Off-grid site report
Charlton County, GA
30.8318, -82.0052 · 95 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Charlton County, GA, 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 rulesCharlton County, GA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyUnincorporated Charlton County has no zoning ordinance at all, per the county's own comprehensive plan, so most rural land is unrestricted by land-use zoning. The City of Folkston is the exception and does have zoning, so if your parcel is inside city limits, check with Folkston directly. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyI couldn't find a county ordinance specifically addressing tiny homes or RV living in unincorporated Charlton County. Since there's no zoning code out there, it's likely governed only by the building code and property maintenance rules rather than a dedicated use ordinance, but you should confirm this directly with Charlton County Code Enforcement.
Building permits & codes
RestrictedCharlton County Code Enforcement/Building Inspection issues permits under Georgia's state minimum building codes and enforces the Property Maintenance Code. A licensed contractor must normally pull permits, though the county does allow a homeowner to pull their own permit to build a home once every two years, with all other trade permits (electrical, plumbing, gas, mechanical) requiring Georgia-licensed contractors. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted and regulated through the Charlton County Health Department, part of the Southeast Health District, which handles pollution control inspections of septic systems under Georgia's statewide On-Site Sewage Management rules. No separate county ordinance on composting toilets was found, so it's treated under this same state/district septic framework. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedNo Charlton County-specific greywater ordinance turned up, so the county appears to simply follow Georgia's state law allowing greywater reuse, informally handled alongside septic oversight by the county Health Department.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedThere's no Charlton County-specific rainwater ordinance in the county code, so rainwater harvesting for non-potable use appears to fall under the state plumbing code's general allowance.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted and administered locally through the Charlton County Health Department's well water program, built on the state's Water Well Standards Act, with Georgia EPD serving as the licensing authority for well drillers. Contact the county Health Department for the actual permitting and siting requirements on your property. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyI found no Charlton County ordinance requiring you to hook up to public electric, water, or sewer service. It looks like as long as you satisfy the building, septic, and well requirements above, there's no separate utility-connection mandate, but given the lack of countywide zoning, it's worth confirming this directly with Code Enforcement.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.3 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.3 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,436 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 52 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 1,291 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 5 to Dec 1
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Southeast Georgia Health System - Camden Campus - 23.4 mi
- Fire station
Charlton County Fire Department Station 1 - 0.2 mi
- Hardware store
Gantt Hardware - 0.1 mi
- Grocery
Harvey's - 0.5 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 31537).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Charlton County, GA?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.