Tortue LodgeTiny house guide
Regulations
A tiny house on non-buildable land: what is possible
In France, you cannot settle permanently on non-buildable land to live there. A tiny house on wheels may be parked there for up to three months a year without any formality. Beyond that, a prior declaration is required, and the PLU (local urban plan) may lead to a refusal. The only lasting route is a STECAL area designated by the municipality.
Tiny houses: property tax, residence tax and development tax
It all depends on whether the house is mobile. A tiny house that keeps its wheels and can be moved is subject to neither property tax nor residence tax. Sited permanently, with no means of mobility, it may be taxed as a building. Development tax, for its part, applies when siting the house requires an authorisation.
Tiny house: planning permission or prior declaration?
It all depends on the status of your tiny house. On wheels, there are no formalities for up to three months a year, then a prior declaration (déclaration préalable) is required. As a demountable permanent home, a prior declaration covers up to 40 m² in total. On foundations, a prior declaration applies from 5 to 20 m² and planning permission (permis de construire) beyond that.
Tiny houses and the law: what French regulations say
In France, a tiny house has no legal status of its own. If it keeps its wheels and can be driven on the road, it is treated as a caravan. Once it loses its mobility, it may fall under the rules for demountable dwellings. Fixed to the ground, it becomes a building, requiring a prior declaration or planning permission depending on its floor area.