Off-grid site report
Hillsborough County, FL
27.9919, -82.5218 · 43 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Hillsborough County, FL, 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 rulesHillsborough County, FL
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyHillsborough County's Land Development Code, administered by Development Services, sets zoning districts and minimum lot/dimensional standards; there's no blanket allowance for off-grid raw-land living, it depends on the district. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedFixed-foundation tiny homes are allowed as dwellings/ADUs if they meet Florida Building Code and LDC standards; RVs and tiny homes on wheels are generally not permitted as permanent residences. Specific minimum square footage figures were not confirmed from an official source. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedHillsborough County Building and Construction Services administers the Florida Building Code and LDC, requiring permits, inspections, and licensed contractors for construction in unincorporated areas. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic (OSTDS) permitting is handled locally by the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County under state rules, even as DEP takes over enforcement statewide; composting toilets are not separately addressed and remain unconfirmed. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Hillsborough-specific greywater ordinance was found; the county appears to follow the statewide Florida Building Code limits on greywater reuse. Any additional county standard is not confirmed.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyRainwater collection for non-potable use appears generally tolerated and SWFWMD promotes conservation broadly, but no official county or SWFWMD text specifically authorizing residential cisterns or rain barrels was found.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells require a Well Construction Permit from SWFWMD, with DOH-Hillsborough handling public well site inspections; a narrow self-drilling exception exists for small-diameter wells built by the owner for personal or farm use. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo explicit county ban on disconnecting from utilities was found, but occupancy approval in practice requires an approved septic system and an approved water source, per the inherited state baseline.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.7 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,581 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 46 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 539 (mild)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
AFC Urgent Care Clearwater - 13.5 mi
- Fire station
Tampa City Fire Station 12 - 1.8 mi
- Hardware store
Rent-n-Roll - 2.7 mi
- Grocery
Publix - 2.1 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 33614).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Hillsborough County, FL?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.