The proponents of an ICC code change for Appendix BB Tiny Houses are going back for one final opportunity this April at the Public Comment Hearing, which will be at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT. It’s a high bar—requiring a 2/3 majority vote of the full voting body. If they don’t make progress this cycle, the next opportunity won’t be until 2030. Tiny House Alliance USA guest writer Mike Spooner will be there as a proponent along with the original proponents of Appendix Q Tiny Houses. See the comments below. There are two different public comments they are proposing.
Note: There is this I-Code change for tiny houses and also a ICC 1215 standard. These are two different processes within ICC and are not the same. I have been openly opposed to the ICC 1215 standard because it has been hijacked by the small residential unit and have written about all my objections.
Tiny House Code Chassis Provisions Turned Down At ICC CAH
Sadly the public comment to the code proposal RB42-25 was disapproved that would have added chassis provisions to Appendix BB Tiny Houses and is now the 3rd time the chassis provisions were not approved at ICC. The proponents did an amazing job on all their testimonies and the vote was very close-6 to 4.
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The Backstory Of Appendix Q Tiny Houses
The inclusion of a new appendix in the 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) addressing standards for dwellings that are 400 square feet in area or less—commonly called “tiny houses”—represents an important milestone not just for advocates of simpler living, but also for the International Code Council.
Appendix Q Tiny Houses is the first set of building standards for dwellings ever incorporated into a model code. The story of how the appendix came to be is a great example of how the Code Council works together with stakeholders and industry professionals to develop model code standards for new and innovative technologies as they emerge.
Tiny-house advocates and code enforcement officials alike have long recognized the need to establish code authority over tiny houses, but it wasn’t until April 2016 that the process to codify requirements for them kicked off in earnest. That’s when the IRC Building Code Action Committee, meeting in Kentucky, heard a proposal submitted by Richard Davidson, a retired building official from Oregon, to create exemptions for design elements that are specific to tiny houses such as minimum floor areas, ceiling heights, door sizes, and hallway widths, and for safety features such as guard rails and automatic fire sprinklers.
Although the committee voted to disapprove Davidson’s proposed changes, it agreed that a more comprehensive approach to tiny houses was certainly needed in the code and suggested that the issue might be better addressed in an appendix.
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The Proponents Are Asking For Help
To have a chance, we’ll need a nationwide outreach effort. We’re organizing support from people willing to contact building officials. We’ll provide clear guidance, templates, and step-by-step instructions when the time comes.
- Sign Up for our Mailing List – Stay connected to the code effort. We’ll keep you posted on exactly when and how you can help.
- Donate to the Fundraiser – Help with travel expenses to bring advocates to the hearing.
- Sign the Petition – If you haven’t already done so, please add your name to our petition.
Public Comment One
Public Comment Two
Feb. 9, 2026
