Off-Grid Living in Johnson County, Wyoming

Johnson County, Wyoming, is one of the more freedom-friendly places I've researched for off-grid living, but that freedom comes mostly from the absence of rules rather than a clear "yes, go ahead" from the county. Here's what I found, broken down by who actually makes the call: state, county, or town.

Zoning: Outside the City of Buffalo and the Town of Kaycee, Johnson County has no adopted countywide zoning ordinance. The Planning & Zoning Department presented a full draft zoning code to county commissioners back in 2014, and it was never adopted. As of the most recent open houses I found, the county is still just working from a Comprehensive Land Use Plan that's under revision. That means raw land in unincorporated Johnson County is largely unregulated by zoning, though subdivision rules, floodplain review, and rural addressing still go through the Planning Department.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs: I could not find a Johnson County page specifically addressing tiny home or RV occupancy on unincorporated land. Given there's no countywide zoning, there's likely nothing stopping you, but I'd call the Planning Department directly before assuming that.

Building codes: No official confirmation, but the county's own site doesn't list any building-permit division, and secondary owner-builder sources describe Johnson County as one of the Wyoming counties without a building permit or inspection requirement in unincorporated areas. Treat that as good evidence, not proof, and expect an electrical permit and septic permit to still be required regardless.

Septic: This is the one area with real teeth. The county's Planning Department (acting as the local health/sanitarian authority) requires permits for small wastewater systems, privies, outhouses, and holding tanks, and requires a licensed engineer to design septic systems. Non-conventional systems need to be discussed with the county upfront. This is delegated authority under the statewide DEQ small-wastewater permitting framework, since Johnson County isn't one of the counties where DEQ keeps direct jurisdiction. Also worth knowing: the county commissioners opened a comment period on septic rule amendments recently, so the exact requirements may be shifting.

Greywater and rainwater: No county-specific rules found for either. Both fall back to Wyoming's baseline, which doesn't restrict residential rainwater collection or add extra greywater permitting beyond the general wastewater framework.

Wells: Fully state-controlled, no county variance. The Wyoming State Engineer's Office requires a permit application before you drill, the well itself must be drilled by a licensed contractor, and you must file a completion form afterward.

Utilities: No Johnson County ordinance requires hookup to electric, gas, or municipal water/sewer. Off-grid solar, wind, or generator setups aren't restricted by anything I found on the county's official pages.

Bottom line: Johnson County is genuinely light-touch on zoning and building codes, but septic and wells are firmly regulated (locally for septic, by the state for wells), and a few dwelling-type questions just aren't answered publicly yet, so a phone call to Planning & Zoning is worth your time before you commit to a piece of land.