Off-Grid Living in San Juan County, Utah

I've been digging into San Juan County, Utah for anyone thinking about going off-grid out there, and the short version is: this is not one of those "no zoning, do what you want" rural Utah counties. San Juan County has active countywide zoning administered by its Planning & Building Department, and it's currently in the middle of revising its rules through a 2025 draft Land Use, Development and Management Ordinance. So whatever I describe here could shift, and I'd treat anything below as a starting point for a phone call, not gospel.

Zoning and raw land. The county's Zoning Ordinance is enforced by the Planning & Building Department, with violations potentially prosecuted as a Class C misdemeanor under state code. Under the 2025 draft, every parcel has a zone with a use table that sorts activities into Permitted or Conditional. That means whether you can live in a tent, yurt, or RV on raw land truly depends on the zone, not a single countywide answer. The draft does separately define "primitive camping," which hints that camping and permanent occupancy are treated differently, but I couldn't confirm the exact current rule on raw-land occupancy.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. The county requires a building permit for new construction, for moving a trailer or pre-built home onto a lot, and for additions or remodels. RVs are defined separately from stick-built homes in the draft ordinance, which lines up with the statewide pattern of treating wheeled dwellings differently from permanent residences. I did not find a confirmed limit on how long you can live in an RV on private land here.

Building codes. San Juan County enforces Utah's statewide construction code. Handy detail: the county publishes its own frost depth requirements, which vary by area (shallower near Spanish Valley and Bluff, deeper elsewhere and in the mountains), plus wind load and seismic design standards. Utah law does let an owner of a single-family home act as their own contractor on their own house, within limits.

Septic and greywater. Septic isn't handled by a general county health office, it's San Juan Public Health, operating under the statewide septic rule (Utah Admin Code R317-4). They publish set permit and recertification fees. Greywater-specific county guidance wasn't confirmed anywhere in the official material I found, so I'd assume the same statewide greywater rule applies and call Public Health to be sure.

Rainwater. Utah's state law allows rainwater collection, and I found no county-level restriction layered on top of that.

Wells. This is purely a state matter. The Division of Water Rights, State Engineer's Office, issues well permits and "start cards" statewide; San Juan County has no separate well permitting role at all.

Off-grid utility disconnection. I couldn't find a direct county policy stating whether living fully off municipal water/power is allowed or prohibited. In practice, the septic and well permitting process functions as a backdoor requirement, since you'll need documented water and wastewater solutions before a building permit clears.