Off-grid site report

Beaverhead County, MT

45.4894, -113.1232 · 7,681 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Beaverhead County, MT, 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 rulesBeaverhead County, MT

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Unclear - verifyNo official county page shows a countywide zoning-district ordinance; the Land Use and Planning Department's listed duties center on the Growth Policy and subdivision regulations instead. Treat 'no zoning' as unconfirmed and verify with the county for your parcel. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Varies locallyMontana's state-adopted IRC Appendix Q governs foundation-built tiny homes, and wheeled tiny homes are generally treated as RVs; no Beaverhead-specific tiny-home or RV ordinance was found, so the state baseline applies unless the county says otherwise. source

Building permits & codes

Varies locallyBeaverhead County issues building permits only in unincorporated areas; Dillon and Lima handle their own inside city limits. Whether the county has locally opted into stricter building-code review beyond Montana's single-family exemption isn't confirmed. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedThe county's Environmental Health (Sanitarians) office issues septic permits under the county's own Wastewater Regulations, which implement Montana DEQ subsurface wastewater standards, and requires inspection before backfilling. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyThe county's wastewater regulations page is septic-focused and has no separately named greywater-reuse policy; this defaults to Montana's more restrictive state baseline until confirmed with the county. source

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county-specific rainwater rule was found; basic rooftop non-potable collection follows Montana's generally permissive state baseline. Larger appropriations should be checked with the state DNRC.

Private wells & water rights

Varies locallyPrivate well drilling and exempt-well status are administered by the state DNRC, not the county, though county subdivision and wastewater regulations require well-siting review as part of septic evaluation for new development. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo Beaverhead County ordinance was found requiring grid electric connection for a single-family home, but a county septic permit is required for any occupied structure generating wastewater regardless of grid status. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.9 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.5 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,386 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 12 in/yr
Heating degree days: 10,291 (severe)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Barrett Hospital & Healthcare: 30.5 mi
Fire station Jackson Fire Department: 16.2 mi
Hardware store: none within range
Grocery Wisdom Market: 18.1 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 59746).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

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.