Off-grid site report
Ada County, ID
43.6037, -116.2291 · 2,759 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Ada 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 rulesAda County, ID
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyAda County's Title 8 Zoning Code (re-enacted around January 2025) sets districts like Rural Preservation, Rural Residential, and Rural-Urban Transition for unincorporated land, each with different dwelling density rules. Cities within the county (Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Kuna, Garden City, Star) enforce their own separate zoning. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedThe county zoning code allows limited extra dwelling types (secondary dwelling units, caretaker dwellings, temporary living quarters) but I couldn't confirm whether RVs or tiny homes qualify as permanent legal residences; ask Ada County Development Services. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedAda County enforces its own amended version of the 2018 International Codes and requires a building permit for construction, alteration, or occupancy changes; electrical and plumbing permits are handled separately by the State of Idaho (DOPL). source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted through Central District Health, a regional health district covering Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Valley counties, applying Idaho DEQ's statewide standards. Composting toilets as an alternative aren't clearly addressed; confirm with CDH directly. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Ada County or Central District Health-specific greywater ordinance was found; it likely falls under the same state DEQ/CDH septic framework, but this is not confirmed. Ask CDH directly.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo official Ada County, CDH, or IDWR page was found addressing residential rooftop rainwater harvesting specifically, so this is not confirmed either way.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWell drilling permits are issued by the state through the Idaho Department of Water Resources, with Central District Health handling related inspections. Ada County itself does not permit wells. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo standalone Ada County ordinance was found that explicitly authorizes or bars living fully disconnected from electric or water utilities; it's governed indirectly through building occupancy and zoning rules.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.2 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 2.6 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,493 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 12 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 19 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 5,513 (cold)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 30 to Oct 15
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center - 1.6 mi
- Fire station
Boise Fire Department Training Facility - 1.0 mi
- Hardware store
Hunter's Ace Hardware - 1.2 mi
- Grocery
Fred Meyer - 0.8 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 83705).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Ada 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.