Off-grid site report

Chouteau County, MT

47.8065, -110.6792 · 2,638 ft elevation

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

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyChouteau County has no conventional zoning map but requires Development Permits under countywide Development Regulations for many land use changes; Fort Benton, Big Sandy, and Geraldine administer their own separate rules within town limits. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyThe county has a Summary Permit process for residential dwelling units, but no specific rule for tiny homes on wheels or RVs as permanent dwellings was found; Montana state baseline is inherited. source

Building permits & codes

Unclear - verifyMontana allows counties to opt into enforcing building codes, but it is not confirmed whether Chouteau County has done so for single-family homes; confirm with the Planning Office. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted through the Chouteau County Department of Public Health's Environmental Health function, operating under Montana DEQ minimum standards. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Chouteau County-specific greywater rule was found; the state's baseline greywater allowances apply by default.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county-specific restriction was found on rooftop rainwater collection for personal non-potable use; this follows Montana's permissive state baseline.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate wells generally qualify as DNRC exempt wells (10 acre-feet/year or less, 35 gpm or less) with no separate county well permitting layer, though subdivision review can trigger DEQ/COSA involvement. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo explicit Chouteau County requirement to connect to grid utilities was found; the Development Regulations address service costs indirectly through the permitting process. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.6 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.4 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,335 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 12 in/yr
Snowfall: 39 in/yr
Heating degree days: 7,624 (severe)
Frost-free season: May 19 to Sep 19

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Great Falls Clinic Hospital: 34.7 mi
Fire station Loma Rural Fire Department: 12.3 mi
Hardware store: none within range
Grocery Fresh Start Cooperative: 23.8 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 59442).

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.