Off-Grid Living in Williams County, North Dakota

I've been digging into what it actually takes to live off-grid in Williams County, North Dakota, and the honest answer is: it depends a lot on whether you're inside city limits or out in the unincorporated county, and there are real gaps in what's published.

Zoning. Williams County has countywide zoning, adopted by the Board of County Commissioners back in 2015 under state authority (North Dakota Century Code chapters 11-17.1, 11-33, and 11-33.2), but it only applies in unincorporated areas. Inside Williston or other towns, you're under a separate municipal ordinance. One useful county quirk: any parcel without a specific zoning district defaults to Agricultural, and the county's nonconforming-use rule means you can't be forced to stop a pre-existing use just because zoning came in later. If you're planning anything beyond basic use, expect a pre-application and hearing process through Planning & Zoning.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I could not find a published countywide standard covering tiny homes or RVs as permanent residences on raw land. This is genuinely unconfirmed territory, you need to call the Planning & Zoning Division directly before you buy land assuming you can just park a tiny house or RV on it.

Building permits. The county requires a permit before you build, alter, move, or change the use of most structures, and it has adopted the state building code (International codes referenced by the state) plus its own fire code. Small stuff like tool sheds under a modest size and low fences are exempt. Crucially, the building permit application asks for proof of septic (through the local health authority), electrical (through the local co-op), and water arrangements, so the county's normal workflow assumes conventional hookups even if that's not a strict off-grid prohibition.

Septic. Handled by the Upper Missouri District Health Unit under the state's septic licensing framework (NDCC 23.1-07.1). Composting toilets aren't addressed in what I found, so that's a direct-call question to UMDHU.

Greywater and rainwater. Neither is addressed in county-level materials I found. Rainwater harvesting likely follows the state's generally permissive stance, but greywater reuse is simply not spelled out, treat it as an open question for UMDHU.

Wells and water. The building permit process leans on Williams County Rural Water hookups rather than private wells, based on the paperwork requested. Private well approval would need separate confirmation.

Utilities. Nothing says you're barred from disconnecting entirely, but the standard permit checklist assumes grid electric, piped water, and licensed septic. Solar is explicitly recognized as an accessory use in Williston's municipal code, at least.

Bottom line: this county is workable for off-grid living but requires more direct phone calls than most, since several key questions simply aren't published.