Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-09
1 of Minnesota's 87 counties — 1% — allow tiny homes as a dwelling. That is the 34th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Rice County (49/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 547 counties nationwide → Minnesota: no zoning → Minnesota: owner-builder → Minnesota: no minimum home size → Full Minnesota profile →
From the Minnesota guide
We could not confirm a statewide rule allowing residential RV occupancy on private land, so the answer is local.16 Of the counties with their own answer, 29 cover RVs: 4 allow temporary use only, 23 limit it and 2 prohibit it; 58 have no answer yet, which does not mean allowed.10 Separately, an area holding 5 or more tents or camping vehicles needs an annual Minnesota Department of Health license, and local zoning still applies.24
For tiny homes, 13 counties have an answer: Rice County is the one listed as allowed and 12 are limited, with 74 unanswered.11 A tiny house is 400 square feet or less excluding lofts, and as a dwelling it must meet the residential code unless Appendix Q says otherwise.16 A second dwelling on the same lot depends on local zoning and the residential code.25 A municipality that has not opted out must also allow a temporary family health care dwelling of 300 square feet or less for a caregiver or relative.26
From the Minnesota guide, written from the cited official sources and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: confirm with the office before you buy or build.
1 of 87 Minnesota counties · sorted by Index score
A tiny home configured and approved as a qualifying single-family detached dwelling in an applicable Rice County zoning district in unincorporated areas. The home must qualify a…
Chapter 502 Definitions ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Minnesota state page for all 87 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these Minnesota counties? The kit we'd start with:
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General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
