Off-grid site report
Mariposa County, CA
37.5016, -119.6109 · 5,702 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Mariposa County, CA, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.
The local rulesMariposa County, CA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyMost planning areas have no adopted area plan, so General Plan interim land-use designations apply; only Mariposa, Coulterville, Wawona, and Fish Camp have detailed town plans. The Planning Department is the authority to confirm your parcel's designation. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedThe county has a specific Limited Density Owner-Built Rural Dwelling ordinance for remote/off-grid-style homes, permitted through the Building Department, but it's a permit pathway, not an exemption. RV/park-model permanent residence outside this ordinance is not confirmed. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedThe county has adopted the 2022 California Building/Residential Code and requires permits countywide through the Building Department; unpermitted work triggers enforcement under county ordinance. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedCounty Environmental Health administers septic/OWTS permitting under the state LAMP program with its own setback table and stricter distances near public water systems. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific greywater ordinance was found; state California Plumbing Code Chapter 15 rules likely apply by default, but this isn't confirmed locally. Ask Environmental Health.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county-specific restriction on rainwater harvesting was found; state baseline rules apply, though this hasn't been separately confirmed at the county level.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedCounty Environmental Health is the Local Enforcing Agency for wells under Mariposa's own Well Ordinance, which can deny or condition permits and requires C-57 licensed contractors for well work. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyThe county explicitly acknowledges the difficulty remote, utility-limited parcels face and created the Limited Density Owner-Built Rural Dwelling ordinance as an alternate path, but there's no general off-grid habitability exemption; state Title 24 baseline still applies. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 6.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.6 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,666 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 41 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 6,251 (cold)
- Frost-free season
- May 24 to Oct 12
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
John C Fremont Healthcare District - 20.1 mi
- Fire station
Mariposa County Fire Department Fish Camp Company 33 Fire Station - 2.5 mi
- Hardware store
Bryant's Ace Hardware - 11.7 mi
- Grocery
Grocery Outlet - 11.8 mi
From OpenStreetMap. Road miles will be longer, often much longer in hill country.
Plan this spot
These open with this location's real numbers already filled in (ZIP 93623).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Mariposa County, CA?The rules above are the jurisdiction. The land check runs the parcel itself: flood zone, soils and septic suitability, wetlands, slope, access, climate, and these verdicts, from a parcel number or coordinates.
Check a parcel →Share or save this report:New report
Sources: US Census Bureau geocoder; NLR PVWatts v8 (solar); NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals (nearest station) or Open-Meteo (ZIP-centroid) for weather; Open-Elevation; OpenStreetMap contributors. Public data retrieved Aug 22, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.