An Act Regarding the Regulation of Tiny Houses
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1981
Committee Amendment CA_A_S429 (Senate)
Amends: 29-A MRSA §101, 29-A MRSA §501, 29-A MRSA §603, 29-A MRSA §651, 29-A MRSA §652, 29-A MRSA §654, 29-A MRSA §667, 29-A MRSA §669, 29-A MRSA §705, 29-A MRSA §708, 29-A MRSA §954, 29-A MRSA §1902, 29-A MRSA §1905, 29-A MRSA §1905-A, 29-A MRSA §1905-B, 29-A MRSA §1917, 29-A MRSA §2061, 29-A MRSA §2385, 29-A MRSA §2389, 29-A MRSA §2390

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "t9-" to S.P. 683, L.D. 1981, Bill, "An Act 
Regarding the Regulation of Tiny Houses" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act Regarding the Regulation of Tiny Homes' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the Secretary of State, industry and individuals have an urgent need to 
clarify the regulatory landscape so that tiny homes can be registered and titled and the 
industry may resume production; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §101, sub-§80-C is enacted to read: 
80-C. Tiny home. "Tiny home" means a living space permanently constructed on a 
frame or chassis and designed for use as permanent living quarters that: 
A. 
Complies with American National Standards Institute standard A 119.5 on 
plumbing. propane. fire and life safety and construction or National Fire Protection 
Association standard 1192 on plumbing. propane and fire and life safety for 
recreational vehicles: 
B. Does not exceed 400 square feet in size; 
C. Does not exceed any dimension allowed for operation on a public way under this 
Title: and 
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D. Is a vehicle without motive power. 
"Tiny home" does not include a trailer, semitrailer. camp trailer. recreational vehicle or 
manufactured housing. 
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §501, sub-§7, as amended by PL 2011, c. 556, §4, is further 
amended to read: 
7. Temporary registration permit. The Secretary of State may issue a temporary 
registration permit for the purpose of moving certain vehicles otherwise required to be 
registered or for a tiny home as follows. 
A. 
A temporary registration permit is for one trip only limited in use for 
0 
transportation of a vehicle after sale, transportation necessary for service or repairs of 
a vehicle, occasional seasonal relocation of a vehicle or transportation necessary for 
the relocation of a tiny home: 
(1) Between the points of origin and destination and intermediate points, as set 
forth in the permit; or 
(2) From the point of origin to the destination and back to the point of origin, 
including any intermediate points, as set forth in the permit. 
B. A temporary registration permit is for the transit of the vehicle only. The vehicle 
may not be used for the transportation of passengers or property, for compensation or 
otherwise, unless specifically authorized on the temporary registration permit. If the 
vehicle is a chartered bus that is not covered by a reciprocity agreement with the state 
or country of registration, the Secretary of State may authorize transportation of 
passengers. 
C. The Secretary of State may not issue a temporary registration permit that is valid 
for longer than 10 days from the effective date of the registration. 
D. 
The fee for a temporary registration permit issued under paragraph A, 
subparagraph (1) is $12. The fee for a temporary registration permit issued under 
paragraph A, subparagraph (2) is $25. 
E. The temporary registration permit must be carried in the vehicle at all times. 
F. A person who operates or moves a vehicle outside the routes specified in the 
temporary registration permit commits a traffic infraction and may not be fmed less 
than $25 nor more than $200. 
G. The Secretary of State may issue unassigned temporary registration permits to a 
vehicle auction business licensed under section 1051 to allow the movement of a 
vehicle sold to a dealer. 
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §603, sub-§1-A is enacted to read: 
1-A. Fee of $100. A fee of $100 must be paid to the Secretary of State for the 
following: 
A. A certificate of title for a tiny home; or 
B. A certificate of title for manufactured housing. 
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Sec. 4. 29-A MRSA §651, sub-§7 is enacted to read: 
7. Tiny homes. The Secretary of State shall issue certificates of title for new tiny 
homes beginning with model year 2020. The Secretary of State shall issue a certificate of 
title for a used tiny home of any model year that was previously issued a State of Maine 
certificate of title. A certificate of title issued pursuant to this subsection remains in effect 
unless cancelled pursuant to section 669. 
Sec. 5. 29-A MRSA §652, sub-§9-A is enacted to read: 
9-A. Tiny homes. A tiny home that is: 
A. Sold before January 1. 2020; or 
B. Model year 2019 or older; 
Sec. 6. 29-A MRSA §654, sub-§6 is enacted to read: 
6. Tiny homes. The following provisions govern application for a certificate of title 
for a tiny home. 
A. An application for a tiny home must be submitted to the Secretary of State by the 
retail seller. If the tiny home is purchased new out of state, the application must be 
submitted by the lien holder or the owner. The application must be accompanied by 
the manufacturer's certificate of origin. 
B. An application for a used tiny home must be submitted by the retail seller. In the 
absence of a retail seller located in this State. the application must be submitted by 
the lienholder. In the absence of a retail seller and a lienholder. the application must 
be submitted by the owner. The application must be accompanied by any previous 
Sec. 7. 29-A MRSA §667, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 678, §9 and 
affected by §13, is amended to read: 
7. Exemption. Certificates of title issued for manufactured housing and tiny homes 
are exempt from this section. 
Sec. 8. 29-A MRSA §669, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 678, §10 and affected by 
§13, is amended to read: 
§669. Cancellation of certificate of title to manufactured housing and tiny homes 
1. Real property transactions. This section governs cancellation of a certificate of 
title to manufactured housing or a tiny home by the owner of the manufactured housing 
or tiny home when the manufactured housing or tiny home becomes affixed to real 
property owned by the owner of the manufactured housing or tiny home. 
2. Cancellation. A certificate of title to manufactured housing or a tiny home may 
be cancelled by the Secretary of State if the owner of the real property records the 
following documents in the registry of deeds for the county in which the real property is 
located: 
A. The original certificate of title to the manufactured housing or tiny home; 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "fl "to S.P. 683, L.D. 1981 ( 
B. A description of the manufactured housing or tiny home, including model year, 
make, width, length and identification number, and a statement by any recorded 
lienholder on the certificate of title that the security interest has been released or that 
such security interest will be released upon cancellation of the certificate of title as 
set forth in this section; 
C. The legal description of the real property; and 
D. A sworn statement by the owner of the real property, as shown on the real 
property deed, that the owner of the real property is the owner of the manufactured 
housing or tiny home and that the manufactured housing or tiny home is permanently 
affixed to the real property in accordance with state law. 
3. Recording. The register of deeds, upon receipt of the documents set forth in 
subsection 2, shall record the documents. 
4. Request for cancellation. An owner of manufactured housing or a tiny home 
shall file a written request with the Secretary of State for cancellation of the certificate of 
title to the manufactured housing or tiny home after completion of the requirements in 
subsections 2 and 3 and by returning the recorded certificate of title. The Secretary of 
State shall cancel the certificate of title upon receipt of the written request from the owner 
of the manufactured housing or tiny home requesting cancellation of the certificate of 
title, accompanied by the certificate of title and documents listed in subsection 2 that have 
been recorded pursuant to subsection 3. Upon cancellation of the certificate of title, the 
Secretary of State shall issue a document certifying that the certificate of title has been 
cancelled. 
5. Liens. For purposes of perfection, realization and foreclosure of security interests, 
if a certificate of title has been cancelled pursuant to this section, a separate security 
interest in the manufactured housing or tiny home does not exist, and the manufactured 
housing or tiny home may be secured only as part of the real property through a mortgage 
under Title 33. 
6. 
Applicability. This section applies to manufactured housing or tiny homes 
required to be titled under section 651 and to any person who voluntarily elects to cancel 
a certificate of title to manufactured housing or a tiny home pursuant to this section. 
7. Taxation not affected. Nothing in this section may be construed to affect the 
taxation of manufactured housing or tiny homes. 
8. No change to common law. Nothing in this section may be construed to modify 
or change existing common law. 
Sec. 9. 29-A MRSA §705, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 435, §13, is 
amended to read: 
5. Manufactured housing or tiny home. This subsection governs satisfaction of a 
security interest in manufactured housing or a tiny home. 
A. Upon satisfaction of a security interest in manufactured housing or a tiny home, 
the lienholder whose security interest is satisfied shall execute, within 60 days, a 
release in the form the Secretary of State prescribes and mail or deliver the release to 
the owner or any person who delivers to the lienholder an authorization from the 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" Y):' to S.P. 683, L.D. 1981 
owner to receive that release. The lienholder shall also within 60 days of satisfaction 
of its security interest notify the Secretary of State in the form the Secretary of State 
prescribes that the lien has been satisfied. 
B. The owner and subordinate lienholder, if any, may each recover $1,000 from a 
lienholder who fails to release the security interest and notify the Secretary of State 
that the lien has been satisfied within the 60-day time period under paragraph A. 
Sec. 10. 29-A MRSA §708, as amended by PL 2013, c. 125, §4, is further 
amended to read: 
§708. Manufactured housing or tiny home 
This subchapter applies to perfection of security interests in manufactured housing or 
a tiny home that is not permanently affixed to real property that is owned by the owner of 
the manufactured housing or tiny home. 
Sec. 11. 29-A MRSA §954, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 397, §15, is 
amended to read: 
6. Trailer transit plate. A business that delivers or services mobile homes or tiny 
homes, leases or transports storage trailers or transports light trailers, modular homes or 
frames for transporting modular homes may apply for a trailer transit license and plate. 
The transit plate may not be loaned, used in place of registration plates on another 
vehicle, used for personal reasons or used on the towing vehicle. Issuance of a trailer 
transit license and plate does not exempt the holder from compliance with any state law 
or municipal ordinance governing the movement of mobile homes, tiny homes, storage 
trailers, modular homes or frames for transporting modular homes or light trailers over 
the highways of this State and does not exempt the holder from required permits or 
certificates prior to moving the vehicles. Trailer transit plates issued pursuant to this 
subsection may be used only subject to the following conditions. 
A. A storage trailer must be empty during transportation. 
B. A light trailer may be transported with a load appropriate for the light trailer, as 
long as the load is owned by or in the custody of the transporting business. 
C. A light trailer may be transported with a trailer transit plate only if the business 
owner or an employee of the business accompanies the vehicle transporting the light 
trailer. 
Fees for trailer transit licenses and plates are established in section 852. Trailer transit 
licenses are exempt from section 951, subsection 6. 
For purposes of this subsection, "business" means a corporation, firm, partnership, joint 
venture, sole proprietorship or other commercial entity. For the purposes of this 
subsection, "modular home" has the same meaning as in Title 30-A, section 4358, 
subsection 1, paragraph A, subparagraph (2). 
A person who violates this subsection commits a traffic infraction. 
Sec. 12. 29-A MRSA §1902, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1999, c. 183, §5, is 
further amended to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" ft" to S.P. 683, L.D. 1981 ( '.:) · qcY-1 
4. Trucks; specific requirements. Special mobile equipment or a truck, truck 
tractor, tiny home, trailer or semitrailer must be equipped with adequate brakes acting on 
all wheels of all axles, except that the following need not meet this requirement: 
A. A trailer or semitrailer not exceeding a gross weight of 3,000 pounds; 
B. A vehicle towed by use of a wrecker; 
C. A vehicle meeting braking requirements of the motor carrier safety regulations of 
the United States Department of Transportation; 
D. A semitrailer with a gross weight of semitrailer and load not to exceed 12,000 
pounds, designed and used exclusively: 
(1) For the dispensing of cable from attached reels, commonly called a reel 
trailer; or 
(2) To support the end of poles while being transported, commonly called a pole 
dolly; and 
F. A dolly axle, so-called, on a farm truck transporting agricultural products and 
supplies. 
A dolly axle may not be considered in determining the gross weight or axle limits 
permitted on the vehicle. 
A 2-axle or 3-axle farm truck equipped with a dolly axle is considered a 2-axle or 3-
axle vehicle. 
Sec. 13. 29-A MRSA §1905, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2005, c. 314, §10, is 
further amended to read: 
1. Requirement. Except as provided in subsection 3, a motor vehicle with 3 or more 
wheels or a tiny home, trailer or semitrailer must have on the rear 2 lights, one on each 
side of the axis, each capable of displaying a red light visible for a distance of at least 100 
feet behind the vehicle. 
Sec. 14. 29-A MRSA §1905-A, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 584, Pt. A, §2, 
is amended to read: 
1. Requirement. Except as provided in subsection 3, a motor vehicle, tiny home, 
trailer or semitrailer must be equipped with electric flashing turn signal lamps. A motor 
vehicle must emit white or amber light from the turn signals to the front of the vehicle 
and a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer must emit amber or red light from the turn 
signals to the rear of the vehicle. 
Sec. 15. 29-A MRSA §1905-B, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 176, §2, is 
amended to read: 
1. Requirement. All factory-installed brake lights or equivalent replacements on a 
motor vehicle, tiny home, trailer or semitrailer must be present and operating properly 
and must emit a steady red light when a slight pressure is placed on the brake pedal, and 
the light emitted must be visible for a distance of at least 100 feet behind the vehicle. For 
purposes of this section, "steady red light" means a red light that is either immediately 
constant and not pulsating or that pulsates for a short period and then becomes constant. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" {-\-" to S.P. 683, L.D. 1981 (:0, - LF)C0 
Sec. 16. 29-A MRSA §1917, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2013, c. 30, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
2. Safe tires required. A motor vehicle or tiny home may not be operated on a 
public way unless it is equipped with tires in safe operating condition. A tire mounted on 
a motor vehicle or tiny home is not considered to be in safe operating condition unless it 
meets the visual and tread depth requirements set forth in subsections 3 and 4 and the 
vehicle is in compliance with the frame height requirements provided in section 1920. 
Sec. 17. 29-A MRSA §2061, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2015, c. 176, §4, is 
further amended to read: 
1. Prohibition. A person commits a traffic infraction if that person occupies a camp 
trailer, mobile home, tiny home, semitrailer or trailer while it is being moved on a public 
way. 
Sec. 18. 29-A MRSA §2385, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1999, c. 468, §4, is 
further amended to read: 
4. Trailers and tiny homes. A trailer. tiny home or semitrailer that is wider than the 
vehicle towing it must be equipped with reflective material or a lamp on each front corner 
that is visible to oncoming traffic. 
Sec. 19. 29-A MRSA §2389, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 
and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
1. Limitation on drawn trailers and tiny homes. Only one tiny home. trailer or 
semitrailer may be drawn by a motor vehicle, except that a combination of a truck tractor, 
semitrailer and full trailer may be operated on the Interstate Highway System and those 
qualifying federal aid primary system highways designated by the Secretary of the United 
States Department of Transportation, pursuant to the United States Surface 
Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, Public Law 97-424, Section 411. "Driveaway" 
and "towaway" operations, as defined by the Secretary of State, may include a 
combination of saddlemount vehicles not to exceed 3 units in contact with the road. 
Sec. 20. 29-A MRSA §2390, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2017, c. 165, §10 and c. 
229, §34, is further amended by amending the first paragraph to read: 
1. Trueks Tiny homes, trucks, trailers and recreational vehicles. The following 
maximum length limits apply to tiny homes, trucks, trailers and recreational vehicles and 
include permanent or temporary structural parts of the vehicle and load, but do not 
include refrigeration units or other nonload-carrying appurtenances permitted by federal 
regulation. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill, which is a concept draft, and changes the title. The 
amendment also does the following. 
1. It defines "tiny home. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" i\o" to S,P, 683, L.D. 1981 ( '{'(l>fl' 
r, 
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2. 
It amends the use of temporary registration permit provisions to allow 
transportation of a vehicle after sale, transportation necessary for service or repairs of a 
vehicle, occasional seasonal relocation of a vehicle or transportation necessary for the 
relocation of a tiny home. 
3. It provides that a temporary registration permit may not be issued for a vehicle 
that is otherwise subject to registration. 
4. It establishes a $100 fee for the certificate of title of a tiny home or manufactured 
housing. 
5. It provides a process to apply for, issue and cancel certificates of title for tiny 
homes. 
6. It requires that tiny homes be equipped with safe tires and meet the equipment 
requirements applicable to trailers. 
7. It adds an emergency preamble and clause. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
{Se~ Att{;}e,lmd) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 03/05/20 :Wac 
LD 1981 
LR 2949(02) 
An Act Regarding the Regulation of Tiny Houses 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'f}' ( S-'{J'i) 
Committee: Transportation 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Highway Fund 
Minor revenue increase - Highway Fund 
Additional costs to the Department of Secretary of State associated with this legislation can be absorbed within 
existing budgeted resources. Additional revenue received is expected to be minor, not requiring any change to the 
budget. 
LR2949(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1