Off-grid site report
Jefferson County, ID
44.0074, -112.2211 · 4,833 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Jefferson County, ID, 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 rulesJefferson County, ID
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedJefferson County has adopted a full countywide zoning ordinance (Chapter 112) under Idaho's Local Land Use Planning Act, dividing unincorporated land into districts with their own use rules. This differs from unzoned rural counties; enforcement applies only in unincorporated areas. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedManufactured homes need a county placement permit per county ordinance. RV occupancy as a permanent dwelling is regulated locally, but I found no confirmed Jefferson County-specific numeric rule on RV or tiny-home occupancy; confirm directly with Planning & Zoning. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedJefferson County adopted the 2018 International Building and Residential Codes by its own ordinance and enforces them countywide, with separate guidance for dwellings, ADUs, manufactured homes, and solar arrays. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems require a permit, but it's issued by Eastern Idaho Public Health (the regional health district) under state DEQ rules, not by the county itself. Composting or portable systems are allowed only as temporary exceptions under state rule. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Jefferson County-specific greywater ordinance was found; it appears to fall under the same state DEQ subsurface sewage disposal rules as septic. Confirm specifics with Eastern Idaho Public Health or state DEQ. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Jefferson County ordinance or state agency page specific to rooftop rainwater collection was found in this research; treat as unconfirmed and ask the county directly.
Private wells & water rights
Unclear - verifyNo Jefferson County-specific well ordinance was found; well permitting would run through the state Idaho Department of Water Resources process by default.
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo ordinance explicitly bans living off-grid or disconnected from utilities, but building and septic permitting functionally require documenting water and waste provisions. Not confirmed as a standalone rule at the county level.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.0 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 2.3 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,435 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 10 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 26 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 8,129 (severe)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Madison Memorial Hospital - 25.7 mi
- Fire station
- none within range
- Hardware store
Electrical Wholesale Supply - 23.7 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 24.6 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 83425).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Jefferson County, ID?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 21, 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.