2018 IRC Tiny House Definition - A dwelling that is 400 square feet or less in floor area excluding lofts.
Before purchasing a 'Tiny Home' please be advised that approval to place a tiny home (as defined in this section) on property located in Rutherford County is NOT automatic and is only permitted when the required criteria has been reviewed and approved by the Rutherford County Planning Department. Before purchasing or placing a unit on your property, approval and a building permit must first be obtained.
A 'tiny house', as defined by Section AQ102.1 of the 2018 International Residential Code, is a dwelling "400 square feet or less in floor area excluding lofts". Tiny houses regulated by the International Residential Code and NOT fabricated in a different location and relocated to a lot within Rutherford County.
A pre-manufactured 'Tiny House' is any unit built off-site and regulated under the Tennessee Modular Buildings Act. This program is under authority of T.C.A. 68-126-301. It includes housing that is produced in factories and transported to building sites to be installed. The manufacturers of such 'tiny' modular homes are/shall be licensed by the State of Tennessee, regulated under the supervision of the state program, and are required to have a permanently affixed Tennessee Modular Building label. The label is required to be attached by means of four (4) pop rivets or drive screws on a permanent, non-removable building component as evidence of compliance of the program.
A site-built 'Tiny House' is any structure constructed from start to finish on the site it is intended to be placed. A site-built unit is permitted and inspected through the Rutherford County Building Codes where compliance is regulated through the 2018 International Residential Code, Appendix Q, Tiny Houses. This structure must be constructed upon a permanent foundation and is required to be connected to an approved Subsurface Sewage Disposal System (SSDS).
Any new Tiny House construction requires submittal of a permit application package which includes the following:
Upon approval, applicable building and subtrade permits can be issued, at which time, work may begin. Structures shall be inspected by the Rutherford County Building Codes Department, throughout the construction process, as defined in an inspection checklist that will be provided at permit issuance. No structure is permitted to be occupied prior to a final inspection and issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.