Off-grid site report
Merced County, CA
37.3640, -120.5651 · 184 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Merced 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 rulesMerced County, CA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedMerced County's Zoning Ordinance (adopted 2019 by the Board of Supervisors, administered by Planning & Community Development) governs whether residential occupancy is allowed on a parcel at all; raw land occupancy isn't a by-right use. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedTiny homes not on permanent foundations and manufactured homes are generally limited to the M-H zone within Urban Community areas with public water/sewer; the zoning code's use tables set what's allowed elsewhere. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedState Title 24 codes apply, administered by the county; accessory structure rules specifically bar cargo containers from full-time human occupancy, and ADUs must meet a dedicated county chapter plus the Building Code. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedMerced County's Division of Environmental Health permits septic (OWTS) under Chapter 9.54 per a state-approved program with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board; permits aren't issued where public sewer is available. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Merced County-specific greywater ordinance was found; it likely falls under the same Division of Environmental Health review as OWTS, but confirm directly with that office. State Plumbing Code rules are the presumed baseline.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Merced County ordinance on rooftop rainwater harvesting was found, so this appears to inherit the state baseline allowing collection without a water-rights permit, but that's not confirmed at the county level.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedMerced County Code Chapter 9.28 requires a well permit from the Division of Environmental Health before construction begins, plus metering for most new wells; a separate groundwater mining ordinance (Chapter 9.27) exempts small domestic wells under a usage threshold. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyThere's no standalone county rule on disconnecting from utilities entirely; in practice it depends on zoning allowing your dwelling type plus obtaining septic and well permits where no public sewer/water exists.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.9 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.4 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,643 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 13 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,572 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Feb 28 to Nov 24
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Mercy Medical Center Merced - 5.6 mi
- Fire station
Merced County Fire - 0.4 mi
- Hardware store
Halls True Value - 2.5 mi
- Grocery
Food 4 Less - 1.6 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 95301).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Merced 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.