Off-Grid Living in Billings County, North Dakota

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like in Billings County, North Dakota, and the short version is: this is one of the more actively regulated counties in a state that otherwise leaves a lot of rural land unzoned. Here's what I found.

Zoning is countywide. Unlike some North Dakota counties that skip zoning entirely, Billings County runs its own Planning & Zoning Department, and there's also a joint Medora Area Plan covering the City of Medora and the unincorporated county land around it. If you're bringing land into use or putting up any new structure, the county wants you to contact Planning & Zoning for a Zoning Application before you build. That's a county-level rule, not a state one.

Dwellings have real standards. The zoning ordinance sets minimum lot width and depth requirements, limits each lot to one principal single-family residence, and requires that dwellings sit on a lot with access to a dedicated public right-of-way. The county has also been actively amending its rules around campgrounds, glamping, and RV parks, so if your off-grid plan involves an RV or a tiny home, check current status with the county rather than assuming. I couldn't confirm a specific minimum square footage for tiny homes in the sources I reviewed.

Building permits go through the county, but compliance is layered: the county requires you to follow state of North Dakota building codes on top of its own permit conditions. Simple applications can move fairly quickly; anything needing a Zoning Board hearing takes longer since the board meets monthly and final sign-off comes from the County Commission.

Septic systems are permitted, following the state framework run by NDDEQ, with local permitting handled through the Southwestern District Health Unit. Composting toilets likely fall under that same onsite wastewater umbrella, though I didn't find county-specific language addressing them separately, so it's worth asking the health unit directly.

Greywater and rainwater harvesting are both gray areas here, literally. I found no Billings County ordinance addressing either one, so they inherit the state's general permissiveness and ambiguity. Rainwater harvesting is broadly fine statewide; greywater reuse just isn't clearly addressed anywhere I could find, so check with the health unit before setting up a standalone system.

Wells follow state rules: North Dakota doesn't regulate private well placement or water quality directly, and small-scale domestic use under a certain threshold doesn't need an appropriation permit, though you do need to report the well's location and capacity to the state Department of Water Resources. Drilling has to be done by a licensed contractor.

Utility disconnection doesn't appear to be mandated by the county, at least not in the ordinance sections I could review, but I wasn't able to check the full document, so confirm this directly with Planning & Zoning before you commit to going off-grid.