Mobile Container House as a Garage

Whether using a mobile container house as a garage is compliant depends on the situation. Unauthorized housing modifications or occupying public areas are considered illegal constructions, while using it solely as a regular parking garage without altering land use may be compliant.

Housing Modifications or Occupying Public Areas Are Illegal Constructions

If a container undergoes housing modifications, such as connecting to water and electricity, installing doors, windows, and air conditioners to make it habitable, or placing it in public areas, it should be identified as an illegal construction according to relevant regulations. For example, the owner of a restaurant in Lvxiang Town, Jinshan District used a container as temporary housing for employees without approval or any formalities, which is an illegal construction. The comprehensive administrative law enforcement team in Changhai Road Subdistrict, Yangpu District found a housing-modified container placed on the sidewalk at the intersection of Zhongyuan Road and Changhai Plaza, suspected of illegal construction and occupying the road, affecting traffic and posing fire safety hazards. The comprehensive administrative law enforcement bureau in Licang District investigated a container-style panel house in a courtyard on the middle section of Chongqing Middle Road, Xinghua Road Subdistrict, which had not obtained temporary construction approval and was thus an illegal construction.

Using It Solely as a Regular Parking Garage Without Altering Land Use May Be Compliant

If the container is used solely as a regular parking garage without housing modifications and is placed in a location that does not alter the land planning purpose, such as on a privately-owned parking space, and does not occupy public passageways or affect fire safety, it may not be identified as an illegal construction. However, it should be noted that even if placed on a privately-owned parking space, if the purpose of the parking space is擅自 changed (擅自 changed here means unauthorized change), it may also be identified as a temporary construction that alters the land planning purpose, making it impossible to obtain planning permission or temporary construction permission, and thus facing rectification requirements. For example, an owner in Kunming placed a 'container'-style storage cabinet on their privately-owned parking space. Although it did not occupy adjacent parking spaces or public passageways, due to changing the nature of the parking space use, they received a rectification notice from the urban management department.