Can I Build Tiny Home in Anaheim, CA? (2026)
Find out if you can build a tiny home in Anaheim, CA. Rules, permit requirements, costs, and next steps.
Tiny homes on permanent foundations are allowed in Anaheim, CA. Tiny homes on wheels are not permitted as permanent dwellings.
A tiny home is a small dwelling unit — typically under 400 sq ft — that can be built on a permanent foundation or on wheels. In Anaheim, CA, the rules differ significantly depending on whether the structure is on a permanent foundation (treated as a dwelling unit under building code) or on wheels (treated as a recreational vehicle under vehicle code). Tiny homes on permanent foundations must meet a minimum size of 150 sq ft in Anaheim.
Tiny Home Rules in Anaheim
Tiny Home Rules in Anaheim: Foundation-based tiny homes: Permitted. Tiny homes on wheels (THOWs): Not permitted as permanent dwelling — classified as recreational vehicle. Minimum size: 150 sq ft. Tiny homes on permanent foundations meeting California Residential Code are permitted. THOWs (tiny homes on wheels) classified as recreational vehicles and not permitted as permanent dwellings in Anaheim's residential zones. Resort District adjacency for residential properties near the Disneyland zone does not affect tiny home rules — the resort zone is commercial, not residential.
Costs & Fees
Building permit fees for tiny homes in Anaheim follow the same schedule as other new construction. Contact the Anaheim Planning and Building Department — Building Division at (714) 765-5153 for current fee information.
Next Steps
Next steps for building a tiny home in Anaheim: 1. Determine foundation vs. wheeled — the rules are fundamentally different. 2. For foundation tiny homes, obtain a building permit from the Anaheim Planning and Building Department — Building Division. 3. For wheeled tiny homes, verify whether your property allows RV siting. 4. Check if your tiny home could qualify as an ADU on your property.
Anaheim Planning and Building Department — Building Division
Phone: (714) 765-5153
Website: https://www.anaheim.net/149/Planning-Building
Online Permits: https://epermits.anaheim.net/
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build an ADU on my Anaheim residential property?
Yes. California state law requires Anaheim to permit ADUs by-right on all residential lots. You can build a detached ADU up to 1,200 sqft or a Junior ADU (JADU) up to 500 sqft within your existing home. No owner-occupancy is required. Applications are processed ministerially through Anaheim's ePERMITS online portal. Contact Anaheim Planning and Building at (714) 765-5153 for guidance.
Does my Anaheim property use Southern California Edison (SCE) or Anaheim Public Utilities for electricity?
Most of Anaheim is served by Anaheim Public Utilities (APU), a city-owned municipal utility — not Southern California Edison. This matters for solar permits, net metering rates, and EV charger incentives. APU has its own solar interconnection process separate from SCE. Call APU at (714) 765-5158 to confirm your service territory and get solar interconnection requirements before starting a solar project.
Are there special rules for properties near Disneyland or the Anaheim Resort District?
The Anaheim Resort District (approximately 1,000 acres surrounding Disneyland) is zoned C-R (Resort Commercial) — it is not a residential zone. Residential properties adjacent to the Resort District boundary are subject to standard residential zoning but may be affected by noise, traffic, and visual impact from resort operations. There are no special ADU restrictions for residential properties near (but outside) the Resort District boundary. The Platinum Triangle near Angel Stadium has its own Specific Plan with mixed-use commercial/residential zoning for large development projects.
What is Anaheim's Transient Occupancy Tax rate for Airbnb hosts?
Anaheim's Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) rate is 15% — one of the higher rates in Orange County, reflecting the city's large tourism industry (Disneyland, Angel Stadium, conventions). Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit TOT to Anaheim on behalf of registered hosts. You must obtain an Anaheim Short-Term Rental Permit ($175/year) and post the permit number on your listing. Whole-home STRs are limited to 120 nights per year.
Does Anaheim have any short-term rental rules specific to the Anaheim Resort/Disneyland area?
The Anaheim Resort District itself is commercial zoning — no residential STRs occur within the Resort District's formal boundaries. However, residential neighborhoods adjacent to the Resort (Anaheim Colony area, neighborhoods east/north of Disneyland) can have STRs under the standard Anaheim STR permit process. Note that homes in these neighborhoods command premium Airbnb rates due to Disneyland proximity — confirm your property is in a residential zone (not Resort Commercial) before listing.
What are the JADU rules in Anaheim?
A Junior ADU (JADU) under California Gov Code §66333 (Stats. 2024 Ch. 7 §20) allows you to create a secondary unit up to 500 sqft within your existing single-family home or attached garage without building a new structure. JADUs must have an efficiency kitchen (can share the main home's bathroom) and their own entrance. They qualify for the same owner-occupancy-free rules as standard ADUs. On a single-family Anaheim lot, you can have both an ADU (up to 1,200 sqft) AND a JADU (up to 500 sqft) simultaneously — potentially adding two rental units to your property.
How do school developer fees work for new ADUs in Anaheim?
ADUs under 750 sqft are exempt from school developer fees under California Gov Code §66323 (Stats. 2024 Ch. 7 §20). ADUs 750 sqft or larger are subject to developer fees from the Anaheim City School District (elementary) and Anaheim Union High School District. These fees are charged per square foot at the California school fee rate (updated periodically — typically $4-5/sqft residential). Contact Anaheim USD at (714) 999-3511 and Anaheim UHSD at (714) 999-3511 to confirm current fee rates before budgeting your ADU project.
Source: Anaheim Planning and Building Department — Building Division — Building Regulations. Last verified April 6, 2026. View source