Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-09
2 of Indiana's 92 counties — 2% — allow tiny homes as a dwelling. That is the 27th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Gibson County (77/100). 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 547 counties nationwide → Indiana: no building codes → Indiana: no zoning → Indiana: no codes, no zoning → Indiana: owner-builder → Indiana: rv living → Indiana: no minimum home size → Full Indiana profile →
From the Indiana guide
Indiana's RV answers cover 31 counties: 1 allows RV living, 4 allow temporary use only, 20 impose limitations and 6 prohibit it within the stated scope of their rules.6 The other 61 counties have no confirmed answer here; that does not establish permission to occupy an RV.6 Lawrence County has no county zoning rule setting RV occupancy in unincorporated areas, but septic, floodplain, subdivision and health requirements still apply.6
Indiana's tiny-home answers cover 18 counties: 2 allow the use and 16 impose limitations; 74 counties remain unanswered.7 Gibson County and Lawrence County have no county zoning rule setting tiny-home occupancy in unincorporated areas, with other applicable requirements remaining.7 Use the RV-living list and tiny-home list to read the conditions for the intended use.67 Indiana's campground rules do not establish statewide permission for long-term residential RV occupancy on an individually deeded lot.21 Ask the parcel's planning and building offices specifically about residential occupancy, including living there while building.
From the Indiana guide, written from the cited official sources and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: confirm with the office before you buy or build.
2 of 92 Indiana counties · sorted by Index score
Unincorporated Gibson County: no county rule sets this, because Gibson County's own reviewed answer confirms it has no county-wide zoning ordinance. Septic, floodplain, subdivis…
Gibson County Board of Commissioners Minutes, February 15, 2022 ↗Unincorporated Lawrence County: no county rule sets this, because Lawrence County's own reviewed answer confirms it has no county-wide zoning ordinance. Septic, floodplain, subd…
in.gov ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Indiana state page for all 92 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these Indiana 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.
