Off-grid site report
Hanover County, VA
37.6011, -77.3474 · 174 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Hanover 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 rulesHanover County, VA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedHanover County has countywide zoning under Chapter 26 of the Code of Ordinances, with districts controlling use, lot size, setbacks, and building height. The Director of Planning can issue a zoning compliance letter, and rezoning or a special permit is needed to change a permitted use. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedRVs and boats are restricted on residential property under the zoning ordinance, and manufactured homes only get a temporary allowance in agricultural zones tied to medical hardship. No clear general off-grid tiny-home pathway was confirmed beyond state Appendix Q. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedHanover's Building Inspections/Community Development office administers Virginia's statewide building code locally, requiring Health Department sign-off for private well or septic before issuing a building permit. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic is regulated entirely by the Virginia Department of Health; Hanover has no separate county ordinance but requires the VDH permit before issuing a building permit. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Hanover-specific greywater ordinance was found; the county defers to Virginia Department of Health regulation, so confirm directly with VDH.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedBasic rain barrels are not separately addressed in county code, but larger catchment systems could intersect with Hanover's Chesapeake Bay Preservation and stormwater program under Chapter 10. source
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted through the Virginia Department of Health, and Hanover requires that state permit before issuing a building permit. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Hanover County ordinance was found requiring grid electric connection or banning off-grid power, but occupancy still requires approved building, water, and sewage permits regardless of electrical setup; not confirmed beyond that.
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
- 1,399 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 45 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 4,146 (moderate)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Select Specialty Hospital - 7.9 mi
- Fire station
Henrico County Fire Station 1 - 4.0 mi
- Hardware store
Harbor Freight Tools - 0.9 mi
- Grocery
Food Lion - 0.7 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 23111).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Hanover 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.