Off-Grid Living in Washington County, Iowa
Washington County, Iowa has no countywide zoning ordinance since its 2013 rescission, so unincorporated land isn't subject to a county zoning or building permit for most construction, but septic, private well, floodplain, and state electrical inspection rules still apply, and incorporated towns like the City of Washington run their own separate codes.
Is it legal to live off-grid in Washington County, Iowa?
There is no outright ban on living off-grid in Washington County, Iowa - it is possible, but the local rules are not all documented online. Zoning and land use are not clearly documented online, so confirm it locally, putting a cabin, tiny home, or RV on raw land is set locally and vary by area, and building permits are set locally and vary by area. Plan around septic/wastewater (generally allowed) and disconnecting from utilities (set locally and vary by area). Because these rules are set locally, confirm the specifics with Washington County before you buy land or build.
The verdict for Washington County
- Zoning: Unclear - verify
- Dwellings, tiny homes: Varies locally
- Building permits: Varies locally
- Septic: Generally allowed
- Greywater reuse: Unclear - verify
- Rainwater harvesting: Unclear - verify
- Private wells: Generally allowed
- Living disconnected from utilities: Varies locally
Washington County at a glance
Who to call in Washington County
- Planning Washington County Planning & Development / Floodplain Administrator (319) 653-7782
- Septic and health Washington County Environmental Health
- Planning Washington County Land Use & Planning Commission
- Wells and water Iowa DNR - Private Well Program
- Environmental Iowa DNR - Private Sewage Disposal Program
- Other City of Washington (if inside city limits)
Offices named on official pages during research. Phone numbers appear only when the official page showed one; confirm hours and jurisdiction before you drive out.
Washington County, Iowa is one of the more unusual counties I've researched for off-grid purposes, because it currently has no countywide zoning ordinance. The county's prior zoning ordinance was rescinded back in 2013 and never replaced. That's a big deal if you're eyeing raw land here, but it's not a blank check either, so let me walk through what I found.
Zoning and building. With no county zoning ordinance in force, Washington County's own Building & Development page states plainly that a county zoning permit is not required for buildings, additions, sheds, mobile home placement, grading, or similar activity on unincorporated land. That's the county government's own framing, not my interpretation. But this only applies outside incorporated towns. The City of Washington and other incorporated towns in the county keep their own zoning and building codes, so if your parcel is inside city limits, none of this rescinded-ordinance benefit applies to you.
Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. Because mobile home placement is explicitly named in that rescinded-ordinance language, placing a manufactured home, tiny home, or RV on unincorporated land isn't blocked by county zoning. I couldn't confirm any Washington County-specific rule on long-term RV occupancy though, so I'd call the county's Planning & Development office before assuming anything.
Septic. Even without zoning, septic is still very much regulated. Washington County administers onsite wastewater systems under a mix of state rules (Iowa Administrative Code 567 Chapter 69) and a county ordinance, enforced through the county's Environmental Health office. This covers new installs, time-of-sale inspections, and replacements. Composting toilets fall under this same state framework as far as I can tell, but I'd confirm directly with Environmental Health since I found no county-specific composting toilet page.
Wells. Private wells are permitted, but you need a Private Well Construction Permit issued by the county health department, per Iowa DNR's statewide private well program. The county reviews your proposed site against contamination sources before approving.
Greywater and rainwater. Genuinely unclear. I found no Washington County or Iowa DNR page addressing residential greywater reuse or rainwater catchment one way or the other. Ask Environmental Health directly if either is central to your plan.
Utilities and floodplain. Living fully off municipal utilities isn't prohibited by county zoning, since there isn't any. But floodplain construction still needs a separate Floodplain Development Permit, and Iowa's statewide electrical code still requires inspection of new electrical work regardless of zoning status.
Bottom line: unincorporated Washington County is unusually permissive on paper, but septic, wells, floodplain, and electrical rules are all still live, and towns inside the county run their own separate rulebooks.
Washington County in numbers
- Worst-month sun
- 2.7 peak hours/day (4.7 annual average)
- Heating degree days
- 6,621
- Precipitation / snow
- 35.83 in / ? in a year
- Elevation
- 787 ft
Open the full site report for this spot →
30-year climate normals for the nearest ZIP and distances from the town center; a specific parcel will differ. Run the site report on an address for its own numbers.
Sources
Primary sources (statutes, agencies, municipal documents)
- Ordinances & Municipal Code | City of Washington, Iowa washingtoniowa.gov
- Septic System - Environmental Health - Iowa County, Iowa iowacounty.iowa.gov
- Private Sewage Disposal and Septage | Department of Natural Resources www.iowadnr.gov
- Environmental Health - Iowa County Government & Services iowacounty.iowa.gov
- Septic Permits - Carroll County IA www.carrollcountyiowa.gov
- Private Well Construction Permits | Department of Natural Resources www.iowadnr.gov
- Construction Permits | Department of Natural Resources www.iowadnr.gov
- Development Permits | Department of Natural Resources iowadnr.gov
- PERMT programs.iowadnr.gov
- 3-3-3: MOBILE HOME AND MANUFACTURED HOME PLACEMENT FEE: codelibrary.amlegal.com
- 307 LAWS OF THE SEVENTY -FIFTH G.A., 1993 SESSION CH. 154 CHAPTER 154 www.legis.iowa.gov
- CHAPTER 145 MANUFACTURED AND MOBILE HOMES codelibrary.amlegal.com
- 1 MANUFACTURED OR MOBILE HOME LANDLORD AND TENANT LAW, ยง562B.2 CHAPTER 562B www.legis.iowa.gov
- 1 STATE BUILDING CODE, Ch 103A CHAPTER 103A STATE BUILDING CODE www.legis.iowa.gov
Secondary sources (universities, regional bodies)
- Iowa County Ordinances - Iowa Municipal and County Law - LibGuides at Drake University Law Library libguides.law.drake.edu
Only government, statute, municipal, university, and regional-planning sources are listed. Pages used to find an issue but not to substantiate it are not cited. See how this database is researched.
Live here? Help keep Washington County accurate.
Residents, landowners, builders, and town officials: confirm what is right or tell me what is wrong. Every note is checked before it appears. Two minutes, no account.
FAQ
Common questions about off-grid living in Washington County
Is it legal to live off-grid in Washington County, Iowa?
There is no outright ban on living off-grid in Washington County, Iowa - it is possible, but the local rules are not all documented online. Zoning and land use are not clearly documented online, so confirm it locally, putting a cabin, tiny home, or RV on raw land is set locally and vary by area, and building permits are set locally and vary by area. Plan around septic/wastewater (generally allowed) and disconnecting from utilities (set locally and vary by area). Because these rules are set locally, confirm the specifics with Washington County before you buy land or build.
Do I need a county permit to build a house on raw land in unincorporated Washington County?
Based on the county's own Building & Development page, no county zoning permit is required since the zoning ordinance was rescinded in 2013, but you'd still need to handle septic, well, floodplain (if applicable), and state electrical inspection requirements.
Can I put a tiny home or RV on my land permanently?
County zoning won't stop you in unincorporated areas since mobile home placement is explicitly named as not requiring a zoning permit, but I couldn't confirm any specific occupancy rules for long-term RV living, so check with Planning & Development first.
Is greywater or rainwater harvesting allowed?
Not confirmed either way. I found no Washington County or Iowa DNR page that addresses either topic directly, so I'd call county Environmental Health before building a system.
What if my land is inside the City of Washington's limits?
Then none of the county's rescinded-zoning flexibility applies. The City of Washington enforces its own separate zoning and building codes.
