Off-grid site report
El Dorado County, CA
38.6827, -120.8477 · 1,601 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for El Dorado County, CA, 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 rulesEl Dorado County, CA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedEl Dorado County Planning and Building Department administers countywide zoning under Title 130, with low-density residential zones and no standalone raw-land occupancy use; occupancy must tie to an approved dwelling or permitted temporary use. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedThe county allows temporary mobile homes or RVs as residences only for specific circumstances like family hardship or caretaking, with acreage minimums and time limits set by Building Services; tiny homes on wheels are treated as RVs. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedThe county's Building Division enforces a current California Building Code with local amendments and state Title 24 energy standards, with zoning compliance required alongside building permits. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedEnvironmental Health/Environmental Management permits and inspects septic systems under a state-approved local program and the county's own sewage disposal ordinance and setback rules; composting toilets as an alternative are not confirmed on any county page. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedGreywater reuse is allowed but constructed systems need Environmental Health approval; the local water utility, El Dorado Irrigation District, directs residents to the county for permitting.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county-specific rainwater ordinance was found; the state's Rainwater Capture Act framework under the California Plumbing Code appears to be the applicable baseline.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedThe county's Water Well Program requires permits for well construction, deepening, repair, and destruction, following state well standards, with added Tahoe Regional Planning Agency requirements in the Tahoe Basin. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo dedicated county ordinance directly addresses full utility disconnection; it appears governed indirectly through building code habitability rules and septic/well permitting, per the county's building and environmental health pages.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.7 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,558 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 40 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,094 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 18 to Nov 23
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center - 22.1 mi
- Fire station
El Dorado Fire Protection Disctict - 3.3 mi
- Hardware store
Placerville Hardware - 4.1 mi
- Grocery
Save Mart - 2.0 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 95619).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in El Dorado County, CA?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.