Off-grid site report
Bear Lake County, ID
42.0072, -111.4222 · 6,332 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Bear Lake 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 rulesBear Lake County, ID
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedBear Lake County has a countywide Zoning Ordinance covering all unincorporated land, adopted under Idaho's Local Land Use Planning Act; land use must conform to the applicable zoning district. Incorporated towns within the county set their own separate rules if the parcel is inside city limits. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo countywide Bear Lake County ordinance on RV/tiny-home residency was confirmed; the town of Georgetown has its own ordinance requiring a temporary use permit and NFPA 1192 standards for RVs, but that applies only inside Georgetown. Confirm unincorporated-county rules with County Planning and Zoning. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedBear Lake County has its own Building Official who issues county building permits, separate from town permit offices in Montpelier, Paris, and St. Charles. Purely agricultural buildings qualify for a lighter Agricultural Exempt Building permit rather than full code review. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted not by the county but by Southeastern Idaho Public Health, the regional health district covering Bear Lake County, following statewide IDAPA onsite wastewater rules co-administered with Idaho DEQ. A site evaluation and licensed installer are required as part of that process. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Bear Lake County-specific greywater ordinance was found; any greywater permitting would run through Southeastern Idaho Public Health under the same statewide IDAPA wastewater rules that govern septic. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Bear Lake County or Idaho state rule was found specifically restricting ordinary rooftop rainwater collection; large-scale collection could intersect with Idaho's prior-appropriation water law administered by IDWR. source
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate well drilling is permitted at the state level through the Idaho Department of Water Resources; no distinct Bear Lake County well ordinance was found. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyThere's no explicit Bear Lake County ordinance addressing off-grid or utility-disconnected living; occupancy conditions appear to flow indirectly from the building permit and septic permit process. Confirm specifics with the county Building Official and Planning and Zoning office.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.5 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.6 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,583 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 11 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 38 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 8,655 (severe)
- Frost-free season
- May 18 to Sep 19
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Bear Lake Memorial Hospital - 22.3 mi
- Fire station
- none within range
- Hardware store
Ace Hardware - 3.7 mi
- Grocery
Mike's Market - 3.7 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 83287).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Bear Lake 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.