Off-grid site report
New Kent County, VA
37.5117, -76.9865 · 128 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for New Kent County, VA, 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 rulesNew Kent County, VA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedNew Kent has had countywide zoning since 1967, now Chapter 98 of the County Code; there is no unzoned raw-land exemption, and permitted uses depend on the parcel's zoning district. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific tiny house policy was found; RVs and camping units are defined in the ordinance as temporary recreational quarters, not full-time dwellings, so state baseline (Appendix Q for foundation-built tiny homes) likely applies. Confirm with Planning & Zoning. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedNew Kent's Building Development Department enforces the statewide Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (2021 edition); permits are required for most construction, alteration, or demolition. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted through the New Kent Health Department, part of the Virginia Department of Health, and approval is required before land-disturbance or building permits are issued. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo New Kent County page addresses greywater reuse specifically; this falls back to Virginia's state health board regulation, so confirm with the Health Department.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo official New Kent page addresses rainwater harvesting; state rules on registration thresholds for larger systems would apply by default.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted through the New Kent Health Department under Virginia Department of Health well regulations, required before building permits issue. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo New Kent ordinance was found requiring grid electric connection for occupancy, but occupancy still depends on passing building and health inspections, so full off-grid power appears procedurally possible though not explicitly addressed.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.0 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.6 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,385 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 45 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 4,146 (moderate)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center - 18.1 mi
- Fire station
New Kent County Department of Fire Rescue and Emergency Services - 4.7 mi
- Hardware store
Pleasants Hardware - 10.7 mi
- Grocery
Food Lion - 5.6 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 23124).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in New Kent County, VA?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.