Step 1: Sort the approval before it arrives
Do this first, because it decides where the home can go and how long it can stay.
| Your plan | Approval you need |
|---|---|
| Stay in it on wheels for a few nights | Up to 5 nights: the landowner's permission only |
| Live in it on wheels longer (for example while building a house) | Council approval under the caravan rules, for up to 24 months at a time |
| Put it on footings as a home | A building permit before it is placed, and planning approval if it doesn't meet the standard rules |
Without approval or an exemption, living in a caravan or tiny home on wheels outside a licensed park is an offence, on private or public land.
Step 2: Check it can legally travel
A tiny home on wheels is a trailer when it is on the road. Main Roads WA says a vehicle or combination over any of these limits needs a permit or order:
| Limit | Without a permit |
|---|---|
| Width | 2.5 m |
| Height | 4.3 m |
| Length of a combination (tow vehicle plus tiny home) | 19 m |
Most tiny homes are built to 2.5 m wide and under 4.3 m high so they can travel without a permit. Anything bigger is an oversize load, which needs a Main Roads permit and often escort vehicles. Western Power treats any load 4.3 m high or more as oversize, and it needs Western Power's authorisation too ($120 online in the Perth network) because of overhead power lines. The trailer generally needs to be licensed, and the tow vehicle must be rated for its weight. A specialist transport company will handle most of this.
Step 3: Check the site access
- Width and turns. Walk the route from the street to the spot. Gates, side paths, trees and tight turns stop more deliveries than anything else.
- Overhead. Look for power lines, eaves and branches along the route.
- Ground. Soft sand or lawn may not hold a heavy trailer. Some deliveries need a crane instead, which needs a clear lift path and somewhere for the crane to stand.
- The verge. Heavy vehicles can damage the kerb and footpath. Some councils require a verge permit or bond for building work.
Step 4: Prepare the pad and services
- On wheels: a level, firm base, with the wheels kept on so the home stays movable. Council approval can require it to stay roadworthy and able to leave quickly, for example in a bushfire.
- On footings: footings designed by an engineer, built under the building permit.
- Services: power from the main switchboard by a licensed electrician, water by a licensed plumber, and sewer or an approved septic system. Council approval for a tiny home on wheels can require power, water, sewage and cooking facilities.
Step 5: After it lands
For a home on footings, the builder lodges the notice of completion (BA7) within 7 days of finishing. For a home on wheels, keep a copy of your council approval and diary the expiry date so you can re-apply in time.