Off-grid site report

Los Alamos County, NM

35.8814, -106.2990 · 7,317 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Los Alamos County, NM, 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 rulesLos Alamos County, NM

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedLos Alamos County has a comprehensive Development Code (Chapter 16) with a countywide official zoning map; there is no unzoned raw-land category, unlike many rural NM counties. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

RestrictedOnly one principal dwelling is allowed per parcel (with a cottage-development exception), and full-time RV living is not permitted outside designated camping locations per county Parks rules. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedThe county's Building Safety Division requires plans to conform to its adopted codes and tells applicants to confirm which codes apply directly with the division; no alternative-construction exemption was found. source

Septic & composting toilets

Unclear - verifyNo county-specific septic ordinance or health department program was found; ask the state NM Environment Department Onsite Wastewater Bureau, since most of the county is on municipal sewer rather than septic. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Los Alamos County greywater ordinance was found in this research; the state NMED small-system exemption baseline likely applies, but confirm with the county.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rainwater harvesting rule was found; the state Office of the State Engineer's general allowance is the likely baseline.

Private wells & water rights

RestrictedMost of the county is served by the county's own Public Utilities water system rather than private wells; any private well would need to go through the state Office of the State Engineer, since no county-specific well ordinance was found. source

Living disconnected from utilities

RestrictedNo explicit 'must connect to utilities' ordinance was found, but code-compliant occupancy requirements enforced by the Building Safety Division make full off-grid living on a standard lot impractical in practice. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 6.2 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 5.1 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,749 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 19 in/yr
Snowfall: 57 in/yr
Heating degree days: 6,342 (cold)
Frost-free season: May 4 to Oct 10

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Los Alamos Medical Center: 1.1 mi
Fire station Los Alamos Fire Station #2: 0.6 mi
Hardware store Los Alamos Home Improvement - Ace Hardware: 0.7 mi
Grocery LA Market: 0.1 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 87545).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

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.