Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-09-29
1 of California's 58 counties — 2% — allow living in an RV on private land. That is the 11th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is San Luis Obispo County (47/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 348 counties nationwide → California: owner-builder → California: tiny homes → California: no minimum home size → Full California profile →
1 of 58 California counties · sorted by Index score
Use of an RV as the owner's principal residence on a mobile-home space in unincorporated San Luis Obispo County. California Civil Code 798.22 prohibits renting mobile-home space…
RVs in Mobile Home Parks ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the California state page for all 58 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these California counties? The kit we'd start with:
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General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
