Off-grid site report
Bonneville County, ID
43.5138, -111.9630 · 4,761 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Bonneville County, ID, 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 rulesBonneville County, ID
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyBonneville County Planning & Zoning administers an adopted Zoning Ordinance for unincorporated land, but incorporated cities (Idaho Falls, Ammon, Iona, Ucon, Ririe, Swan Valley, Irwin) each have their own separate zoning that governs instead. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo official Bonneville County source specifically defines legal-dwelling status for RVs, tiny homes, or alternative structures; confirm directly with county Planning & Zoning.
Building permits & codes
RestrictedBonneville County's Planning, Zoning, and Building Department issues building permits for unincorporated land and is expanding to handle electrical and plumbing permits and inspections as well; cities run separate permitting inside their limits. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedEastern Idaho Public Health, not the county, issues septic installation permits under statewide rules; homeowners can self-install only standard or basic alternative systems and need a final health specialist inspection. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Bonneville County-specific greywater ordinance exists; greywater is regulated under the same state subsurface sewage disposal rules (IDAPA 58.01.03) applied by EIPH. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo official Bonneville County or EIPH page addresses residential rainwater harvesting specifically; status is unconfirmed.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedIdaho Department of Water Resources' Eastern Region office in Idaho Falls handles all well drilling permits and driller licensing, with no separate county role; domestic wells don't need extra approvals beyond the drilling permit. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo standalone Bonneville County ordinance addresses full utility disconnection; it's governed indirectly through zoning use rules and building permit conditions.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.0 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 2.4 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,445 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 14 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 7,335 (cold)
- Frost-free season
- May 17 to Sep 23
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC) - 3.3 mi
- Fire station
Idaho Falls Fire Station #6 - 2.1 mi
- Hardware store
Ace Hardware - 2.2 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 2.1 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 83427).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Bonneville County, ID?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.