Off-grid site report
Sacramento County, CA
38.4918, -121.5200 · 3 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Sacramento County, CA, 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 rulesSacramento County, CA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedSacramento County Planning administers a countywide zoning code covering all unincorporated land; simply occupying land outside an approved dwelling is not permitted by right, per county Code Enforcement. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedRVs can be parked/stored on residential property but not lived in permanently, except a temporary permit during construction of a new home; mobile/manufactured homes are treated as permanent dwellings under different rules. Tiny-homes-on-wheels as legal primary dwellings are authorized in the City of West Sacramento, a separate municipality, not confirmed for unincorporated county land. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedThe county enforces the California Building Standards Code locally through its Building Permits and Inspection Division and Planning Department, including special permits for accessory structures that deviate from zoning standards. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedSacramento County's Environmental Management Department (EMD) Liquid Waste Program permits all septic systems, with standards varying by mapped geologic area and possible mandatory sewer connection if a line is nearby. Composting toilets are not addressed in any official county source found, so that piece is not confirmed, ask EMD directly. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedNo county-specific greywater ordinance was found; it appears to inherit the statewide California Plumbing Code baseline.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county ordinance altering the state Rainwater Capture Act framework was found; the state baseline appears to govern.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedSacramento County Code Chapter 6.28, enforced by EMD, requires a permit for nearly all well construction, generally limits parcels to one well, and adds extra review near contamination plumes or within certain SGMA groundwater subbasins. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyThere is no standalone county ordinance on off-grid utility disconnection; the practical restriction comes indirectly from zoning and building occupancy rules requiring a permitted, inspected dwelling. Not confirmed as its own distinct rule, ask Code Enforcement. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.9 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.5 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,645 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 19 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,618 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Feb 9 to Dec 3
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Kaiser Ambulatory Surgery Center - 5.4 mi
- Fire station
Sacramento Fire Station Number 11 - 0.7 mi
- Hardware store
Harbor Freight - 9.4 mi
- Grocery
Nugget Markets - 0.2 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 95831).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Sacramento County, CA?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.