6. MN Dept of Labor handout_Tiny HousesOVERVIEW
"Tiny houses" have received a lot of attention
and interest in recent years. The following
information is provided to clarify how these
small structures are regulated by the Minnesota
State Building Code. The Minnesota State
Building Code is the standard of construction
that applies statewide for the construction of
buildings (MS 3266.121) including tiny houses.
Loosely defined, tiny houses range from about
100 to 400 square feet. The following describes
how these houses are regulated by building
codes, zoning codes and the Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
ZONING REQUIREMENTS
The trend of tiny houses has received a lot of attention in recent years. This handout
Municipalities establish zoning ordinances to is provided to clarify how these small structures are regulated by the Minnesota State
regulate land use, location, height, width, type Building code.
of foundation, number of stories and size of
buildings. These zoning ordinances vary by municipality.
Minimum building size varies from areas of 500 to 2,000 square feet. Jurisdictions may also require minimum lot sizes
related to the house size. Sometimes there are minimum house size requirements such as 24 feet by 24 feet or a minimum
dimension of 20 feet. Because of these varying requirements, the jurisdiction must be consulted for specifics
BUILDING CODES
The Minnesota Residential Code includes Appendix Q,
Tiny Houses. The "code," for the purpose of constructing
houses, means the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code. It is
the standard that applies statewide.
The 2020 Minnesota Residential Code defines a dwelling
as a single unit providing complete independent living
facilities for one or more persons, including permanent
provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and
sanitation. Appendix Q defines a tiny house as a dwelling
400 square feet or less in floor area excluding lofts. The
code includes requirements for light, ventilation, heating,
DEPARTMENT OF
LABOR AND INDUSTRY
CONSTRUCTION CODES AND LICENSIN(a
Other codes related to house construction include:
• Minnesota Energy Code
• Minnesota Mechanical Code
• Minnesota Electrical Code
• Minnesota Rules Chapter 1303
• Minnesota Plumbing Code
minimum room sizes, ceiling heights, sanitation, toilet, bath
and shower spaces, emergency escape and rescue openings,
means of egress, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide
alarms.
Construction Codes and Licensing Division
Web: www.dii.mn.gov Phone: 651-284-5012
This flier is an overview of guidelines for tiny houses in Minnesota and can be
provided in different formats by calling 651-284-5012 or 1-800-657-3944.
PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS
Minnesota Rules, Chapter 1360
Tiny houses constructed as prefabricated
buildings must comply with the
requirements of Minnesota Rules
Chapter 1360 and be designed and
constructed in accordance with the
Minnesota Residential Code. Review
of building plans and inspections
are performed by the Minnesota
Department of Labor and Industry. The
completed building requires a Minnesota
prefabricated building label.
Prefabricated building manufacturers are permitted to build three or fewer buildings per year. Construction of more than
three buildings is regulated by Minnesota Rules Chapter 1361 for industrialized/modular buildings.
A data plate must be attached to the dwelling that includes the following minimum information:
• design loads
• codes
• IIBC label numbers
• serial numbers
• model designation
• date of manufacture
• name and address of manufacture
• occupancy and type of construction.
All on-site work is subject to local jurisdiction and inspections according to the Minnesota Residential Code.
INDUSTRIALIZED/MODULAR BUILDINGS
Minnesota Rules, Chapter 1361; Interstate Industrialized Buildings Commission (IIBC)
Tiny houses constructed as modular buildings must comply with Minnesota Rules Chapter 1361 and the Interstate
Industrialized Buildings Commission (IIBC). These modular dwellings must be designed and constructed in accordance with
the Minnesota Residential Code. Review of dwelling plans and in -plant inspections are performed by a certified IIBC third -
party agency.
Modular buildings must have IIBC construction labels on each building section or every 600 square feet of closed panels.
A data plate must be attached to the dwelling that includes the following minimum information:
• design loads
• codes
• serial numbers IudustrializedBuildingsCommission
Ibis label certifies that this building or building
• IIBC label numbers component has been manufactured m accordance Example IIBC label - located
with an approved building system and
• model designation comphanceass ranceprogmmuadertheauspices inside each home section.
• date of manufacture and approval of the Wuserial=d Buildings
Commission. See data plate. _
• name and address of manufacture O3 OW001
• occupancy and type of construction.
All on-site work is subject to local jurisdiction and inspections according to the Minnesota Residential Code.
HUD MANUFACTURED HOMES
Tiny houses constructed as a manufactured home must comply with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD Code). "Manufactured home" means a single family dwelling in one or more sections, which in the traveling mode is
8 body feet or more in width or 40 body feet or more 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.
A data plate must be attached to the dwelling
unit to include the following as a minimum:
• design loads
• codes
• label numbers
• serial numbers
• model designation,
• date of manufacture
• name and address of manufacturer
Example HUD construction label
- located on exterior of each
section.
Review of dwelling plans and in -plant inspections are performed by HUD -certified third -party agencies. All on-site work is
subject to the local jurisdiction and inspections according to the Minnesota Residential Code.
SITE -BUILT STRUCTURES
Tiny houses constructed on site are regulated by the Minnesota State Building Code.
The dwelling construction must comply with all the requirements of the Minnesota
Residential Code.
The Minnesota Residential Code can be viewed at
http://codes.iccsafe.org/app/book/, /Minnesota/Residential/index.html.
NOTE:
Recreational park trailers, or park models, are designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping or seasonal
use but not as year-round dwellings. These trailers are often constructed to ANSI standard (A119.5) and are self -certified
by the manufacturer.
MINNESOTA RESIDENTIAL CODE
The following code references provide general code requirements related to dwelling construction. The dwelling must
comply with all applicable requirements of the Minnesota State Building Code.
General requirements
R202 — Definition of dwelling unit and
habitable space.
Dwelling unit: A single unit providing
complete independent living
facilities for one or more persons,
including permanent provisions for
living, sleeping, eating, cooking and
sanitation.
Habitable space: A space in a building
for living, sleeping, eating or cooking.
Bathrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls,
storage or utility spaces and similar
areas are not considered habitable
spaces.
R301.1 Application.
Buildings and structures must be
constructed to safely support all loads,
including dead loads, live loads, roof
loads, flood loads, snow loads, wind
loads and seismic loads prescribed
in this code. The construction of
buildings and structures in this
code must result in a structure that
transfers all loads from their point of
origin to the foundation.
Continues on next page.
General requirements, continued.
R303 — Light, ventilation and heating
Habitable rooms must have 8 percent
of the floor area as natural light and
4 percent of the floor area as natural
ventilation (see exceptions).
Bathrooms must have 3 square feet
of natural light and 1.5 square feet of
natural ventilation (see exception).
Mechanical ventilation must comply
with Minnesota Rules 1322.
Dwelling must be capable of
maintaining a minimum room
temperature of 68 degrees at three
feet above the floor and two feet from
the exterior walls (excludes use of
portable heaters).
R304 — Minimum room areas
Habitable rooms must be at least 70
square feet in area and not less than 7
feet in any direction (except kitchens).
R306 — Sanitation
Every dwelling unit must have a water
closet, lavatory tub or shower and
kitchen sink.
All plumbing fixtures must be
connected to a sanitary sewer or
approved private sewage system and
an approved water supply.
Kitchen sinks, lavatories, bathtubs,
showers, bidets, laundry tubs and
washing machines must have hot and
cold water.
R307 — Toilet, bath and shower spaces
See the Minnesota Plumbing Code for
required plumbing fixture clearances.
Bathtubs, shower floors, and walls
must have a nonabsorbent surface a
minimum of 6 feet above the floor.
R310 — Emergency escape and rescue
openings
Basements, habitable attics and every
sleeping room must have at least
one operable emergency escape and
rescue opening of 5.7 square feet. (See
code for minimum dimensions)
R311— Means of egress
All dwellings must have a means of
egress door with a clear width of 32
inches and a clear height of 78 inches
A floor or landing is required on each
side of exterior doors.
Exterior landings must be positively
attached to the primary structure.
Hallways and stairways must have a
minimum width of 36 inches.
Stair treads must be 10 inches
minimum in depth, stair risers 7.75
inches in height, or as permitted in
Appendix Q.
A floor or landing is required at the top
and bottom of each stairway.
A handrail is required at stairs having
four or more risers.
R314 —Smoke alarms
Smoke alarms are required in each
sleeping room, immediate vicinity of
the bedrooms, and on each additional
story of the dwelling including
basements and habitable attics.
R315 — Carbon monoxide alarms
Carbon monoxide alarms are required
in every dwelling unit having fuel -fired
appliances or attached garage.
MR 1322 — Residential Energy Code
Dwellings must comply with the
Minnesota Energy Code.
MR 1346 — Mechanical Code
Dwellings must comply with the
Minnesota Mechanical Code.
MR 1303 — Radon requirements
Dwellings must comply with Minnesota
Rules Chapter 1303 for either passive
or active radon control systems.
MR 1315 — Electrical Code
All electrical service, wiring and
fixtures for the structure must comply
with the National Electrical Code.
MR 4715 — Plumbing Code
Dwellings must comply with the
Minnesota Plumbing code.
Appendix Q — Tiny Houses
AQ101— Scope
Tiny houses used as dwelling units
must comply with the Minnesota
Residential Code unless otherwise
stated in Appendix Q.
AQ102/R202 — Definitions
Tiny house: A dwelling that is 400
square feet or less in floor area
measured from inside of wall to inside
of wall and excludes lofts.
Loft: A floor level more than 30 inches
above the main floor with a ceiling
height less than 6 feet 8 inches and
used as living or sleeping space.
AQ103 — Ceiling height
Habitable space and hallways must
have a minimum ceiling height of 6
feet 8 inches. Bathrooms, toilet rooms
and kitchen shall have a minimum
ceiling height of at least 6 feet 4
inches.
AQ104 — Lofts (area and access)
Lofts used for living or sleeping require
a floor area of 35 square feet minimum
with a horizontal dimension not less
than 5 feet. Loft ceiling heights less
than 3 feet are not included in the
minimum required loft floor area.
Lofts must have access by stairways,
ladders, alternating tread devices, or
ships ladders. (See section for specific
compliance requirements).
Lofts guards are required on open side
of lofts and cannot be less than 36
inches in height or one-half of the clear
height to the ceiling, whichever is less.
AQ105 — Emergency escape and rescue
openings (EERO)
Emergency escape and rescue
openings must comply with Section
R310. (See exception for loft roof
access windows).