Off-Grid Living in Washington County, Maryland

If you're eyeing off-grid land in Washington County, Maryland, here's what I've dug up, and where the record runs thin.

Zoning. Unlike some Maryland counties, Washington County has its own comprehensive countywide Zoning Ordinance (dating to 1973, amended since), administered by the Planning & Zoning Department, and it applies everywhere outside incorporated towns like Hagerstown, which set their own rules. Agricultural and rural districts generally give the most room to build or occupy raw land, but every district has its own permitted-use table, so I'd confirm your parcel's zoning before assuming anything.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. This is one of the fuzzier areas. The county requires state approval for modular dwellings before a permit is issued, and there's a recent Board of County Commissioners ordinance touching accessory dwelling units, which hints at some flexibility for small secondary structures. But I found nothing on the county's site that directly addresses living full-time in a tiny house on wheels or RV as your only residence. Treat that as unconfirmed and ask Permits & Inspections directly.

Building codes. The county's Division of Permits & Inspections enforces Maryland's statewide building code baseline plus local layers: current fire and life-safety codes, the 2021 IECC energy code, and even EV-charging infrastructure requirements for new single-family homes with a garage or driveway. Permits go through this office regardless of how remote your build is.

Septic and composting toilets. The Washington County Health Department's Environmental Health division runs septic permitting and percolation testing under authority delegated from the state (MDH/MDE). In Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas, new or upgraded systems need Best Available Technology nitrogen-reducing units. Whether composting toilets can substitute for a septic system isn't addressed anywhere I found at the county level, it would fall back to Maryland's state COMAR rules, so ask the Health Department directly.

Greywater. No standalone county greywater ordinance exists. The Health Department does investigate wastewater discharge complaints, so enforcement happens, but there's no separate reuse permit process I could confirm. Default to Maryland's state framework here.

Rainwater harvesting. I found no county restriction on collecting rainwater for household use. This seems to fall under the state's general environmental framework rather than any local ordinance.

Wells. The Health Department issues well permits, inspects new and replacement wells, and coordinates well siting with septic placement, standard delegated-authority work under the state Water Program.

Full utility disconnection. There's no dedicated ordinance on going off-grid electrically or skipping public water/sewer entirely. The homeowner permit booklet just says if public water/sewer isn't available, you deal with well and septic through the Health Department instead, implying it's an accepted fallback rather than a separately regulated status.

Bottom line: Washington County has more structure than many rural Maryland counties, thanks to its own zoning ordinance, but several off-grid specifics (tiny homes as primary dwellings, composting toilets, greywater reuse) simply aren't spelled out publicly. Call ahead before you commit to a plan.