London zoning for small homes
City of London, a single-tier municipality. Population 422,324 (2021 census).
Backyard suite
A separate home in the yard of a house: garden suite, laneway suite or coach house, including prefab, modular or container units used this way.
Allowed with limits · London’s term: “detached additional residential unit (ARU)”
Up to two additional residential units are permitted in one accessory building in the rear or interior side yard of a lot with a single, semi-detached, street townhouse, duplex, triplex or converted dwelling, except in agricultural, urban reserve, open space, industrial and environmental review zones. A detached ARU must be connected to municipal services. [1]
- Maximum size
- Under Interim Control By-law CP-1600-300, an ARU cannot exceed 80% of the gross floor area of the primary dwelling. A detached ARU also counts toward the zone's maximum lot coverage (s.4.37(4)(f)) [2]
- Maximum height
- 6.0 m (19.7 ft) for an accessory building containing ARUs (s.4.37(4)(c)) [3]
- Setbacks
- Minimum rear yard 3.0 m (9.8 ft). Interior side yard: the greater of the underlying zone or 1.2 m (3.94 ft), or 3.0 m (9.8 ft) where windows face a shared lot line (s.4.37(4)(d–e)) [3]
- Number allowed
- Maximum 3 ARUs and 4 dwelling units in total per lot; at most 2 ARUs within a maximum of one accessory building (s.4.37(2), (4)(a)) [3]
- Servicing
- A detached ARU shall be connected to municipal services (s.4.37(4)(g)) [3]
- Parking
- No additional parking is required for ARUs (s.4.37(6)) [3]
- Where allowed
- Rear or interior side yard only. Not permitted in AG, UR, OS, LI, GI, HI or ER zones (s.4.37(1), (4)(b)) [3]
- Approvals
- A building permit and a residential rental unit licence are required for all ARUs; a lot grading plan may be required [2]
Ontario-wide rule
Ontario law stops municipalities from banning one residential unit in a building ancillary to a detached house, semi-detached house or rowhouse on a parcel of urban residential land, as long as the lot has no more than three units in total. Municipalities still set most other zoning rules, but provincial law limits parking requirements, minimum unit size, lot coverage and separation distances. These units are also exempt from development charges and parkland dedication. [4][5][6]
Tiny home on a foundation
A small house as the main home on its own lot. The key rule is any minimum dwelling size.
Allowed · London’s term: “single detached dwelling”
The Residential R1 zone regulations in By-law Z.-1 set lot area, frontage and floor area ratio/maximum floor area limits but no minimum dwelling floor area. A small house on a foundation is subject to the same standards as other single detached dwellings. [7]
- Minimum dwelling size
- None found in Section 5 (Residential R1 Zone), which sets only maximum floor area ratio / maximum gross floor area [8]
Ontario-wide rule
Ontario law sets no minimum total size for a house that is the main dwelling. The Building Code sets minimum room areas, so the smallest compliant dwelling is roughly 17.5 m² by the Province's own estimate. Municipalities may still set minimum floor areas for main dwellings in their zoning by-laws. The provincial ban on minimum sizes covers only additional residential units. [4][9][10][11][12][13][14]
Tiny home on wheels or park model
Living full-time in a tiny home on wheels or a park model home.
Allowed with limits · London’s term: “mobile home / recreational trailer”
By-law Z.-1 defines a 'mobile home' as a factory-built permanent dwelling with a floor area of at least 65 m², designed to be towed on its own chassis. Mobile home parks are a permitted use only where the R1-1(1) special provision applies. Outside of temporary garden suite zones, the by-law does not permit recreational trailers as dwellings. [3]
- Where allowed
- Mobile Home Park is a permitted use in the R1-1(1) special provision zone [8]
- Minimum dwelling size
- 'Mobile home' definition requires a floor area of not less than 65 m² [7]
- Temporary garden suite
- Temporary Garden Suite (TGS) zone under Planning Act s.39, compounded with another zone. Minimum lot area 4,000 m² (43,563 sq ft); maximum 150 m² (1,615 sq ft); interior side or rear yard within 50 m (165 ft) of the main building; requires an agreement with the City [15]
Ontario-wide rule
Ontario has no single rule for living full-time in a tiny home on wheels. A unit on wheels can count as a 'building' that needs a permit and must meet the Building Code once it stays in one place, is hooked up to services or is anchored. Park model trailers are recognized only as seasonal recreational buildings. Municipalities may allow a portable garden suite under a temporary-use by-law for up to 20 years, with extensions of up to 3 years each. [14][9][4][11][10]
Bunkie or sleeping cabin
A small sleeping building with no kitchen, usually beside a cottage or house.
Not allowed · London’s term: “accessory building”
Section 4.1(1) states that no accessory building or structure in an agricultural or residential zone shall be used for human habitation, except as a permitted additional residential unit or where the zone permits a bed and breakfast, secondary farm dwelling, temporary garden suite or hotel. [3]
- Kitchen
- Habitation in an accessory building is only possible as a self-contained ARU, which by definition has its own kitchen and washroom [2]
Ontario-wide rule
Ontario law has no rule written specifically for bunkies or sleeping cabins. Whether one needs a building permit depends on the Building Code Act's definition of 'building' and the Code's shed exemption. That exemption covers only storage-use sheds, so it does not cover a structure used for sleeping. Municipal zoning rules for accessory buildings still apply. [11][9][4][16]
Official links
Last confirmed October 2026.
Notes and caveats
Sources
- City of London web page (london.ca)
- London’s guide to additional units
- City of London PDF (london.ca)
- Planning Act (Ontario e-Laws)
- O. Reg. 299/19: Additional residential units (Ontario e-Laws)
- Development Charges Act, 1997 (Ontario e-Laws)
- City of London PDF (london.ca)
- City of London PDF (london.ca)
- Government of Ontario PDF
- Build or buy a tiny home: Building Code requirements (Government of Ontario)
- Building Code Act, 1992 (Ontario e-Laws)
- O. Reg. 163/24: Ontario Building Code (Ontario e-Laws)
- 2024 Ontario Building Code (Government of Ontario)
- Build or buy a tiny home: permits and inspections (Government of Ontario)
- City of London PDF (london.ca)
- Building Code updates (Government of Ontario)
Not legal advice
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