Off-grid site report
Surry County, NC
36.4577, -80.5531 · 1,204 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Surry County, NC, 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 rulesSurry County, NC
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedSurry County has adopted countywide zoning under state enabling law (NCGS 160D), administered by the Planning Department; rural land is not unregulated. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Varies locallyPermanent dwellings follow the NC State Building Code with no confirmed county minimum size; RVs are limited to temporary occupancy of up to three months per calendar year under the county's Development Ordinance, and manufactured homes can't be used as accessory structures. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedBuilding, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC permits are mandatory and enforced by Surry County Inspections under the state building code; environmental health approval is required first if there's no city water/sewer. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted and administered by Surry County Environmental Health under state rules, requiring a soil evaluation and site plan. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Surry County ordinance on greywater was found; it defaults to state wastewater law. Not confirmed at the county level, so check with Environmental Health.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county restriction was found; rainwater harvesting is permitted under North Carolina state law protecting the practice.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWell permits, inspections, and water testing (bacterial in-house, chemical sent to the state lab) are administered by Surry County Environmental Health for both drinking and irrigation wells. source
Living disconnected from utilities
RestrictedGoing fully off-grid with well and septic is routinely permitted, but the county requires environmental health approval of a wastewater system before a building permit is issued, so total disconnection without any approved system isn't an option. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,413 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 47 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 9 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 4,533 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 27 to Oct 17
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Northern Hospital of Surry County - 3.9 mi
- Fire station
Bannertown Vol Fire Dept Holly Springs station - 0.5 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's - 4.0 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 3.8 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 27030).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Surry County, NC?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.