Legalities of iPamps Tiny Home classification.
Introduction
A common misconception is that tiny homes can evade council regulations. In reality, councils play a role in various activities, whether you're parking a car, constructing a building, or setting up a caravan. What truly matters is adhering to the appropriate standards and bylaws relevant to the specific product, whether a car, caravan, or building.
We aim to promote collaboration with councils rather than confrontation.
To facilitate this, the iPamp Caravan Tiny Home has been thoughtfully designed and constructed to comply with the standards outlined in the MBIE (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Tiny Home Guide), to be exempt from the Building Act.
The iPamp tiny home distinguishes itself as an NZTA-registered caravan, eliminating the debate over whether it qualifies as a building or a vehicle. Unlike traditional tiny homes on wheels (THOWs), which are essentially buildings that use a trailer for transportation.
Supporting information.
Who is MBIE?
The Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) is the central regulator and provides overall leadership for the building sector, councils and manufacturers of tiny homes.
What is the tiny home document?
The tiny home guidance document aims to help improve understanding of what rules apply to tiny houses and what requirements need to be considered before building one. This guidance ensures that tiny houses as buildings are safe, healthy, and durable for their intended use.
“This guidance seeks to provide clarity on:
The meaning of building and vehicle
When and how tiny houses interact with the Building Act 2004 and the Building Code, including whether these tiny houses are subject to the requirements of the Building Act and require a building consent”
5. Section 5 of the MBIE document determines whether a tiny house is a building or vehicle exempt from the Building Act.
The MBIE flow chart
Is the tiny house a "vehicle" or "motor vehicle "by reference to the definition in section 2(1) of the NZTA (Land Transport Act 1998)?
Section 2(1) of the Land Transport Act.
motor vehicle—
(a) means a vehicle drawn or propelled by mechanical power and
(b) includes a trailer
load—
(a) includes part of a load and
(b) includes covers, ropes, ties, blocks, tackles, barrows, or other equipment or objects used in the securing or containing of loads on vehicles or the loading or unloading of vehicles, whether or not any other load is on the vehicle
New Zealand Transport Authority "tiny homes"
A tiny home is not classed as a specialist vehicle, so to be used on the road, it must be within all the dimension limits for a standard vehicle or, if larger, transported as a load.
Maximum width: 2.55 meters
Maximum length: 12.5 meters; 11 meters for caravans
Gross vehicle mass: up to 3.5 tons
Maximum rear overhang 4.0 meters
It is a load if your tiny home fails to meet any of the standard vehicle dimensions above.
Yes, the iPamp Tiny Home is a singular unit officially recognised as a registered caravan, not a registered trailer; it fully complies with NZTA regulations for a Drawn Motor Vehicle classification. It sits on an alloy chassis, and thanks to its alloy construction, it meets all standard vehicle limits, including a gross vehicle mass of up to 3.5 tons.
iPamps does not use a trailer to transport a building.
The tiny home must maintain its movability status.
Is the tiny house both immovable and occupied by people on a long-term basis?
Immovable, as the MBIE document states. When trying to understand whether a tiny house is immovable, consider the following: All circumstances will need to be taken into account.
Does the design enable it to be moved or relocated with relative ease?
Are there features common to vehicles e.g. suspension, shocks, springs, brakes, brake lights, turn signals and number plates?
Does it have a warrant of fitness/certificate of fitness or could it pass a warrant of fitness/certificate of fitness test?
Does it rest on wheels alone or is it otherwise self-supported, or requiring some other form of stabilisation?
Is it connected to features that would need to be deconstructed if it was to be moved e.g. foundations, walkways or decking?
Has it been moved in the past, and is the intention to move it in the future?
Is it connected to on-site services, and how has this been done, e.g., water, wastewater, electricity?
Is the tiny house both immovable and occupied by people on a long-term basis?
No, the iPamp tiny home caravan is designed to meet the above criteria to maintain its movability status; therefore, “the tiny house is exempt from the building act.” As the question was “Both,” the time of stay is irrelevant, so per the MBIE document, it is exempt from the Building Act.
To maintain its movability status, the iPamps caravan tiny home is thoughtfully designed with standard connections commonly found in caravans and is officially registered with the NZTA as a functional caravan (drawn motor vehicle). It adheres to the "NZS 5465:2001 self-containment of motor homes and caravans" standard, including blackwater disposal provisions without a direct connection. Starting in 2025, the iPamp will also feature an electrical WOF, with its license plate registered to facilitate an efficient approval process for high-risk electrical installations in caravans.
Equipped with tanks and hybrid 240V and 12V batteries, the iPamp can operate independently from external power sources. Under the NZS 5465 standard, its blackwater self-containment rating allows for 188 days of use for one person and 94 days for two.
Notably, the iPamp caravan is exempt from the Building Act, underscoring its versatility and compliance with regulatory standards.
Read on if you intend to build or own a tiny home that does not meet standard dimensions and is unable to be classed as a drawn motor vehicle tiny house a "vehicle" or "motor vehicle "by reference to the definition in section 2(1) of the Land Transport Act 1998?
Is the tiny house a 'building' as defined in section 8(1)(a) of the Building Act 2004?
Section 8 (1) a Building Act 2004
Building: what it means and includes (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, building—
Means a temporary or permanent movable or immovable structure (including a structure intended for occupation by people, animals, machinery, or chattels). If you answer YES, then your tiny home is a building and subject to the Building Act and applicable consents.