Off-grid site report
Jefferson County, AL
33.6999, -86.6020 · 948 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Jefferson County, AL, 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, AL
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyUnincorporated Jefferson County is unusual for Alabama in that the County Commission maintains its own countywide Zoning Resolution, administered by Development Services, which preserves rural/agricultural areas alongside mixed-use zones. If the land is inside an incorporated city or town (Birmingham, Hoover, Bessemer, etc.), that municipality's own zoning code applies instead, so always confirm which jurisdiction the parcel sits in. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Varies locallyJefferson County Planning & Zoning sets no minimum size for a permanent residence as long as it meets the adopted building code, and a tiny home on a permanent foundation is treated as a single-family dwelling. A tiny home or RV on wheels used as living quarters, however, is only allowed in a Mobile Home Park zone or a Planned Development that permits mobile homes/RVs. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedJefferson County Development Services issues all building permits and performs inspections for construction in unincorporated areas, under the county's own adopted building and electrical codes. Confirm current code editions and specific requirements directly with Development Services before building.
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedAs required under Alabama law, anyone not on public sewer in unincorporated Jefferson County must get an onsite sewage system permit through the Jefferson County Department of Health, which reviews soil work done by a hired engineer, surveyor, or soil scientist before issuing a permit; that health department approval is also required before zoning or building permits are issued. The county's program does recognize alternative systems like aerobic units and mound systems, but specifics on composting toilets were not confirmed. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Jefferson County-specific greywater ordinance turned up in research; greywater appears to fall under the same JCDH/state onsite-sewage regulatory framework as septic systems. Anything beyond the state baseline is not confirmed, so I'd check directly with JCDH's Community Environmental Protection Division.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedI couldn't find any Jefferson County ordinance restricting residential rainwater harvesting in planning, building, or health department materials, so it appears to default to Alabama's generally unrestricted state baseline. This is not explicitly confirmed one way or the other by a county source, so it's worth a quick check with Development Services if you want certainty.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate well construction in Jefferson County falls under ADEM's statewide Water Well Standards, since no county-specific well-drilling ordinance was found. For water quality testing, the Jefferson County Department of Health can direct residents to ADEM-certified labs for bacterial and contamination testing. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyI found no official Jefferson County source requiring unincorporated property owners to connect to public water, sewer, or electric service; the county's water-provider page just lists available utilities like Birmingham Water Works rather than mandating hookup. Whether a mandatory-connection rule exists is not confirmed, and if the parcel is inside a city limit, that municipality could have its own hookup ordinance, so it's worth confirming directly with Jefferson County Development Services or the relevant city.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.2 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,366 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 54 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 2 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,173 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 9 to Oct 30
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
UAB Saint Vincents - 17.1 mi
- Fire station
Center Point Fire Station 4 - 0.4 mi
- Hardware store
Ace Hardware - 0.4 mi
- Grocery
Piggly Wiggly - 0.4 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 35048).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Jefferson County, AL?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.