Off-grid site report

Lincoln County, NM

33.3252, -105.6133 · 6,447 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Lincoln County, NM, 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 rulesLincoln County, NM

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyLincoln County actively administers countywide zoning and land-use permits through its Planning Department; specific rural/raw-land occupancy rules are not confirmed and should be checked per parcel. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo official Lincoln County text on tiny homes, RV occupancy, or IRC Appendix Q adoption was found; the state CID minimum code baseline likely applies but this is not confirmed for the county.

Building permits & codes

Generally allowedLincoln County issues building and manufactured home permits through its Planning/Public Works office, apparently under the state Construction Industries Division's baseline codes. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic systems are regulated entirely by the state (NMED) since Lincoln County has no county-level wastewater ordinance; Bernalillo is the only county with its own such ordinance. source

Greywater reuse

Generally allowedNo Lincoln County greywater ordinance was found, so the state's small-system greywater exemption rule applies by default.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county-specific rainwater ordinance was found; the state Office of the State Engineer's general policy encouraging residential rainwater harvesting applies statewide.

Private wells & water rights

RestrictedWell drilling and water rights are handled by the state Office of the State Engineer, not the county; no distinct Lincoln County well ordinance was found.

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo countywide ordinance requiring utility hookup was found, but some subdivisions like Alto Lakes have their own covenants that could impose requirements, so check both county and subdivision rules.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 6.2 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 5.2 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,747 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 22 in/yr
Snowfall: 30 in/yr
Heating degree days: 5,449 (moderate)
Frost-free season: May 12 to Oct 6

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Lincoln County Medical Center: 1.1 mi
Fire station Bob Moore Memorial Fire Station: 1.8 mi
Hardware store: none within range
Grocery Walmart Supercenter: 0.1 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 88345).

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 22, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.