Off-grid site report
Lincoln County, TN
35.1446, -86.5818 · 686 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Lincoln County, TN, 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 rulesLincoln County, TN
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedLincoln County maintains its own countywide zoning and subdivision regulations, administered by the Planning & Zoning Department, unlike many rural TN counties with no zoning at all. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyStandard homes and manufactured/modular home placement need permits, but no official source confirms how tiny houses on wheels or RV living are treated; confirm with Planning & Zoning.
Building permits & codes
RestrictedLincoln County adopted the 2018 International Building Codes with local enforcement; permits are required for most construction, though state law exempts non-living detached structures and manufactured home placement itself. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedSeptic (OSDS) systems are regulated statewide by TDEC and permitted locally by the Lincoln County Health Department; no composting-toilet or dry-cabin exemption was found. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Lincoln County ordinance on greywater was found; this falls back to the ambiguous state plumbing code baseline, so ask local codes staff directly.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county or state restriction on rainwater harvesting was found in official sources.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are allowed under the state Water Well Act, but the Lincoln County Board of Public Utilities requires a Well User Agreement of Non-Use or Connection where public water is available.
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyNo blanket county mandate to connect to public water or sewer was found; LCBPU handles well users via agreement, but rules differ inside Fayetteville's municipal utility service area.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.0 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.5 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,396 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 56 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 2 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,362 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 10 to Oct 28
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Lincoln Medical Center - 1.5 mi
- Fire station
Hazel Green Volunteer Fire Station - 14.7 mi
- Hardware store
Ace Hardware - 21.7 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 1.1 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 37334).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Lincoln County, TN?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.