Let’s [Finally] Legalize MOVABLE Tiny Homes

September 22, 2025Macy M2744 views

👉 Sign the public support petition here – help us convey public demand!

For decades, people across the U.S. have been searching for safe, affordable, and sustainable housing options. Tiny homes have answered that call for thousands of families, but building and zoning codes haven’t always kept pace with the movement.

The Story of Appendix BB and the IRC

In 2016, the tiny house community came together to crowdsource and crowdfund what became Appendix Q—the first nationally recognized code language for tiny houses. Unfortunately, it only applied to tiny houses on foundations. Even still, that effort changed everything: for the first time, tiny houses had a legitimate place in the International Residential Code (IRC).

Why does the IRC matter? The IRC is the model building code adopted by most U.S. cities and states to regulate one- and two-family dwellings. It’s the same code that governs traditional houses, which means that when tiny homes are included, they’re treated as real housing—not recreational vehicles, not mobile homes, and not a niche product with limited protections. Other standards like ANSI, HUD and RVIA exist, but they classify units only as RVs or vehicles, or limit them to being built only by licensed manufacturers. That restricts people to temporary or seasonal use or worse, limits our ability to build (or have built) our own tiny house completely. The IRC is the pathway for permanent, safe, and recognized housing.

Fast forward to today: what began as Appendix Q has been renamed Appendix BB. We finally have the chance to revisit the language and bring the wheels before ICC members for consideration. Our proposed language expands the conversation to include Movable Tiny Homes, those on chassis. While Appendix BB is already part of the IRC, the language hasn’t been fully usable or encompassing enough to serve the tiny house community.

What We’re Proposing

We’ve submitted a code change Comment to refine and improve Appendix BB—making it truly usable for jurisdictions that want to recognize Movable Tiny Homes as safe, legal, full time housing.

Our proposal ensures:

Clear standards for construction and life safety
Practical language that cities and states can actually adopt
Legitimacy for Movable Tiny Homes as full-time residences

This isn’t about reinventing the wheel. It’s about building on the strong (but mobile) foundation this tiny home community has already created—and making it work in the real world.

👉 Sign the petition here to show your support!

Why This Matters

Affordability: Tiny homes create a path to homeownership for more people.
Flexibility: Movable Tiny Homes allow families and individuals to relocate without losing stability.
Safety: Appendix BB ensure high standards for construction and livability.
Clarity: Local officials want clear code language to allow these. This update gives them just that.

How You Can Help

First, sign the petition, and find someone else who is willing to support with their signature, too. We need to show BIG support from the public!

Second, we’ve been fortunate to have some of the most respected building code experts in the country advising on this effort—people who’ve spent decades shaping safe, smart, and ethical housing policy. So far, they’ve contributed more than 150 hours of their time so far, and together we’ve already invested around $4,000 in travel costs just to testify on this proposal next month.

They’ve given generously, but we want to honor their work in good faith. If you’re able to chip in, your donation will go directly toward covering expert time, travel, and preparation for the hearings. Every contribution helps—and shows appreciation for the effort it’s taken to get us here.

GoFundMe

Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to making Movable Tiny Homes legal everywhere.

Stay Connected

This effort started with community support—and it will only succeed the same way. Together, we can make history again by strengthening Appendix BB and giving Movable Tiny Homes a permanent, legitimate place in our housing landscape.