Off-grid site report
Davie County, NC
35.9268, -80.5918 · 833 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Davie County, NC, 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 rulesDavie County, NC
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedDavie County has countywide zoning administered by Planning & Development Services, with districts each carrying their own permitted uses and setbacks. You must confirm your parcel's zoning district before assuming raw-land occupancy is allowed. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo official county page or code section was found stating a minimum dwelling size or RV-as-residence rule; confirm directly with Planning & Development Services. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedThe county's Inspections Division enforces the statewide North Carolina Building Code; no separate county building code was found. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedEnvironmental Health requires an on-site evaluation before construction, including 50 feet of cleared visibility around the drain field and a minimum of four backhoe test pits. Composting toilets fall back to the state 15A NCAC 18E standard since the county doesn't address them separately. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific greywater ordinance was found; this appears to default to the state DEQ/DHHS baseline. Confirm with Environmental Health if you plan a greywater system. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county restriction on rainwater harvesting was found; Davie County appears to follow the state baseline framework, with its Watershed Protection ordinance governing development in watershed districts generally. source
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedEnvironmental Health administers private well permitting under state standards and provides application forms, a sample site plan, and a joint checklist for septic/well applications. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance explicitly bans or permits full off-grid living, but building permits functionally require an approved water and wastewater plan, meaning a septic/well permit or utility connection is needed before a residence is permitted.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.2 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,472 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 45 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 4 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 4,134 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 21 to Oct 20
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center - 12.9 mi
- Fire station
Center Vol Fire Station 13 - 2.4 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's - 0.7 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 0.3 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 27028).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Davie County, NC?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 21, 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.