The new Building Act introduced fundamental changes from mid-2024 in how small structures, mobile homes, and Tiny Houses are assessed in the Czech Republic. If you’re considering acquiring a Tiny House as a recreational property, supplementary garden housing, or a fully-fledged smaller dwelling, it’s worth knowing what has actually changed – and what, on the contrary, remains the same. In this article, we’ll go through the key updates of the 2024 Building Act and Tiny Houses, explain the difference between a trailer vehicle and a product fulfilling the function of a structure, and advise you on what your first practical step should be.
Act No. 283/2021 Coll. and what its full effect means
The new Building Act, namely Act No. 283/2021 Coll. (Czech legislation), came into full effect on 1 July 2024. It replaced the previous regulations and unified a number of procedures that were previously governed by separate rules. The legislator’s aim was to simplify and speed up the permitting process, introduce unified digital tools, and divide structures more clearly according to their complexity.
For owners and prospective buyers of Tiny Houses, it’s important that the act now works with several categories into which a small structure may fall. It’s precisely this classification into the correct category that determines whether you’ll need a permit, a notification, or whether the object falls under the Building Act at all. And this is exactly where the most misunderstandings arise, because a Tiny House is not a single legal concept – it depends on the specific design and manner of use.
Minor structure up to 40 m² – yes, but not for living
A frequently cited novelty is the expansion of the limit for minor structures on a residential plot. Whereas the previous threshold was 25 m², it is now possible to place a minor structure with a built-up area of up to 40 m² on a built-up building plot of a family house or a structure for family recreation without a permit.
But here’s the crucial “but” that many people overlook: this minor structure must not serve for living or for the stay of persons in the form of permanent occupancy. It typically refers to a garden shed, workshop, storage unit, or shelter. So if you want to use a Tiny House as living space, the 40 m² limit alone will not provide you with legal certainty. What matters is not just the area, but above all the purpose of use and the way the object is placed and connected on the plot.
Product fulfilling the function of a structure (VPFS) – where most Tiny Houses fall
The new act adopts and places greater emphasis on the category of a product fulfilling the function of a structure (VPFS). This is an industrially manufactured object that is delivered to the site finished and set down on the plot. Most quality Tiny Houses fall into this category – they are manufactured in a production hall, certified as a product, and only then transported to the customer.
The key point is that a VPFS in itself is not a structure in the sense of the classic building process, but as soon as you permanently place it on a plot and connect it to utilities, the building authority comes into play. The placement of the product on the plot, compliance with the zoning plan, and the method of connection are then assessed. As an authorized Tiny House dealer in the Czech Republic, VI invest supplies objects that have the necessary product documentation, which significantly facilitates communication with the authorities as well as the subsequent assessment of the project.
Two paths: trailer vehicle with a license plate vs. VPFS
In practice, there are two basic legal paths for getting a Tiny House onto a plot, and each has different consequences:
- Trailer vehicle with a license plate – the Tiny House is built on a homologated chassis and registered as a trailer. As long as it remains mobile (wheels, towing equipment, registration), it is assessed primarily according to road traffic rules, not the Building Act. This path is administratively the simplest, but it imposes limits on size and weight and assumes that the object is genuinely relocatable.
- Product fulfilling the function of a structure (VPFS) – an unregistered object that is permanently set down on the plot. Here, building proceedings apply, or rather the new “project permit”, because the object is tied to a location.
The decision between these paths has an impact not only on the paperwork, but also on what kind of utility connection you can afford without changing the legal status of the object. This decision is therefore crucial for any Tiny House without a building permit 2024.
Project permit, granny annexe, and the role of utility connection
The new act introduces the unified term project permit, which replaces the previous dual track of zoning decision and building permit. The building authority now assesses the project comprehensively in a single proceeding, which is meant to simplify the process. So if a Tiny House falls under building assessment, you apply for precisely this project permit, not the old zoning decision.
An interesting novelty is the category of the granny annexe (in Czech “výměnek”) – a separate smaller residential object of up to 80 m² placed on a plot where a family house already stands. For Tiny Houses, this is a practical way to legally add housing for a family member without building a second fully-fledged family house. Here too, however, the object must comply with the zoning plan and must pass through the appropriate permitting.
An absolutely fundamental point that determines the legal status is the connection to utilities. As long as a Tiny House operates autonomously (water tank, sump, solar panel), it remains more of a mobile object. But as soon as you permanently connect it to water supply, sewerage, and electricity, most authorities will evaluate this as a permanent connection to the ground – and the object begins to be assessed as a structure. This also concerns the question of Act 283/2021 and mobile homes, because connection to utilities is the notional boundary between “a vehicle in the garden” and “a structure requiring a permit”.
MMR methodology and the first practical step
Because the practice of building authorities was initially inconsistent, the Ministry of Regional Development (MMR) issued a methodological recommendation on mobile homes, whose update from November 2025 clearly summarizes how to assess mobile homes, VPFS, and trailer vehicles. Although the methodology is not a binding law, the authorities follow it in practice, so it significantly reduces the risk of each authority deciding differently.
What should your very first step be? Before you buy or set down anything, request zoning planning information from the relevant authority. It costs CZK 1,000 and from it you’ll find out what the specific plot allows – whether it’s in a built-up area, what the regulations are, and whether your project complies with the zoning plan. This relatively small investment will save you major inconveniences and give you a clear direction on which of the two paths (license plate vs. VPFS) to choose.
Conclusion: a legal Tiny House starts with the right classification
The 2024 Building Act has rather helped Tiny Houses – it brought clearer categories, a unified project permit, and the new option of a granny annexe up to 80 m². At the same time, however, it confirmed that legality is not determined by size alone, but by the purpose of use and, above all, the method of connection to utilities. The key to a trouble-free solution is therefore the correct legal classification of the object right at the start, along with quality product documentation.
If you want to be sure that your Tiny House will comply with current legislation, turn to the experts. VI invest, as an authorized dealer in the Czech Republic, will help you choose a model that matches your project as well as the possibilities of your plot. Browse our offer on the /modely/ page or contact us directly via /kontakt/ and together we’ll find a tailored solution.