Off-Grid Living in Logan County, West Virginia

I've spent a good chunk of time digging through Logan County, West Virginia's public records for this one, and the short version is: Logan County is about as close to "no zoning" as it gets in the eastern US, but that doesn't mean anything goes. Here's what I found.

Zoning: Logan County itself has confirmed, through its Code Enforcement Division's own FAQ, that there is no formal countywide zoning ordinance. That means raw land occupancy generally isn't governed by a zoning code at the county level. But be careful: the county does have some locally adopted point-ordinances (nuisance, junk, blight-type rules) that could still apply, and any incorporated town inside the county, places like West Logan, Man, or Chapmanville, may have its own separate zoning that overrides the county's hands-off approach. Always check with the specific town if you're inside its limits.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs: I couldn't find any Logan County document that specifically addresses tiny homes or RV living. What I do know is that the county's building code, the Logan County 2017 Building Code (IRC/IBC-based), applies to permanent structures. So if you build a tiny home on a permanent foundation, expect the building code to apply. RV or THOW occupancy rules aren't confirmed anywhere I could find, so I'd call the Code Enforcement Division directly before assuming anything.

Building permits: The Logan County Commission's Code Enforcement Division administers the county building code and handles permits out of their Logan office. This is adopted and active, not optional.

Septic: Handled through the state process, administered locally by the Logan County Health Department under the West Virginia Office of Environmental Health Services (OEHS). A construction permit for a septic system requires an NPDES general permit from WV DEP first, which then triggers the OEHS application. No county-specific variance exists that I could find. Composting toilets ("privies") are used elsewhere in WV in some cases, but I couldn't confirm a Logan-specific stance, so ask the health department directly.

Greywater: No separate Logan County rule; it falls under the same statewide onsite wastewater management standards as septic, administered by OEHS and the local health department.

Rainwater harvesting: I found no county or state restriction on collecting rainwater for non-potable use. Seems to be a genuinely open area, though potable use would trigger separate individual water supply standards.

Wells: Permitted, but you need a Local Health Department permit before drilling, modifying, or abandoning a well, and the well must be drilled by a licensed driller, per statewide WV rules that Logan County's health department carries out. Logan falls in OEHS's Charleston-region engineering district.

Utility disconnection: No Logan County ordinance I found requires hookup to public water, sewer, or electric. Off-grid living here seems to hinge more on septic/well permitting and the building code than any direct utility mandate, but this isn't fully confirmed either way.

Bottom line: Logan County gives you a lot of room on zoning, but the building code, septic, and well permitting are real and enforced through the county and the state health system. Confirm specifics before you build.