HB 1681 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-3110
06/08
HOUSE BILL 1681
SPONSORS: Rep. Grant, Sull. 5; Rep. M. Aron, Sull. 8; Rep. Rollins, Sull. 3; Rep. Cole, Hills. 26; Rep. Reinfurt, Hills. 29; Rep. Post, Hills. 42
COMMITTEE: Housing
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes standards for innovative housing structures such as tiny houses, tiny houses on wheels, and yurts, allowing their use as single-family or accessory dwellings, setting inspection and permitting requirements, authorizing municipal property tax assessments, regulating transport, and permitting grey water disposal systems.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-3110
06/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subdivision; Innovative Housing Structures. Amend RSA 674 by inserting after section 80 the following new subdivision:
Innovative Housing Structures
674:81 Definitions.
I. As used in this subdivision:
(a) “Dwelling site” means the property where the innovative housing structure is or will be located when used as a dwelling unit.
(b) “Innovative housing structure” or “IHS” means a unique single residential unit such as a tiny house, tiny house on wheels, or a yurt.
(c) “Tiny house” means a living space permanently constructed on a stable surface, ground, or footing and designed for use as permanent living quarters that:
(1) Does not exceed 400 square feet in size;
(2) Complies with the 2021 International Residential Code and Appendix AQ;
(3) Is not a trailer, semitrailer, camp trailer, or recreational vehicle.
(d) “Tiny house on wheels” or “THOW” means a compact, mobile dwelling unit designed for full-time residential use, built on a trailer chassis without motive power, and meeting the same criteria as a tiny house. A THOW shall not be considered a camp trailer or recreational vehicle when constructed for full-time residential use.
(e) “Yurt” means a round, freestanding structure modeled after traditional nomadic dwellings, constructed with contemporary materials and engineering for use as a permanent or long-term residence. A yurt shall include, at a minimum:
(1) Heating, cooking, and sanitary facilities;
(2) A rigid frame composed of wood or metal;
(3) Insulated walls; and
(4) A weather-resistant exterior surface, which may consist of fabric or solid materials.
674:82 Location and Use.
I. A municipality may permit an innovative housing structure to be placed or erected on an individual house lot where single-family dwellings are allowed, or to be used as an accessory dwelling unit pursuant to RSA 674:72, subject to all applicable land use requirements.
II. Innovative housing structures shall be treated as single-family dwellings or accessory dwelling units for zoning and permitting purposes.
674:83 Municipal Inspections.
I. An innovative housing structure shall be subject to the same inspections as any single-family dwelling under construction.
II. Approval of tiny house manufacturers and plan review and inspection of innovative housing structures shall comply with either:
(a) The standards applied to modular, pre-manufactured, or factory-built residential structures; or
(b) The latest editions of ICC/MBI Standard 1200 and ICC/MBI Standard 1205.
III. If an innovative housing structure is built at a separate building site and cannot be fully inspected at the dwelling site without disassembly or damage, inspections may be performed by:
(a) A building inspector local to the building site; or
(b) An independent third-party inspector.
IV. Upon completion of a successful inspection, the inspector shall provide a certificate of inspection including:
(a) A brief description of the unit and any unique identification number;
(b) The type of inspection conducted;
(c) The date of inspection; and
(d) The name of the inspector or inspecting organization.
V. If the inspection fails, the inspector shall provide a report outlining the reasons for failure.
VI. Any certificate issued under this section, if conforming to state standards, shall be accepted by the building inspector at the dwelling site for purposes of issuing a certificate of occupancy.
VII. A municipality may inspect the following at the dwelling site:
(a) Compliance with the New Hampshire state building code;
(b) Placement on a stable surface, ground, or footing;
(c) Utility connections;
(d) Water service and wastewater compliance.
674:84 Property Tax Assessment.
I. A municipality may assess and collect property tax for an innovative housing structure that:
(a) Is affixed to the property, including by way of utility connection;
(b) Is in a state of completeness or permanency;
(c) Has been located on the property for more than 180 days.
II. If an innovative housing structure is removed from the property, the property owner shall notify the municipality for reassessment purposes.
674:85 Transportation of Mobile Structures.
I. If an innovative housing structure is permanently built on a flatbed trailer chassis for transportation to the dwelling site, and the trailer conforms to all vehicle trailer requirements for roadworthiness, the builder may use:
(a) A dealer plate; or
(b) A temporary trailer plate issued by the department of motor vehicles.
II. Such plates may be used to move the structure from the building site to the dwelling site or, if sold, from one dwelling site to another.
674:86 Grey Water Disposal Systems.
I. The department of environmental services shall allow for the construction, operation, and maintenance of grey water disposal systems for innovative housing structures equipped with composting or incinerating toilets.
II. If such toilets are replaced with conventional toilets, an appropriately sized septic system shall be required.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Dec. 12, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Housing HJ 1