Tiny Homes Zoning — State ProfileReviewed 2026-08-23
Can you put a tiny home in Minnesota?
Current tiny-home-on-wheels and ADU rules for Minnesota, sourced and dated — plus verified local builders.
DEPENDS ON LOCATION
Minnesota — No statewide law — Minneapolis and St. Paul are permissive by their own city reforms (verified 2026-08)
Tiny home on wheelsNo statewide tiny-home-on-wheels law; regulation is set locally.
ADU / accessory unitThis is an important correction: Minnesota has no statewide ADU mandate. One source claimed a 2023 statewide law ('SF 3964/HF 4009') requiring all cities to allow ADUs — this could not be corroborated by multiple other current, independent sources and appears to be the same kind of fabricated-citation pattern caught elsewhere in this dataset (the same source made an incorrect claim about a New Jersey law that also doesn't exist). What's real: Minneapolis eliminated single-family-only zoning citywide via its 2040 Comprehensive Plan (2020), and St. Paul separately reformed to allow 1–4 units per lot — both are now genuinely ADU-permissive by their own city-level action, not a state mandate. Surrounding suburbs are catching up unevenly (Bloomington, Golden Valley, and Roseville allow attached ADUs by right; others still require variances).
Minimum square footageNo statewide figure; local caps commonly range 600–1,200 sq ft where cities have adopted ADU rules
Foundation requirementDepends on jurisdiction and unit type; winter climate adds insulation and foundation-frost-depth requirements statewide regardless of ADU status
Local notesCorrect the common framing here: it's not 'Twin Cities strict, rural loose' — Minneapolis and St. Paul proper are now among the most ADU-permissive cities in the Midwest by their own choice, while the ring suburbs around them are the actual patchwork, and rural counties vary independently of both.
!Zoning is set by your specific city or county, not the state as a whole. Use this as a starting point, then confirm with the local building or planning department before you buy land or start a build. Not legal advice.
Last reviewed 2026-08-23