Off-grid site report

Slope County, ND

46.3522, -103.0713 · 2,782 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Slope County, ND, 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 rulesSlope County, ND

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallySlope County's own site lists zoning ordinances but routes all zoning questions through the Sheriff's Office rather than a planning department, which tells me the framework is minimal and informally administered. No countywide zoning map or ordinance text turned up, so I'd call the Sheriff's Office directly before assuming raw land is unregulated. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyI couldn't confirm any Slope County-specific rule on minimum dwelling size, tiny homes, or RV living. Whatever standard applies would come from the same Sheriff's-Office-administered zoning ordinance or the state building code baseline, so this is one to ask the county about directly.

Building permits & codes

Unclear - verifyI found no dedicated Slope County building permit page or building inspector listed. North Dakota has a state building code that many jurisdictions adopt, but whether Slope County independently enforces permits outside any incorporated town isn't confirmed, so check with the county before you build. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic systems are allowed statewide under North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality rules, which require a licensed installer and a permit from the local public health unit. I couldn't pin down which specific health unit covers Slope County, so I'd call NDDEQ to confirm who handles permitting there. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyI found no statewide or Slope County greywater ordinance in my research, so this is genuinely a gray area. I'd treat it the same as septic wastewater until you confirm otherwise with the local health unit.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNothing in my research pointed to any state or Slope County restriction on catching rainwater, so the general baseline of 'no law against it' applies here.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedOrdinary domestic wells are generally exempt from North Dakota's full water appropriation permit process under state water law, and Slope County also sits within the Southwest Water Authority's regional pipeline service area as an alternative. Well drillers still must file a completion report with the state, so use a licensed driller. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Generally allowedI found no Slope County ordinance requiring a grid-electric hookup, and North Dakota has no statewide mandate for it either, so living off-grid on utilities appears to be fine as far as official sources show. Still worth confirming nothing local has changed by calling the county.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.9 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.6 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,439 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 14 in/yr
Snowfall: 27 in/yr
Heating degree days: 8,091 (severe)
Frost-free season: May 14 to Sep 25

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Southwest Healthcare Services: 19.8 mi
Fire station Emergency Services Center: 16.6 mi
Hardware store Ace Hardware: 19.3 mi
Grocery Bronson's Marketplace & Liquor: 19.3 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 58620).

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.