A tiny house on wheels is a lifestyle involving constant change and inspired simplicity. It helps you save on taxes and maintenance but comes with its own set of challenges. Parking is one of them. In fact, one of the most common dilemmas for those interested in small space living is: “Where should I park my tiny house?”
Because tiny homes often fall in the legal grey zones, it may be difficult to know for sure which parking spots would be your best bets.
What makes things tricky is that there’s no strict definition of a tiny house. In most places, a “house” is a structure with a foundation, which is why tiny houses on wheels don’t qualify as a “house.” They are classified as RVs. So while most laws will allow you to park them on your property, treating them as your full-time dwelling might be illegal.
If that sounds confusing, don’t worry, it is! There are various legalities around recreational vehicles, local codes of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), local zoning, and coding regulations. Some of them can be quite constrictive. Plus, short-term and long-term conditions of parking differ from one state to another.
The good news is that local authorities and the International Code Council are rethinking the laws on tiny houses given their increasing popularity.
Until that happens, you must be careful of parking your tiny house responsibly. Here’s a rundown of five places where you can do so.
1. RV parks and campgrounds
If your tiny house has an RVIA certification, then you are legally allowed to park your micro dwelling in RV parks and campgrounds. This certification also means that national parks are legal parking spaces for you. However, some national parks do have size stipulations of entering and parking. The bottom line, therefore, is to conduct proper and thorough research to know where you can put up your tiny house without stepping on the wrong side of the law.
2. Online classifieds providing spaces
The internet and social media are the best friends of the tiny house movement. So it’s not hard to find supporters and like-minded people making parking spot available for tiny homes on wheels.
Websites like Craigslist, Nextdoor, and Meetup advertise available driveways, backyards by interested homeowners, and landowners willing to rent their lands for parking. These can both be for short- or long-term basis and offer a ready option for people to park their home on wheels. Just be aware of the local regulations and make sure you’re not breaking them.
3. Website listings
As we said, the tiny house movement is now a community initiative, where the online advocates are helping to connect homeowners and facilitating an infrastructure that will lessen parking hassles.
Websites such as those listed in the Tiny House Network, Tiny House Map and Facebook groups such as Tiny House Hosting are listing parking spots, available agricultural land on rent, parks featuring interactive maps and searchable databases for finding the perfect and legal parking space for your tine house.
4. Tiny house communities
Ever wondered how fantastic it would be to have a tiny house community? Well, pioneers with an aim to sustainability are sprouting communities that look much like campgrounds with shared gardens, recreation rooms, and garages, etc. While some landowners are leasing spots to tiny homeowners to establish a community of tiny houses on wheels, more and more states are opening up to legalizing the tiny houses. California, Oregon, Texas, North Carolina and Florida are some of the best places to park your teensy home.
Tiny house boondocking
This is the ultimate frontier in going minimalist and owning your micro lifestyle. If you want to leave the cityscape altogether, then drive your tiny house to the Wild West and look for a secluded vastness or wooded privacy. Again, be very sure that you are not trespassing on private property and second, be extra sure that your essential supplies are stocked. Also, there are directories and listings for boondocking locations across the country. Be sure to check them to avoid any legal trouble.
A tiny house lifestyle is a world apart from the usual routine. The lure of financial freedom and the promise of a simple yet exciting life is drawing many towards owning a tiny house. The range and scale of small dwellings are astounding these days. And more so, when we consider the tiny homes on wheels. However, the parking question often looms larger than anything else. The answer lies in doing proper research and staying connected with the community.
Finally, as long as you do your research and understand the legalities in your location, you can find a parking spot that’s safe and won’t attract any unwanted legal issue. Whether you’re a homeowner or an owner of other properties, or even just a young millennial aspiring for your own tiny house, we hope you found these tips helpful. If you never liked doing homework, however, we can help you on that front. Connect with us today for all your tiny house solutions.
