Putnam Action Committee

Housing Type Definitions

Recreational Vehicle Definitions

State and Federal housing and building codes provide the primary differentiation between a dwelling unit, including a "manufactured home" and a "recreational vehicle" (RV).

A "manufactured home" is designed to be used as a permanent or temporary dwelling unit, built on a permanent chassis, designed to be used with or without a permanent foundation, and requires connection to all required utilities. It is treated fully as a dwelling unit, subject to minimum HUD housing standards and the State building code.

A "recreational vehicle" (RV) is generally considered exempt from State and Federal building code requirements and minimum Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) code requirements. To meet this exclusion, RV's have the following common characteristics:

Traditional RVs:

This includes travel trailers, motor homes (Class A, B, and C), 5th wheel trailers, and pop-up or folding tent trailers. These Traditional RVs are required to be permanently labeled as "Travel Trailers" and are to comply with National Fire Protection Association NFPA Standard 1192. These RVs typically measure 320 square feet or less, with a width of 8.5 feet or less, and do not require a special permit to be transported on State highways. However, there are exceptions to these size limitations that are still considered compliant with NFPA 1192.

From a wastewater standpoint, these RVs typically include two holding tanks (a black water tank and a graywater tank), and ultra-low-flow water use fixtures (e.g., a sealed mechanical toilet that uses 1 to 2 quarts per flush). They are designed to be self-contained or, alternately, to be connected to water and sewer utilities.

Recreational Vehicle: "A vehicular-type unit that is primarily designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or seasonal use; has its own motive power or is mounted on or towed by another vehicle; is regulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as a vehicle or vehicle equipment; does not require a special highway use permit for operation on the highways; and can be easily transported and set up daily by an individual."

source: NFPA 1192 Standard on Recreational Vehicles, Section 3.3.46

Park Model RVs:

Recreational Park Trailers (Park Model RVs) are required to comply with a different construction standard, American National Standards Institute ANSI 119.5, and are sized to provide no more than 400 sq ft of living space when erected on-site. There are no exceptions to this size limit. The Park Models can either be reduced in size to an 8.5-foot width (expandable after transport), which can then usually be moved without a special movement permit, or are more typically sized just under 12 feet wide, requiring a special permit and the services of a commercial mover.

Park Models typically do not contain holding tanks, and are dependent on connection to on-site water and sewer utilities. Fixtures are standard in terms of water consumption. Most are permanently placed for use in RV Parks. Park Models may also include laundry machines, although most occupants are more likely to use common laundry facilities provided within the park.

Recreational Park Trailer: "A single living unit trailer type unit that is primarily designed and completed on a single chassis, mounted on wheels, to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or seasonal use, is certified by the manufacturer as complying with all applicable requirements of ANSI A119.5 and:

(a) Has a gross trailer area not exceeding 400 square feet in the setup mode, or
(b) Has a gross trailer area not exceeding 320 square feet in the setup mode, has a width greater than 8.5 ft. in the transport mode

source: ANSI A119.5 Standard on Park Model Recreational Vehicles

source: North Carolina RV Parks Guidance, Appendix B

RVIA: What is a Park Model RV?

A park model RV (PMRV) is a unique trailer-type RV that is designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreation, camping or seasonal use.

PMRVs (also sometimes referred to as recreational park trailers) are built on a single chassis, mounted on wheels and have a gross trailer area not exceeding 400 square feet in the setup mode. They are certified by their manufacturers as complying with the ANSI A119.5 standard for recreational park trailers.

PMRVs are most often sited in RV parks or campgrounds for seasonal use. They may be owned by the campground and rented to guests or they may be brought in and used exclusively by their owners on a site rented or leased from the campground.

These units are designed and built to be used for recreational/camping purposes only. They are not meant to be affixed to the property in any way, they do not improve property values in any way, and they are neither designed nor intended by their manufacturers to be used as permanent residences. Park model RVs are titled as motor vehicles by the various states just like other RV types.

What makes PMRVs unique is that they are up to 15 feet in width and 36 feet long with a peaked and shingled or metal roof. Some offer gabled windows, and siding choices of cedar, aluminum, vinyl, masonite or even split logs for a rustic look, while others are made of full solid logs. They are often designed with built-in porches, decks and/or storage areas. Many look like tiny summer cottages. Others look more like traditional but slightly longer RV travel trailers.

Most park model RV owners locate their unit within several hours of drive time from their primary residences and use them for weekend camping get-aways. Some owners may place their PMRV in a warm climate location and use them as a seasonal/temporary get-away to escape the cold gray winter weather, while others place their PMRVs in cooler climate locations to escape the summer heat and humidity back home.

In the off-season, these units are typically winterized (i.e. have antifreeze in the water lines; and are unusable because water and sewage facilities are not operational). These units are left in "onsite storage" when not being used.

The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) operates a safety standards and inspection program that requires member manufacturers of all recreation vehicles, including park model RVs, to affix a RVIA standards program seal to every unit they build in their factories. This seal indicates the manufacturer's certification that the unit complies with the requirements of the applicable standards. A park model RV can always be identified by the blue and gold RVIA ANSI A119.5 certification seal (or its predecessor green RPTIA seal) affixed to the right of main door of the unit.

What a Park Model RV is NOT:

Although the distinctive appearance of park model RVs may sometimes lead people to think they look like small manufactured homes, appearances can be deceiving. PMRVs are actually titled and registered just like any other RV. Due to their design, small size and use as recreation, vacation and seasonal units, PMRVs are explicitly excluded from being considered or used as a manufactured home under the codes and regulations of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) specifically because they are a type of recreation vehicle (see CFR Title 24, Section 3282.15).

Park model RVs are built in accordance with the national safety standards set forth under a nationally recognized standard, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A119.5 Standard, not the HUD requirements that manufactured homes are mandated to comply with. The key distinction is that manufactured homes are single-family dwellings that are designed and built for permanent residency under standards set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Park models RVs, as noted, are designed and built to be used by families as a recreational, camping, or seasonal accommodation. PMRVs are not intended for, nor should they be used for, anything other than recreational camping or seasonal use. They are not permanent residences and should never be used as such.

Like RV motor homes, travel trailers and fifth-wheel trailers, park model RVs are built to ensure safety but are not required to meet the building codes or installation codes that site-built or manufactured homes are required to meet. They are designed to remain on their axles and wheels, ready for movement and are not connected to the ground by footers, foundations, or columns (some local units of government do require them to be anchored due to excessive local winds, but even then they can easily be detached in minutes with only hand tools).

PMRVs are not housing. There is no practical difference in the use of PMRVs than travel trailers or fifth-wheel trailers. They are not "improvements" to campgrounds any more than a travel trailer placed and used in a campground is. They are simply one choice among many in the RV camping environment.

Information provided by: Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA)

source: RVIA: What is a Park Model RV? (pdf, pg 7)

What is a "Tiny House"?

In 2017, Andrew Morrison and Martin Hammer wrote International Residential Code (IRC) Appendix Q: Tiny Houses, and after intense vetting it was approved by the International Code Council (ICC). After months of effort, advocacy work, and overcoming a lot of obstacles, we are VERY pleased to reveal the official definition of a tiny house:

"Tiny House: A dwelling that is 400 square feet or less in floor area, excluding lofts" which conforms to the IRC standards.

Having a definition helps us know what a tiny house is NOT. A tiny house is not a Recreational Vehicle (RV) or a Park Model RV, which is designed to provide temporary accommodations for recreation, camping, travel or seasonal use.

A tiny house is not a Manufactured Home. Manufactured Homes are dwelling units of at least 320 sq ft with a permanent metal chassis to assure the initial and continued transportability of the home, built by a certified manufacturing plant.

If you want to go the "legal route" for your tiny house build, at some point you'll need to go into the building department. Using the right terminology will make them more likely to give you a building permit.

One of the most exciting aspects of IRC Appendix Q is that it creates a legal pathway for people to occupy their tiny house as a full time residence by acquiring a Certificate of Occupancy (CoO). In most cases, without a CoO you simply don't have a legal residence.

There are locations around the U.S. that currently allow for people to live in RVs full time, or in homes without any code oversight. However, those areas are few and far between and they certainly don't exist in most residential neighborhoods.

source: "What Is a Tiny House?"

Example Regulations from Other Jurisdictions

Roane County

Zoning Regulations, Section 501.3: Specifically Prohibited Accessory Uses

"It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to occupy or use any land, building or part thereof for any accessory use, which is specifically prohibited herein. The following are specifically prohibited as accessory uses:

Use of a camping trailer, camper, recreational vehicle or motor home as a permanent residence is prohibited. No [other] accessory structure shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes except as specifically permitted.

(note that this rule is not zone-dependent)

source: Roane County Zoning Regulations

Blount County

Zoning Regulations, Section 7.18: Commercial Campground and Recreational Vehicle Parks

Recreational Vehicle: A travel trailer, motor home, camping trailer, or other similar vehicle which is occupied temporarily for recreational, travel, or vacation purposes.

B.) A recreational vehicle shall not remain in a recreational vehicle park for more than sixty (60) consecutive days in any three-hundred-sixty-five (365) day period except:

1) Recreational vehicles owned by the owner of the campground to house seasonal camp workers
2) Storage of unoccupied recreational vehicles

source: Blount County Zoning Regulations

Murray County, GA

Regulations on Recreational Vehicles

No Recreational Vehicle shall be placed on any parcel or tract of land for the purpose of occupancy within the unincorporated areas of Murray County. Occupancy of these units will only be allowed in a Recreational Vehicle Park or Campground. Occupancy shall be limited to a maximum of 180 days within a calendar year. Permanent residency of these lots is prohibited.

source: Murray County Regulations