Off-Grid Living in Cascade County, Montana

I've been digging into what it actually takes to live off-grid in Cascade County, Montana, and the short version is: this county isn't a zoning-free zone like a lot of rural Montana, but it's also not hostile to off-grid setups. You just have to deal with three separate layers of authority, and knowing which one handles what will save you a lot of runaround.

Zoning comes from the county, not the state. Cascade County adopted its own Zoning Regulations back in 2007 (building on a 1970s county development plan), and any structure, foundation, sign, or change of land use requires a Location/Conformance permit through the Cascade County Planning & GIS Department. This applies if you're outside the incorporated towns of Great Falls, Belt, Cascade, or Neihart, which each run their own separate rules. Different parts of the county carry different zoning designations, so what's allowed on your specific parcel depends on where it sits, worth a call to Planning before you buy or build.

Tiny homes and RVs as full-time dwellings aren't clearly spelled out in anything I found from the county. The zoning code defines a "living unit" in general terms (one roof, sleeping/cooking/sanitation facilities), but I couldn't confirm a specific county policy on RVs or tiny houses on wheels as permanent residences. I'd call Planning directly before counting on this.

Building codes are a state, not county, function here. Cascade County has chosen not to enforce its own building code, so that job falls to Montana's Building Codes Program under the Department of Labor & Industry's Business Standards Division. You'll still need the county's zoning sign-off separately.

Septic is handled locally, under state DEQ rules. The Cascade City-County Health Department's Environmental Health division permits and inspects septic systems under DEQ standards, and notably, self-installation is allowed (though it may draw more sanitarian oversight and fee). You need Planning Department zoning approval before you can even get a septic permit.

Greywater and rainwater harvesting: I found no Cascade County ordinance addressing either one specifically. That doesn't mean anything goes, it means the county hasn't spoken on it directly as far as official documentation shows.

Wells run through the state, not the county. Montana's DNRC exempt-well framework (35 gpm or less, under 10 acre-feet/year) lets small groundwater users skip the full water-permit process in favor of a Groundwater Certificate. Note that starting in 2026, a Notice of Intent must be filed with DNRC before using an exempt well.

Full off-grid disconnection from utilities: no explicit county mandate requiring grid or municipal hookup that I could find, but your septic and zoning approvals still apply regardless.

Bottom line: call the county Planning office early, and don't assume "no building code enforcement" means "no permits."