session, so Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth and other cities set their own rules. Minnesota has the 20th lowest cost of living of the 50 states, an income tax of 5.35 to 9.85 percent, an effective property tax rate of 1.00 percent (17th highest), and homeowners insurance averaging $3,615 a year.

On this page. Quick facts, the rules in plain words, where to start, living in Minnesota, communities and common questions.

In Minnesota, the state sets the building code and your city, county or township decides zoning. A tiny home on a permanent foundation, meaning it is anchored to a base built into the ground, like a concrete slab or footings, is a house under the state code. A tiny home on wheels, built on a trailer so it can be towed, comes closest to the state's definitions of a recreational vehicle or park trailer, and those are written for temporary or vacation use. Where you can live in one full time is a local zoning question.

This guide covers the state code and its tiny house appendix, cold weather building rules, homes on wheels, a caregiver dwelling law, manufactured and modular homes, ADU rules in the largest cities, septic and wells, and where to find a community.

Quick facts

  • On a foundation (anchored to a base in the ground): a house under the Minnesota Residential Code.
  • Building code in force: the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code, based on the 2018 International Residential Code, effective March 31, 2020. A move to the 2024 edition is only a proposal, with no draft or date yet.
  • Tiny house rules: Appendix Q is part of the state code, for homes of 400 square feet or less, not counting lofts.
  • Permits: local governments enforce the state code only where they have adopted it. Those that had adopted it by January 1, 2008 must keep enforcing it, except places of fewer than 2,500 people outside the metropolitan counties. Ask your local building official.
  • Minimum house size: we found none in state law. Local zoning may set one.
  • On wheels (built on a trailer): no category of its own in state law. It comes closest to the state's recreational vehicle or park trailer definitions, which are written for temporary use. Local zoning decides where you can live in one.
  • ADUs (a second, smaller home on the same lot as a house): no statewide law. Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth allow them under their own rules.
  • Septic (an underground system that treats wastewater where there is no city sewer): state rules from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, enforced by your county, city or township.
  • Frost and snow: footings at least 5 feet deep in the northern and central counties listed in state rule and 3 1/2 feet in the rest of the state, unless an engineer determines otherwise.

Can you live in a tiny home full time in Minnesota?

Yes, on a permanent foundation where local zoning allows it. On wheels, it depends on your city, county or township.

  • On a foundation, a tiny home is a house. It has to meet the state residential code, including Appendix Q if it is 400 square feet or less, and it needs sewer or a septic system that meets state rules.
  • On wheels, we found no state law that allows or bans living full time in one on private land. Local zoning decides. Duluth, for example, treats a tiny house on wheels as a recreational vehicle and allows it in approved seasonal camps and RV parks.
  • We found no statewide minimum house size. Ask your city, county or township whether it sets one.

The rules in plain words

Building code

Minnesota's code for one and two family homes is the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code, which adopts the 2018 International Residential Code with Minnesota's changes (Minnesota Rules 1309.0010). It took effect March 31, 2020. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry maintains it.

State law says the State Building Code "applies statewide" and "supersedes the building code of any municipality" (Minnesota Statutes 326B.121). Who enforces it is a separate question. The department says the code is "the minimum construction standard throughout all of Minnesota," but it "is not enforceable by municipalities unless it is adopted by local ordinance." Cities, counties and towns that had adopted the code by January 1, 2008 must keep enforcing it, except places with fewer than 2,500 people outside a metropolitan county. Others may choose to adopt it. So in one place you will go through local plan review and inspections, and in another there may be no local building official at all. Septic rules apply either way.

The department is also considering moving the residential code to the 2024 International Residential Code, and the residential energy code to that edition's energy chapter. Both are early proposals. The department asked for comments in the State Register on February 2, 2026, and its rulemaking pages list no draft rule, hearing or start date. In the 2024 national code the tiny house appendix is called Appendix BB, and the department has not said whether a new Minnesota code would keep it. Until a new code takes effect, the 2020 code and Appendix Q apply.

Appendix Q, the tiny house appendix

The national code has an optional appendix for tiny houses. Minnesota deleted every appendix except two, and Appendix Q is one of them. The state rule says Appendix Q "shall be administered by any municipality that has adopted the Minnesota State Building Code." It defines a tiny house as "a dwelling that is 400 square feet (37 m2) or less in floor area excluding lofts."

Under Appendix Q:

  • Ceilings in living spaces and hallways must be at least 6 feet 8 inches. Bathrooms, toilet rooms and kitchens can be as low as 6 feet 4 inches. Lofts can be lower.
  • A loft is a floor level more than 30 inches above the main floor, open to it on one or more sides, with a ceiling lower than 6 feet 8 inches, used for living or sleeping.
  • A loft must have at least 35 square feet of floor and be at least 5 feet wide in every direction.
  • The appendix also sets rules for loft stairs, ladders, guards and emergency escape openings.

If you would rather skip the loft, see tiny home layouts without a loft.

Minimum house size

We found no statewide minimum house size. Appendix Q sets a maximum of 400 square feet for its relaxed rules, not a minimum. Your city, county or township zoning may set a minimum for a home. Minneapolis, for example, sets a 300 square foot minimum for every home, ADUs included.

Tiny homes on wheels

Minnesota law has no category of its own for a tiny home on wheels, and how one is labeled is not settled. Three things point different ways.

  • State law defines a recreational camping vehicle as a portable structure on a chassis "designed to be used as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreational, and vacation uses" (Minnesota Statutes 327.14).
  • A separate definition covers a park trailer, which is more than 8 1/2 feet wide when towed, no larger than 400 square feet set up, and "used as temporary living quarters" (Minnesota Statutes 168.002). A park trailer is not a manufactured home.
  • Appendix Q is a building code path for houses. St. Paul says homes on wheels "tend to not be considered" ADUs because they are not on a permanent foundation or built to the residential code, and Duluth says no structure on a chassis can be an ADU.

The sources lean toward a tiny home on wheels being treated as an RV. Both state definitions describe temporary use, so a home on wheels built for full time living does not fit either one cleanly. The label can decide where zoning lets you park it, so get your city, county or township's answer in writing before you buy or build. Duluth also notes that a towable home used as living quarters needs a license and title.

We found no state law that allows or bans living full time in an RV or a tiny home on wheels on private land. That is a local zoning question.

Caring for a family member

Since 2016, state law has allowed a temporary family health care dwelling, a small mobile dwelling where a caregiver can look after someone who needs care (Minnesota Statutes 462.3593). It must be built mostly off site, be no more than 300 gross square feet, not sit on a permanent foundation, be universally designed and have access to water and electric service. It can house one person who needs help with two or more instrumental activities of daily living (everyday tasks), as certified in writing by a physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse. The first permit lasts six months and can be renewed once for another six months. A matching law covers land under county zoning (Minnesota Statutes 394.307). A city or town can opt out by ordinance and a county by resolution, so ask first.

RV parks and manufactured home parks

The Minnesota Department of Health licenses manufactured home parks and recreational camping areas, or delegates that to some city and county health agencies. Ask each park whether it takes tiny homes or park models for long stays, and whether it is open year round.

Modular and manufactured homes

State law says no city or town zoning rule may prohibit manufactured homes built to the state's manufactured home code, or modular homes built to the state's industrialized building rules, "that comply with all other zoning ordinances" (Minnesota Statutes 462.357). The matching rule for county zoning names manufactured homes but not modular homes (Minnesota Statutes 394.25). The Department of Labor and Industry runs the manufactured home and modular programs. The protection covers only homes that meet every other local rule, including any minimum size, and it names manufactured and modular homes, not RVs or park trailers.

ADU rules

Minnesota has no statewide ADU law. The Minnesota Starter Home Act, which would have limited how cities can restrict starter homes and other new housing, was filed in the 2025 to 2026 session (SF 2229 and HF 2309) and did not become law. The House passed HF 2309 in April 2025, and the Senate did not vote on it before the session ended. Cities set their own rules:

  • Minneapolis allows one ADU per lot, with a single or two family home. Every home in the city, an ADU included, must be at least 300 square feet. Internal and attached ADUs can be up to 800 square feet (an internal ADU can be larger only in part of a house that stood by January 1, 2015). A detached ADU can be up to 1,300 square feet of living and parking space or 16 percent of the lot, whichever is greater, but never more than 1,600 square feet or larger than the main home, and up to 21 feet tall. The owner must live on the property only for an internal ADU that is not a separate dwelling unit under the building code, and there is no parking requirement.
  • St. Paul allows up to two ADUs for each one-family home. With two, at least one must be detached, unless the project keeps at least half of an existing house. Each can be up to 800 square feet or 75 percent of the main home's floor area, whichever is greater, and a building with an ADU can be up to 25 feet tall in the city's residential districts. The owner does not have to live on the property, the ADUs cannot be sold separately or made their own tax parcel, and the city requires no off-street parking.
  • Duluth allows one ADU per one or two family home, on a permanent foundation with sewer and water connections. The owner does not have to live on site, and a rental needs a city rental permit. A fixed tiny house can also be the only home on a lot in any zone that allows one-family homes, including manufactured home parks and cottage home parks.

The 2026 HOA law

A 2026 law (Laws 2026, chapter 82) bars local governments from making a residential building permit or development approval depend on creating a homeowners association. It applies to common interest communities created on or after January 1, 2027.

Septic

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency writes the septic rules, and they "are implemented and enforced through local ordinances by counties, cities, and townships." Ask your local septic office for its site evaluation and permit steps before you buy land. Designing, installing, inspecting, pumping or servicing a system needs a license from the agency, with a few exceptions. The one that matters most here lets you build a system yourself on land you own or lease that serves only your own home or seasonal home, unless the local ordinance says otherwise. It must meet local requirements and be inspected before it is covered.

Wells

The Minnesota Department of Health regulates wells and keeps a directory of licensed well contractors. When land is sold, the seller must tell the buyer in writing about every known well on the property.

Frost, snow and cold

  • Minnesota sets footing depth for frost by county. Unless an engineer determines otherwise, footings must be at least 5 feet deep in the northern and central counties (Zone I, including St. Louis, Cook, Lake, Itasca, Crow Wing and Otter Tail) and 3 1/2 feet deep in the rest of the state (Zone II, including Hennepin, Anoka, Dakota and the southern counties).
  • Roofs must be designed for a ground snow load of 60 pounds per square foot in the northern and central counties listed in state rule and 50 pounds per square foot everywhere else.

Where to start

  1. Not sure which office covers your land? USA.gov's local government finder points to a directory of Minnesota's counties and cities, with their websites and contacts.
  2. Call the city planning department, or the county or township if the land is outside city limits. Ask whether tiny homes and ADUs are allowed, whether there is a minimum house size, and whether a tiny home on wheels can be lived in there. Get the answer in writing.
  3. Ask the local building official whether the state building code is enforced there and what permits a home needs.
  4. If the land is not on sewer, ask the county, city or township septic office for its site evaluation and permit steps before you buy.
  5. For a well, hire a contractor from the Department of Health's licensed directory.
  6. For a manufactured or modular home, ask the city what it needs before the home is set.
  7. For a tiny home on wheels, ask how it will be licensed and titled.
  8. Before buying land, check which frost and snow zone the county is in and price the foundation to match.

From people who work in Minnesota

The most common question people ask is whether the water stays on year round. It does, and the next question is whether it will freeze. Make sure your tiny house is designed for a cold climate. Put the sewer and water hookups under the house so they stay warmer, and put heat tape and insulation on the pipes under there. Keep your sewer connections as short as possible, with no low spots where water can sit and freeze, because then your sewer can back up from ice.

Letting your water drip helps keep the water lines from freezing, but then the sewer line can freeze, because only a little water is going down and it has time to freeze in the pipe. Skirt the tiny house to cut down on the wind, and keep water lines out of outside walls if you can. You'll probably also need a gas or electric heater to back up your mini split.

Matt Bury, Founder, Sherburn Tiny Homes

Living in Minnesota

How Minnesota compares with the other 49 states on the things people weigh before a move. Figures as of November 2026.

  • Happiness score (WalletHub 2026). 60.91 out of 100, 8th happiest
  • Cost of living (MERIC, Q2 2026; U.S. average is 100). 93.4, 20th lowest
  • State income tax. 5.35 to 9.85 percent, by income (2026)
  • Property tax, effective rate on owner-occupied homes (Tax Foundation, 2024 data). 1.00 percent, 17th highest
  • Homeowners insurance, average a year with $400,000 in dwelling coverage (NerdWallet 2026; U.S. average $2,490). $3,615
  • Overall (U.S. News 2026). 3rd
  • Health care (U.S. News 2026). 15th
  • Education (U.S. News 2026). 15th
  • Average temperature, 1991 to 2020. 41.7 degrees F
  • Average precipitation, 1991 to 2020. 28.6 inches a year
  • Sunshine in Minneapolis. 58 percent of possible sunshine, 95 clear days a year
  • People 65 and older (Census estimates, 2024). 18.2 percent

Minnesota's cost of living is below the national average, and WalletHub ranks it 8th happiest. U.S. News ranks it 3rd overall and 15th in both health care and education. The state income tax is graduated from 5.35 to 9.85 percent, and the effective property tax rate is 1.00 percent. Homeowners insurance averages $3,615 a year with $400,000 in dwelling coverage, compared with a U.S. average of $2,490.

Rankings mix many factors, and statewide averages hide big differences between regions. The Twin Cities, the North Shore and Arrowhead, the lake country and the southern farm counties differ in weather, land prices and local rules, so look at the area where you plan to live.

Tiny home communities in Minnesota

We found few Minnesota tiny home communities that publish their details online. Rules, prices and openings change, so contact each one directly before you plan around it.

  • Sherburn Tiny Homes, Sherburn, near Fairmont, founded in 2025. Its website lists 19 lots set up with water, sewer, electricity and internet, lot rent of $300 a month plus utilities, a refundable security deposit, and lawn care and snow removal included. Leases are flexible, with month to month options, and it also rents its own tiny homes. A credit and background check is required.

We did not find a Minnesota RV park whose own website says it takes tiny homes or park models for monthly or longer stays. Ask parks near where you want to live.

Tours we have filmed in Minnesota

We do not have a Minnesota tour to list here yet. When we do, it will be listed here. Our tours from other states are at Tiny Home Tours by State.

Get new tours and guides

Every other Friday we send real tours, results from our audience polls, and parking and legal lessons from people living tiny. Join the Tiny Home Tours newsletter.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to live in a tiny house in Minnesota?

Yes, on a permanent foundation, if it meets the state residential code and local zoning, with sewer or a septic system that meets state rules. For a tiny home on wheels, local zoning decides.

Can I park a tiny home on wheels on my own land in Minnesota?

It depends on your city, county or township. Minnesota law has no category of its own for a tiny home on wheels. It comes closest to the state's recreational vehicle or park trailer definitions, which are written for temporary use. We found no state law that allows or bans living in one full time on private land, so get your local answer in writing.

Does Minnesota use Appendix Q for tiny houses?

Yes. Appendix Q is part of the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code, and every local government that has adopted the state building code has to apply it. It covers homes of 400 square feet or less, not counting lofts. The state is considering a move to the 2024 national code, where the appendix is called Appendix BB, but that is only a proposal with no draft or date.

Can I build an ADU in Minnesota?

It depends on your city. Minnesota has no statewide ADU law. Minneapolis allows one ADU per lot, at least 300 square feet. St. Paul allows up to two ADUs per one-family home with no owner occupancy rule. Duluth allows one ADU on a permanent foundation with sewer and water. Ask your city.

Who handles septic for a tiny home in Minnesota?

Your county, city or township. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency writes the rules, and local ordinances enforce them. The work needs a license from the agency, with a few exceptions, including building the system yourself for your own home where the local ordinance allows it, with an inspection before it is covered.

Sources

This page explains the rules in general terms and is not legal advice. Local rules vary. Confirm with your city, county or township before you buy land or a home.

Hero photo: courtesy of Sherburn Tiny Homes.

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