Off-grid site report
King William County, VA
37.6878, -77.0207 · 135 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for King William County, VA, 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 rulesKing William County, VA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedKing William County has countywide zoning under its own ordinance, authorized by Code of Virginia §15.2-2281, administered by the Planning & Zoning Department. Raw-land occupancy without a permitted structure is governed by this ordinance, not left unrestricted. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Varies locallyNo county-specific ban on RVs/tiny homes was found; the state pattern applies where foundation-based tiny homes count as single-family dwellings and wheeled units are treated as RVs. ADUs are reportedly allowed by county zoning per a third-party source, but this is not confirmed officially, so check with Planning & Zoning. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedBuilding permits are required and administered locally by the Building Department under the statewide Uniform Statewide Building Code. The county requires well/septic and zoning permits before the building permit is issued. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted through the Virginia Department of Health (Three Rivers Health District office in the county), and this permit is required before the county issues a building permit. A claimed 5-year pump-out rule under the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act is not confirmed officially. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedNo county-specific greywater ordinance was found; the state baseline, regulated by the Virginia State Board of Health through local health departments, applies. Not confirmed whether King William adds any local restriction.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county-specific rainwater ordinance was found; the state baseline applies, where small rain barrels are exempt and larger or potable systems need VDH registration. Not confirmed for any local addition.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted through VDH and must be approved before the county issues a building permit, processed via the King William office of the Three Rivers Health District. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo ordinance explicitly requires grid electrical connection, but the county's inspection process includes a step for meter and temporary service cable, suggesting an assumption of grid power. Whether solar-only off-grid systems can satisfy inspection is not confirmed; ask the Building Department directly. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.0 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,383 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 43 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 10 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,713 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 16 to Oct 23
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Riverside Tappahannock Hospital - 16.6 mi
- Fire station
Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue Station Number 6 - 0.9 mi
- Hardware store
Pleasants Hardware - 14.4 mi
- Grocery
Food Lion - 7.4 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 23177).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in King William County, VA?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 22, 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.