Off-grid site report

Dawson County, MT

47.1210, -104.6826 · 2,142 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Dawson County, MT, 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 rulesDawson County, MT

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyDawson County has no countywide zoning ordinance; only the Highland Park and Forest Park districts (county Planning Department) and the incorporated limits of Glendive and Richey have zoning. A new Southwest Dawson County district has been petitioned for, so unzoned status could change. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo Dawson County rule on tiny homes or RVs as dwellings was found; within Highland Park/Forest Park a Zoning Compliance Permit is required, and outside those districts the state's IRC Appendix Q and RV rules apply by default. source

Building permits & codes

Varies locallyMontana exempts residences under five units and private garages from state building permits, and Dawson County has no certified local building-code program; inside Highland Park/Forest Park a Zoning Compliance Permit (not a full code permit) is required from the county Planning Department. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted locally by Dawson County's Registered Sanitarian under Public Health/Environmental Health, following Montana DEQ's statewide Circular DEQ-4 standards; composting toilets tied to an approved wastewater system fall under the same office. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedNo Dawson County greywater ordinance was found; the county's Environmental Health office would apply Montana's state rules, which allow some in-home reuse without a permit but restrict subsurface irrigation systems. source

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo Dawson County restriction on basic rooftop rainwater collection for personal, non-potable use was found; larger appropriations can implicate Montana DNRC water-rights law.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedDawson County has no separate well ordinance; Montana DNRC's statewide exempt-well and water-rights framework governs, though new development may trigger county non-degradation review tied to septic siting. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo Dawson County ordinance requiring grid, water, or sewer hookup for a single private residence was found, but zoning-compliance permitting (in the two zoned districts) and septic/water review can still apply. Not confirmed beyond the state baseline. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.9 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.9 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,418 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 14 in/yr
Snowfall: 20 in/yr
Heating degree days: 7,479 (cold)
Frost-free season: May 3 to Oct 2

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Glendive Medical Center: 1.0 mi
Fire station Glendive Fire Department: 2.0 mi
Hardware store Runnings: 0.5 mi
Grocery Albertsons: 2.3 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 59330).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

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.