Tiny House Regulations in Queensland

Tiny houses on wheels offer a more sustainable, affordable alternative to standard homes and, as a result, have only become increasingly popular around Australia. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that the rules and regulations around them are clear. This is because most governments, whether state or local, haven’t caught up with appropriate legislation. And, despite its popularity with tiny house dwellers, Queensland is one of those states where tiny house regulations are still lacking.

Luckily, this doesn’t simply mean you can’t live in a tiny house in Queensland. Some councils are paving the way with clear regulations, and others are welcoming even if they don’t have the legislation to back it up.

In this blog, we’ll look into the tiny house regulations in Queensland to help clear up some of the confusion. Keep in mind that this is intended to be a guide only and shouldn’t be considered legal advice. Contact your local council directly for more accurate, clear guidance.

What are tiny houses on wheels?

Tiny houses on wheels are homes that look much like a normal house but are very small and built on a trailer so they can be easily transported. Where a fixed tiny house built on a foundation requires normal building and council applications, like a granny flat, those on wheels aren’t considered buildings and, therefore, don’t need to adhere to the same regulations. 

Due to their size and moveability, though, tiny houses on wheels are often considered to be caravans in legislation. While this isn’t the most accurate classification, it’s still important to adhere to caravan regulations if you want to live in your tiny home legally. 

State-wide tiny house regulations

When it comes to the permanent occupancy of tiny houses on wheels and caravans, Queensland’s state-wide regulations are very slim as they leave it up to individual councils.

However, the regulations are clear in two areas: residential parks and the size limits for road transportation.

The residential tenancy authority of Queensland indicates that it’s possible to live long-term in a moveable dwelling in a caravan park. A tenancy agreement, provided by the caravan park manager and signed by both parties, is required. This offers more security than many other parking locations but keep in mind that caravan parks can be quite expensive. See their pocket guide for tenants for more information.

To ensure they can be safely driven on Australian roads, there are also strict regulations around the size of tiny houses on wheels. They can be a maximum 2.5m wide, 4.3m high, 12.5m long and 4.5 tonnes. If you do want a larger tiny house, you’ll need to get an oversized load permit, which can be costly. To find a balance between size and moveability, all of our standard models at Aussie Tiny Houses are a maximum of 8.4m in length and don’t require oversized load permits.

No matter the size of your tiny house, it’s important that the trailer is registered and, if towing it yourself, you have a vehicle with the correct towing capacity. So you don’t have to worry about this, we pre-register all of our trailers with the Queensland Department of Transport and a VIN number. And, if you don’t want to tow it yourself, we can organise delivery with a reputable towing company.

Council regulations

In Queensland, there aren’t many councils that have specific regulations for tiny houses. Most will give them the same regulations as caravans and generally limit the amount of time you’re allowed to live in one. There are a few that allow permanent occupancy, though, which we’ve shared below. If your desired location isn’t here, be sure to call your local council as they may still be accepting even if it’s not clearly regulated.

Gold Coast

In the Gold Coast, permanent residence in a tiny house on wheels may be possible on your own property. Building and plumbing approval or a camping area licence will be required. If the tiny home will have its own bathroom, laundry and kitchen (as most do), it’s also important to check with the council for planning issues like secondary dwelling or dual occupancy use.

Cairns  

The Cairns Regional Council may allow residents to permanently live in a tiny house on wheels, even if it’s the only dwelling on the lot. Depending on the location, council approval will be required along with building, plumbing and, possibly, planning approvals.

For more information about regulations in other states, frequently asked questions and steps to take before moving into a tiny house, check out our comprehensive blog ‘Tiny house regulations in Australia – what you need to know’.