Off-Grid Living in Henry County, Tennessee

I've been digging into Henry County, Tennessee, for folks thinking about building or living off-grid there, and it's one of the more permissive spots I've researched, at least in the unincorporated parts of the county.

Zoning and building permits. Henry County's own Property Subdivision and Codes Enforcement office confirms there's no countywide zoning in unincorporated areas, and building permits aren't required there either. That's a real opt-out from the state's baseline building code framework, which Tennessee law allows counties to do. But this only applies outside town limits. If you're inside Paris or the Town of Henry, you're in a different world entirely, those municipalities run their own building departments and permitting, so check with them directly before assuming the county's "no permit" rule covers you.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I couldn't find a Henry County page that specifically addresses tiny homes or RV occupancy. Given that permits aren't required in unincorporated areas outside commercial contexts, it's reasonable to think dwelling-type restrictions aren't being locally enforced there, but that's an inference, not a confirmed rule, so don't stake your plans on it without asking the county directly.

Septic and composting toilets. This is the one area where I found real regulatory teeth. Septic systems need a permit and soil (perc) testing, and TDEC (Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation) sets the framework. Actual inspections for Henry County are handled by the Northwest Corridor Health District (NCDHD), which covers Henry, Shelby, Spencer, and Trimble counties as a region rather than a standalone county health department. I didn't find any county-level exemption for composting toilets, so the state's NSF Standard 41 standard is the baseline to assume.

Greywater and rainwater. No Henry County or NCDHD page addresses greywater reuse specifically, so this defers entirely to the state baseline, which generally permits it with some storage and filtration conditions. Rainwater harvesting looks similarly unrestricted at the county level, inheriting Tennessee's generally permissive stance.

Wells. Private wells are a state-regulated process through TDEC's Division of Water Resources, requiring a Notice of Intent before drilling and a licensed driller. I didn't find any extra Henry County permit layer on top of that, unlike some other Tennessee counties, but I'd still call the county to double check since that's not fully confirmed.

Utilities. Henry County's page talks about inspection requirements if you do connect to electric service (the state electrical inspector handles that, and Paris Board of Public Utilities is the local contact), but I found no ordinance requiring you to connect to grid power, water, or sewer to occupy a property.

Bottom line: unincorporated Henry County is notably light-touch on zoning and building permits, but septic is a real state and regional-health-district process you can't skip, and a lot of the greywater/rainwater/well specifics aren't locally confirmed, so a phone call before you buy land is worth it.