A River tiny house with a timber façade on its chassis

Tiny house · Baubewilligung · Austria

Want to place your house in Austria? Here you'll find everything you need to know.

A tiny house in Austria

In Austria, building law is a matter for the states, so there are nine building codes. For a house you live in, you need a Baubewilligung (building permit) almost everywhere, and first the right Widmung (the zoning of the plot). Here you can see what applies in your state and which of our houses fit.

Which houses fit →

Building law9 building codesone per state, plus your municipality's Flächenwidmungsplan
New homeBaubewilligungin Upper Austria also by Bauanzeige, in Styria in the simplified procedure
EnergyOIB-Richtlinie 62019 and 2023 editions: external wall at most U 0.35, roof 0.20 W/m²K

State by state

What the nine building codes say

As of October 2026, from the versions in force in the Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (RIS). A tiny house you live in is a building everywhere, or is at least treated as one as soon as it stays on the plot. The differences lie in the procedure and in houses on wheels.

1The rules of all nine states

All our houses compared with the rules ↓Answers to common questions ↓

StateNew homeHouse on wheels

1BurgenlandBaubewilligung (§ 17 Bgld. BauG). Only minor projects that you report 14 days in advance can go ahead without a procedure (§ 16).Only caravans and mobile homes on sites under the Camping- und Mobilheimplatzgesetz are exempt (§ 1 Abs. 2).

CarinthiaBaubewilligung (§ 6 K-BO). Buildings up to 25 m² floor area and 3.50 m high only need to be notified (§ 7); ask the municipality beforehand whether this applies to a home.Only caravans and mobile homes on approved campsites are exempt (§ 2 Abs. 2).

Lower AustriaBaubewilligung (§ 14 NÖ BO). The building authority first checks the Widmung and the Bebauungsplan (the local development plan) (§ 20). After building, you report completion (§ 30).A mobile home has its own definition (§ 4 Z 24); it is exempt from a permit only on campsites (§ 17 Z 13).

Upper AustriaBaubewilligung (§ 24 Oö. BauO) or Bauanzeige (building notification), known as Baufreistellung (§ 24a): the neighbours sign the building plan, an authorised plan author confirms that everything complies with the regulations, and the authority has eight weeks to prohibit the building (§ 25a).Caravans, mobile homes and other structures on wheels that are registered for road use do not fall under the building code (§ 1 Abs. 3 Z 9). Zoning and the duty to register your residence still apply; ask the municipality before you rely on this.

SalzburgBaubewilligung (§ 2 BauPolG), for buildings up to 4 000 m³ and three storeys above ground in the simplified procedure (§ 10).A caravan outside a campsite needs a permit if it cannot be moved or is used as a home or second home (§ 2 Abs. 1 Z 8).

StyriaBaubewilligung in the simplified procedure for Kleinhäuser (small houses), meaning purely residential buildings under 600 m² with at most three storeys (§ 20 Z 1, § 4 Z 40). The adjoining neighbours give their consent on the plans (§ 33).Caravans, mobile homes and residential containers that stand outside campsites for more than three days need a permit in the simplified procedure (§ 20 Z 7).

TyrolBaubewilligung for new buildings (§ 28 Abs. 1 lit. a TBO 2022).Only mobile homes and similar mobile accommodation on campsites, up to 45 m², are exempt (§ 1 Abs. 3 lit. t).

VorarlbergBaubewilligung (§ 18 BauG). Only outbuildings to residential buildings up to 25 m² and 3.5 m high merely need to be notified (§ 19 lit. a).Caravans and similar accommodation that stand on the same plot for more than a month must be notified (§ 19 lit. i). Check beforehand whether the authority treats a lived-in tiny house this way or as a building.

ViennaBaubewilligung (§ 60 BO). If you enclose a confirmation from an independent Ziviltechniker (chartered engineer), the simplified procedure applies (§ 70a).A caravan is not a structure as long as it can be moved and is not permanently used like a fixed building on the same property (§ 60 Abs. 2).

Zoning comes first: a home needs a plot in Bauland (land zoned for building). In Grünland (green land) only buildings that serve agriculture and forestry are usually allowed (for example § 20 NÖ ROG 2014). You can get the Flächenwidmungsplan (the zoning plan) from the municipality.
The building authority is the municipality, in Vienna the Magistrat (city administration). Depending on the state, at the end you either report completion or need a Benützungsbewilligung (occupancy permit).
Even where no procedure is needed, the Bebauungsplan, distances and the technical building regulations still apply.
Always ask the municipality about your exact plot before you order. We'll send you drawings, weights, U-values and the technical documents for this free of charge.

Sources: oesterreich.gv.at: Bauverfahren · RIS: Oö. Bauordnung 1994 (geltende Fassung) · OIB: OIB-Richtlinien und ihr Inkrafttreten in den Ländern · Land Tirol: Zentrale Änderungen der OIB-Richtlinie 6 (2025) · RIS: Meldegesetz 1991

Which houses fit

All our houses, measured against the rules

The area here is the external dimensions of the house, length times width. Only our smallest houses come within the Carinthian limit for buildings that only need to be notified. For energy and transport, it depends on the type of build: our semi-mobile and non-mobile models are insulated for year-round living, the mobile ones are built light so they can be towed.

House	Dimensions (L × W × H)	Floor area	Carinthia: up to 25 m², 3.50 m	U-values OIB-RL 6	Transport up to 2.55 × 4.0 m
Nature Pod	6.00 × 2.30 × 2.50 m	13.8 m²	Notification only possible	Wall U 0.44 instead of 0.35	No special transport
Moon	6.10 × 2.50 × 3.50 m	15.3 m²	Notification only possible	Wall U 0.44 instead of 0.35	No special transport
Sofia	6.10 × 2.55 × 4.00 m	15.6 m²	Baubewilligung	Wall U 0.44 instead of 0.35	No special transport
Maya	6.70 × 2.55 × 4.00 m	17.1 m²	Baubewilligung	Wall U 0.44 instead of 0.35	No special transport
Sunshine	6.70 × 2.55 × 4.00 m	17.1 m²	Baubewilligung	Wall U 0.44 instead of 0.35	No special transport
Felicia	7.20 × 2.50 × 3.94 m	18.0 m²	Baubewilligung	Wall U 0.44 instead of 0.35	No special transport
Venus	7.30 × 2.50 × 4.00 m	18.3 m²	Baubewilligung	Wall U 0.44 instead of 0.35	No special transport
Luna Office	7.30 × 2.55 × 3.50 m	18.6 m²	Notification only possible	Wall U 0.44 instead of 0.35	No special transport
Luna Home	7.30 × 2.55 × 3.50 m	18.6 m²	Notification only possible	Wall U 0.44 instead of 0.35	No special transport
Porto	7.30 × 2.55 × 4.00 m	18.6 m²	Baubewilligung	Wall U 0.44 instead of 0.35	No special transport
Elise	7.30 × 2.55 × 4.00 m	18.6 m²	Baubewilligung	Wall U 0.44 instead of 0.35	No special transport
Smile	7.30 × 3.00 × 4.00 m	21.9 m²	Baubewilligung	Insulated for year-round living	Special transport
Julia	7.90 × 3.00 × 4.00 m	23.7 m²	Baubewilligung	Insulated for year-round living	Special transport
River	8.50 × 2.90 × 3.90 m	24.6 m²	Baubewilligung	Insulated for year-round living	Special transport
Lucia	7.50 × 4.00 × 4.00 m	30.0 m²	Baubewilligung	Insulated for year-round living	Special transport
Sky	11.00 × 3.45 × 4.35 m	38.0 m²	Baubewilligung	Insulated for year-round living	Special transport
Zenith	11.00 × 3.45 × 4.35 m	38.0 m²	Baubewilligung	Insulated for year-round living	Special transport
Leah	12.00 × 3.45 × 4.00 m	41.4 m²	Baubewilligung	Insulated for year-round living	Special transport
Antonia	9.00 × 7.95 × 4.00 m	46.6 m²	Baubewilligung	Insulated for year-round living	Special transport
Evergreen	8.30 × 6.00 × 4.00 m	49.8 m²	Baubewilligung	Insulated for year-round living	Special transport
Helena	9.20 × 5.98 × 4.00 m	55.0 m²	Baubewilligung	Insulated for year-round living	Special transport
Evergreen XL	11.80 × 5.95 × 4.00 m	70.2 m²	Baubewilligung	Insulated for year-round living	Special transport

The U-values of the mobile models (wall about 0.44, roof about 0.42 W/m²K) were measured with the older insulation build-up; with the new mineral wool they should be somewhat better, but they remain above what OIB-Richtlinie 6 requires for a heated home. Our River, for example, was calculated with wall and roof at U 0.15. Whether the Carinthian exemption applies to your house is decided by the municipality. Ask us for the drawings, then you and the building authority can see exactly what applies.

Where can I put my house? →

Good to know

Common questions about tiny houses in Austria

Is a tiny house on wheels a vehicle or a building?

That depends on the state and on how you use it. In Upper Austria, structures on wheels registered for road use do not fall under the building code; in Vienna, a caravan is not a structure as long as it can still be moved and is not permanently used like a fixed house. In Styria you need a permit after just three days outside a campsite, in Vorarlberg a notification after one month. If you live in it permanently, you should expect to need a Baubewilligung everywhere.

Do I need a plot in Bauland?

For a home, yes. The building authority first checks whether the zoning in the Flächenwidmungsplan allows your project. In Grünland, usually only buildings for agriculture and forestry are permitted. Clear this up before you buy a plot.

Can I register my main residence there?

In fact you have to register: anyone who lives somewhere registers with the municipality within three days, and a vehicle counts as a dwelling if it serves as accommodation in the same municipality for more than three days (Meldegesetz §§ 1 and 3). But registering does not replace a Baubewilligung. You are on the safe side with an approved house and a completed notice of completion.

Which energy regulations apply?

OIB-Richtlinie 6, in the edition your state has declared binding; Salzburg has not adopted it and regulates thermal insulation itself. For detached buildings under 50 m² of heated net floor area, only the U-values apply, and an energy performance certificate is then not needed. Vienna (since 15 July 2026) and Tyrol (since 16 July 2026) already apply the 2025 edition; there, buildings under 50 m² must come in 24 % below the maximum values. For a year-round home, take a look at River, Sky, Zenith, Lucia, Evergreen or Evergreen XL.

How much VAT do I pay?

20 %, the Austrian rate, whether we only deliver or also set up the house. Still, tell us early what you would like, because the contract is written differently in each case.

How does the house get to me?

Up to 2.55 m wide and 4.0 m high without a special permit (§ 4 Abs. 6 KFG); our mobile models manage that. Wider or taller houses need a permit from the Landeshauptmann (state governor) for the special transport (§ 101 Abs. 5 KFG), and that makes delivery more expensive. Send us your postcode and we'll give you the price.

Can I see a tiny house in Austria?

Yes, you can view a River in Micheldorf in Upper Austria. More under Viewings. For financing, you'll find more under Financing.

We'll look at your plot with you

Tell us which state and municipality your plot is in and how it is zoned. Then we'll check which houses fit and send you the documents for your building authority. It costs nothing.

[email protected] · +46 (0)18 25 88 99

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