Off-grid site report
Surry County, VA
37.1381, -76.8349 · 125 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Surry County, VA, 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, VA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedSurry County has adopted its own zoning ordinance with a Limited Agricultural district and acreage-based sliding-scale density rules, so raw land occupancy is not unrestricted. Confirm your parcel's zoning with Surry County Planning & Community Development. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo Surry-specific ordinance on tiny homes or RV occupancy was found; the state's Uniform Statewide Building Code baseline likely applies (foundation tiny homes as IRC dwellings, wheeled ones as RVs), but this isn't confirmed for Surry. A zoning permit from Planning and Community Development is required before any building permit. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedSurry County's Building Department issues permits and inspections under Virginia's Uniform Statewide Building Code, a state-written code locally administered. Occupancy sign-off requires Health Department approval of water and sewage systems first. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems (including composting toilet setups needing soil evaluation) are permitted through the Virginia Department of Health under state regulation, administered locally by Surry County's VDH environmental health office. A permit is required before the county issues a building permit. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedNo Surry-specific greywater rule was found; it inherits Virginia's State Board of Health greywater regulations, administered through the same local VDH office handling septic and well permits. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedRainwater harvesting is governed statewide by VDH's Onsite Water and Wastewater Services division through a Tier 4 permit and registration process; small non-potable systems are generally exempt. No separate Surry ordinance was found. source
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells require a VDH permit before the county will issue a building permit, following state well construction regulations administered locally by Surry County's environmental health office. No additional Surry-specific well ordinance was found. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Surry County ordinance was found requiring a grid electric connection, so going off-grid electrically appears legally open, but occupancy still requires VDH-approved water and sewage systems before a final building inspection passes. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.7 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,412 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 48 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 5 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,711 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 4 to Nov 7
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Riverside Doctors Hospital Williamsburg - 12.0 mi
- Fire station
Surry Volunteer Fire Department Station 1 - 0.4 mi
- Hardware store
A&J Supply Inc - 8.7 mi
- Grocery
Surry Marketplace - 0.0 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 23883).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Surry County, VA?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.