Off-Grid Living in Wilson County, Tennessee

Wilson County is one of those Tennessee counties that trips people up if they're expecting the "no zoning, do what you want" rural reputation the state has in some corners. It has countywide zoning, administered by the Wilson County Planning Department and Zoning Division, with the Board of Zoning Appeals as the backstop for disputes. That's a real difference from many rural TN counties, so don't assume off-grid living here is unregulated.

Zoning. The county is divided into districts, including A1-Agricultural (minimum lot size of 80,000 square feet for single-family development, per the county) and R1-Rural Residential (40,000 square feet minimum). If you're splitting off a parcel under five acres outside a city's urban growth boundary, the Wilson County Planning Commission has to approve it before it's considered a legal buildable tract. You'll also need a Zoning Compliance Certificate before you can even apply for a building permit.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. The county has adopted the 2021 IRC and 2018 IECC with state amendments. I could not confirm from official sources whether Appendix Q, the tiny-home-specific IRC appendix, is among the appendices Wilson County adopted, so if you're planning a tiny house on a foundation, ask the Building Codes Division directly. Every new home, mobile home, or accessory dwelling needs a floor plan and a Storm Water Permit as part of the application.

Building permits. Only the property owner of record or a licensed contractor can pull a permit. Expect to line up the Zoning Compliance Certificate, Storm Water Permit, and address assignment before the permit issues. Permits expire if a certificate of occupancy isn't obtained within a set window, so don't let a project stall indefinitely.

Septic and composting toilets. The county itself doesn't issue septic permits, that's the state's job via the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) field office, under the statewide OSDS rules. STEP (grinder pump) systems in served areas go through the Water and Wastewater Authority of Wilson County instead. I found no Wilson County exemption for composting toilets from NSF-41 standards, so that requirement traces back to the state.

Greywater and rainwater. Neither has a Wilson County-specific ordinance I could find, both fall back to state plumbing code and state law, which is generally permissive for rainwater collection.

Wells. Private wells are legal under the state Water Well Act. Much of rural Wilson County, though, is served by the Water and Wastewater Authority of Wilson County or West Wilson Utility District, so check whether your parcel is inside a service area before assuming you'll be drilling.

Off-grid utilities. Going off electric grid isn't restricted. But going off the grid on power doesn't get you out of needing an approved septic or STEP wastewater solution for occupancy, the county's building permit process still expects that piece to be handled.

Bottom line: Wilson County is more regulated than the "wild rural Tennessee" stereotype. Confirm specifics with the offices below before you buy land or break ground.