Off-grid site report

Lander County, NV

40.3331, -116.7063 · 5,351 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Lander County, NV, 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 rulesLander County, NV

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedLander County Planning & Zoning administers countywide zoning districts (A-1 to A-4, R-1 to R-4, commercial) with setback rules under Title 17 of the county code. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyManufactured/mobile home siting has a dedicated county zoning chapter, and the RV-vs-manufactured-home size cutoff (400 sq ft) is set by Nevada state law, but whether an RV or tiny home can be a permanent residence on raw land is not confirmed; ask Lander County Planning & Zoning. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedLander County has adopted 2018-era IBC/IRC/IECC and 2017 NEC codes with local seismic requirements (Zone D countywide); permits are issued and inspected by the county Building Department, with fees based on valuation. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedNevada Administrative Code 444.784 requires health-authority approval of a septic (ISDS) system before a building permit is issued; Lander County processes this through its Building & Planning Department, and owner-builders may self-install. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Lander County or state-specific greywater ordinance was found; this is not confirmed and likely handled case-by-case under the adopted plumbing code.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNevada state law (AB 138) permits rooftop rainwater collection for non-potable use at single-family homes, and no Lander County restriction was found.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedDomestic wells are exempt from Nevada's water-right permitting process under state law (NRS 534.080/534.180), capped at two acre-feet annually; more than one dwelling on a well requires local governing body approval. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Generally allowedNo Lander County ordinance prohibits disconnecting from utilities, but building and septic compliance is still required for any structure.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.8 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.5 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,631 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 9 in/yr
Heating degree days: 6,481 (cold)
Frost-free season: Jun 1 to Sep 17

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Battle Mountain General Hospital: 24.5 mi
Fire station: none within range
Hardware store Ace Hardware: 24.2 mi
Grocery Etcheverry Food Town: 24.2 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 89821).

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 22, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.