Living mobile without having to give up comfort? That is what the concept of the tiny house on wheels promises, which is becoming increasingly popular in Germany. The base for this is usually a tiny house trailer, which conduces as a stable chassis. In this article you will find all the information about your Tiny House and the matching Tiny House trailer.
What is a (mobile) Tiny House?
Tiny Houses are, as its name implies, small houses that allow living in just a few square meters, e.g., from suppliers such as Donau Tiny House. Most of the houses are between 10 and 50 square meters. The so-called "Tiny on wheels" are built as a mobile version on a Tiny House trailer and can be flexibly driven with a suitable towing vehicle.
What are the characteristics of a Tiny House trailer?
An important aspect of planning a Tiny House is choosing the right chassis. A Tiny House trailer is specially designed for the Tiny House construction and forms the foundation for any mobile house. For a stable and safe transport of the setup, it is necessary to pay attention to a suitable size, axle load, mobility, and weight distribution. Due to a special design of the base plate and a robust construction, even a body width of up to 3 meters is possible, for example with the UNSINN-Chassis.
What rules apply to the road registration of tiny house trailers?
Anyone who wants to travel on the roads with a Tiny House trailer must observe the following conditions according to the German Road Traffic Regulations: Basically, the Tiny House is allowed to have maximum of 2.55 meters witdh, 12 meters lenght and 4 meters height. If the width exceeds 2.55 meters, an additional exemptional permit is required. Up to an exterior width of 3 meters, the trailer is in the "consultation-free" area, which means that the transport only must be applied at the responsible administrative district office
The total weight of the Tiny House trailer and towing vehicle must not exceed 3.5 tons for driving licence class BE (formerly class 3) otherwise driving license class CE is required. In addition, before transporting, it is essential to check what trailer load the towing vehicle is allowed to pull. You can read more information in the article Allowable Towing Load.
The Tiny House trailer is approved by a standard CoC document (Certificate of Conformity), which certifies the first registration of the chassis.
What are the options for the registration of the tiny house on wheels?
To transport the Tiny on wheels, it must either be treated as a secured load or registered as a caravan:
Tiny House as secured load on a trailer
The easiest way to transport the Tiny House is as a secured load. At the same time, both the Tiny House and the moving parts inside must be secured in such a way that they cannot shift, tip over, fall or cause avoidable noise, even during emergency braking or a sudden evasive move. For tips on how to do this, see our article on proper secureing of load.
For the Tiny House to be considered as load, it must be removable from the chassis without tools. This means, the house must not be inextricably linked with the Tiny House trailer.
Registering the Tiny House as a caravan
If the house is permanently attached to the Tiny House trailer, it is considered as a vehicle and requires registration as a caravan. In this case, the TÜV or DEKRA will issue an operating license, provided that all applicable regulations and measurements are met. If the Tiny House is regularly moved within Germany, the status as a caravan can be quite useful.
Where can tiny houses be placed and is a building permit required?
In Germany, there is no standardized regulation where Tiny Houses may be positioned. This depends on the respective municipality and its development plans. It is therefore recommended to contact the relevant authorities in advance and find out about the applicable regulations. Normally, campsites or private grounds outside residential areas are suitable, as setting up the tiny houses in residential areas is often not permitted.
Whether a building permit is required for the Tiny House depends on the intended use. The following uses are differenced: Permanent residence, use as a weekend or vacation home, or as a caravan:
Using Tiny House as a permanent residence
If the Tiny House is to stand permanently on a property of land and be used as a permanent residence, a building permit is required in most cases. This is because, according to the state building code, the Tiny House becomes a building of building class 1. It does not matter whether this is on wheels or on a firm foundation. An exception is made for campsites, where residential use is permitted.
Using Tiny House as a weekend or vacation home:
If you only want to use your Tiny House occasionally as a weekend or vacation home, you can build it in areas designated for this purpose, in so-called "special areas for recreation". This is usually permit-free if the area does not exceed 50 square meters.
Using a Tiny House as a caravan
Those who use their Tiny House on wheels as a caravan for vacation also do not need a building permit. It is only required to meet the relevant regulations, e.g., that the house is firmly attached to the Tiny House trailer, as mentioned above. It should also be noted that a pitch is required, for example on a campsite.
Result: A Tiny House offers the possibility to create a mobile and comfortable home in a very small space. For safe transport, a suitable Tiny House trailer is just as important as the regulations for road approval of a Tiny House. When planning, it is essential to consider the different registration options and any building permits for the desired installation site.