Off-grid site report

Raleigh County, WV

37.8022, -81.1853 · 2,320 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Raleigh County, WV, 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 rulesRaleigh County, WV

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedRaleigh County has an adopted Planning & Zoning Ordinance administered by the county's Planning & Zoning office; no structure, alteration, or use change is allowed without approval, and a Certificate of Occupancy is required before occupancy. This is set at the county level and does not apply inside the five municipalities, which have their own codes. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedThe county zoning ordinance treats manufactured home parks, campgrounds, and RV parks as a special/conditional use, so long-term RV living outside a designated park is not standard. Tiny homes on foundations follow normal building/zoning district rules; tiny homes on wheels are generally treated like RVs. Confirm with county Planning & Zoning before placement. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedRaleigh County has its own Building Code Ordinance under the State Building Code, enforced by the county's Building Code Office (Code Enforcement Department), requiring permits, plan review, and inspections, and contractors must be properly licensed under state law. source
Septic & composting toilets
Unclear - verifyNo official Raleigh County Health Department page on septic permitting was found. West Virginia's statewide septic program is run by the Bureau for Public Health's Office of Environmental Health Services with county health department administration, and this presumably applies here, but it's not confirmed for Raleigh County specifically, so ask the county health department directly. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Raleigh County ordinance specifically addresses greywater apart from general sewage rules. It presumably falls under the same state sewage design standards administered by the Bureau for Public Health and county health departments, but this is not confirmed locally.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo Raleigh County ordinance reviewed (zoning, building code, or general county ordinance list) restricts rainwater collection, which suggests it's allowed for non-potable use as it generally is statewide, though there's no explicit local rule confirming this.
Private wells & water rights
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific well ordinance was found. Private wells fall under West Virginia's statewide Water Well Certification Program administered by the Bureau for Public Health, with the county health department as the likely local contact, but Raleigh County's specific page was not confirmed in this research. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo ordinance was found requiring connection to public water or sewer, but because occupancy requires a Certificate of Occupancy under the county's Building Code Office and Planning & Zoning process, your off-grid water/waste setup would effectively be reviewed as part of that inspection. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average
4.8 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
3.2 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
1,304 kWh
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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
40 in/yr
Snowfall
47 in/yr
Heating degree days
6,089 (cold)
Frost-free season
May 6 to Oct 5

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital
0.9 mi
Fire station
Fire Department
0.4 mi
Hardware store
Bridgeport Equipment & Tool
0.4 mi
Grocery
Kroger
0.2 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 25919).

Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt

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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.