Off-grid site report
Marshall County, KY
36.8676, -88.3598 · 371 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Marshall County, KY, 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 rulesMarshall County, KY
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyMarshall County has adopted zoning administered by its Zoning, Planning & Building Department; cities like Benton layer their own zoning code on top. Exact ordinance text wasn't locatable online, so confirm parcel zoning directly with the county. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo Marshall County-specific rule on tiny homes or RVs was confirmed. State law doesn't ban full-time RV living but allows local zoning to restrict it, and a 2025 state law limits local exclusion of manufactured homes from residential zones, though county implementation isn't confirmed. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedThe county Building Department issues permits and enforces the 2018 International Building Code with inspections during construction; cities like Benton add a zoning compliance step citing city code, county code, and state law. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedThe Marshall County Health Department's Environmental office issues on-site sewage permits under the statewide program; homeowners may self-install with a homeowner's permit, limited to about once every five years per the department. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Marshall County-specific greywater rule was found; this falls back to Kentucky's state regulatory baseline, not confirmed at the county level.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county restriction on rainwater harvesting was found; state baseline treats non-potable rainwater collection as allowed.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedKentucky requires no permit or fee for drilling or abandoning a private well, but only a state-certified well driller may do the work; the county health department offers well water testing. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo explicit Marshall County ordinance requiring grid, water, or sewer hookup for occupancy was found; however, county building permit and IBC enforcement could functionally tie occupancy to a septic or well system. Not confirmed as a standalone requirement.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.0 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.7 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,415 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 51 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 7 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,610 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 5 to Nov 6
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Marshall County Hospital - 0.5 mi
- Fire station
Benton Fire Department - 0.9 mi
- Hardware store
Benton Hardware - 1.1 mi
- 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 42025).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Marshall County, KY?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.