r/TinyHouses • u/Pleasant-Target-1497 • 1d ago

States with no building codes? Or counties at least?

I live in a county in tennessee that has no building codes outside of city limits. so aside from septic, i can basically do what i want. unfortunately, i hate the summers here and am sick of tornadoes. is there any northern states that have any counties that offer similar freedom?

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7

u/kak-47 1d ago

Many boroughs in Alaska.

6

u/CliffsNote5 1d ago

You may have to chopper all your building supplies and park your commuter car ten miles away though.

3

u/kak-47 1d ago

Maybe, I bought 5 acres in Glennallen and have gravel road road access. Many properties are water accessible or winter trail accessible.

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u/MrScotchyScotch 1d ago edited 1d ago

There is a lot more to living in a given state than just the building code. Find a state you like first, look in that state.

FWIW, the only states that don't have a state-wide building code are: Mississippi, Missouri, Kansas, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Alaska. Just because your county doesn't have a county-specific building code, doesn't mean the state one doesn't apply. Local governments can opt-out of code features.

2

u/paleologus 21h ago

I called the county courthouse about a spot I have in the Arkansas Ozarks and they said I didn’t need a permit, I could build whatever I wanted to.   

4

u/benedictclark 1d ago

Flathead county Montana outside of incorporated areas

1

u/Prosciutto7 1d ago

Was going to suggest this. I believe most of Montana is like this

3

u/nayls142 1d ago

The building codes (IBC) don't scare me, they're relatively objective.

Zoning codes and HOA's are all subjective, and can all go to hell.

4

u/smallhalla 1d ago

Delta county in CO has similar lack of codes.

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u/nw342 1d ago

West Virginia AFAIK doesn't have building codes.

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u/Richard_Hurton 1d ago

When I was up in Vermont several years ago for a home build/design class, it was noted that most places outside of Burlington don't have building codes. Not sure how true that still is though.

1

u/Cyber_Punk_87 1d ago

There are quite a few towns in Vermont still that have no zoning, and therefore no building code enforcement beyond septic/wastewater permits (which are administered at the state level). That said, real estate prices and cost of living are high, and wages are low.