Off-grid site report
Washington County, ID
44.2475, -116.9663 · 2,123 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Washington 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 rulesWashington County, ID
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyWashington County administers its own zoning code (Title 5) countywide through Planning & Zoning, but land in the Weiser or Cambridge city impact areas is processed first through those cities' own planning/zoning procedures. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyThe county code specifically regulates manufactured home parks and RV parks, but whether an RV or tiny home can be a standalone legal dwelling on raw land outside a park is not confirmed; ask Planning & Zoning directly. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedThe county administers its own building code and permitting under Title 3, and requires the county road supervisor to approve driveway/culvert access before a residential building permit is issued. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted not by the county but by Southwest District Health, the state-designated regional health authority, which requires a pre-development meeting and on-site evaluation before issuing a permit. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedGreywater is governed through the same state sewage disposal rules enforced locally by Southwest District Health; no separate county greywater ordinance was found, so confirm specifics with SWDH. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Washington County ordinance addressing rooftop rainwater collection was found in the code chapters reviewed; this is not confirmed one way or the other.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWells and water rights are handled entirely by the state Idaho Department of Water Resources, which issues drilling permits and requires a licensed well driller; the county has no separate well role. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo standalone Washington County ordinance addresses disconnecting from public power, water, or sewer utilities; it's governed indirectly through zoning, building, septic, and well permitting processes.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.0 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 2.1 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,396 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 13 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 20 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 5,744 (cold)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 27 to Oct 9
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Weiser Memorial Hospital - 0.2 mi
- Fire station
Weiser Fire Department - 0.2 mi
- Hardware store
Ridley's Family Market Ace Hardware - 0.5 mi
- Grocery
Ridley's Family Market - 0.6 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 83672).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Washington 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.