A tiny home on wheels is a caravan
Under WA law, a tiny home built on a trailer is treated as a caravan. Living in one on private land is covered by the Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds rules, not the building permit system. That is good news: it means a simpler application, and the tiny home itself doesn't have to meet the building code.
What changed in September 2024
From 1 September 2024 the WA Government changed the caravan and camping regulations so that local governments can approve a caravan or tiny home on wheels on private land for up to 24 months. The approval can be renewed for further periods. Before that, long stays were much harder to get approved.
How long can you stay?
| Stay | Who approves |
|---|---|
| A few nights | The landowner |
| Longer, up to 24 months | The landowner and the local government |
| Beyond 24 months | A new or extended approval from the local government |
| More than one caravan or tiny home on a lot | The Minister for Local Government |
Councils differ in exactly how they apply the short-stay limit, so check with yours, or ask us.
Conditions councils set
- Access to drinking water, a toilet and a shower
- Safe disposal of grey water and sewage
- Licensed power and gas connections
- Fire safety and bushfire measures
- Where it sits on the lot, and keeping it roadworthy
Some councils have their own tiny home policy, and some allow only one tiny home on wheels per property.
Decks, verandahs and carports
Permanent structures built next to a tiny home, like a deck, a verandah or a carport, are buildings. They may need a building permit, even though the tiny home doesn't.