Get informed first. Then decide.

No. As soon as a Wohnzelle is installed in a fixed location and lived in, it legally counts as a built structure (bauliche Anlage), regardless of the fact that it is placed by crane and has no concrete foundation. “Exempt from the permit procedure” also never means “permitted”: even an exempt project must comply with planning law, boundary distances, and fire and thermal insulation requirements. This is the most common misconception about tiny houses, and we would rather clear it up beforehand.

For permanent living: practically always yes, in all 16 federal states. The real question is not “Do I need a permit?” but “Is my plot suitable for my plans?”. Exactly that can be clarified with binding effect before you buy (see preliminary building enquiry). We support you with the documents and the application.

With a preliminary building enquiry (Bauvoranfrage), the local building authority clarifies in advance and with binding effect: “May I live here like this?”. It usually costs only a few hundred euros, takes around 4 to 12 weeks, and binds the authority for a limited period, depending on the state, generally two to seven years. It is the safest first step, before you even buy the plot. We actively recommend it and help you with it.

In some federal states yes, for weekend houses used for your own leisure in a designated weekend-house area or on a weekend site, not for permanent living. Letting to changing holiday guests means using the house as a holiday home; that generally requires a procedure. Thuringia, Bremen and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania limit the exemption to a 40 m² footprint: the MK I measures approx. 38 m² externally, around 47 m² with the fold-out terrace; whether the terrace counts is not uniformly settled. Since 30 June 2026, Brandenburg no longer sets a size limit in its building code; there, the permitted size follows from the local development plan or the site permit. The MK II (66 m²) is well above 40 m². There is no blanket clearance for “somewhere out on a green field”.

Boundary distances (Abstandsflächen) are state law: each of the 16 state building codes regulates them independently; there is no uniform federal rule. In almost all states, however, the required distance is consistently 0.4 times the wall height, but at least 3.00 m to the neighbouring boundary. A lower minimum of 2.50 m applies in Baden-Württemberg, Hamburg and Hesse (in Hesse since the October 2025 amendment); in Baden-Württemberg, 2.00 m is even possible for low walls (wall height ≤ 5 m). What counts is always the applicable state building code and the specific site; we plan the installation accordingly.

For a residential building, the building codes generally require documents prepared by a professional authorised to submit building applications (bauvorlageberechtigt, an architect or civil engineer); for small residential buildings, many states provide simplifications (e.g. a “small” submission authorisation). We support you here: together with the manufacturer and, where needed, an engineering firm, we compile the permit-relevant documents for your project (including the structural stability/statics verification, insulation values, scale drawings, conformity documentation) and support you through the building application. Which specific documents are needed depends on the site and the state building code; we agree the scope with you on a project basis.

At 33 m², the MK I counts as a “small building” (up to 50 m² of usable floor area). For these, an energy performance certificate is generally not required; proof of the insulation values is sufficient. For permanent living, the requirements of the German Buildings Energy Act (Gebäudeenergiegesetz, GEG) apply; we agree the specific documentation (insulation values, heating concept) with you on a project basis. As the rules on heating technology are currently being revised, we check the current legal position for your project instead of making fixed promises.

Secured site servicing (utilities, Erschließung) is a prerequisite. For water and wastewater, the municipal connection and usage obligation applies; without a sewer connection, a small sewage treatment plant is possible (with a water-law permit). The electricity connection is made in the regular way by a certified electrical contractor, registered with the grid operator. These connections are provided by the client and are not included in the purchase price; we advise you on the connections for your site.

If you live there permanently: yes; the registration obligation is tied to the actual use, not to the building permit. Important to know: registering does not legalise an unpermitted use. That is why it makes sense to clarify the building-law side in advance.

You risk an illegal structure (“Schwarzbau”) with a use prohibition, a removal/demolition order and a fine, even for a mobile unit. That is exactly what we want to protect you from: we would rather rely on the preliminary building enquiry and a proper permit early on than sell you something that may not be allowed to stay in the end.