Off-grid site report
Wilson County, NC
35.7338, -77.9515 · 135 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Wilson County, NC, 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 rulesWilson County, NC
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedWilson County has countywide zoning under its Unified Development Ordinance, administered by the Planning Division; a zoning permit is required before a building permit and determines allowed uses on your parcel. Land inside the City of Wilson falls under the city's own UDO instead. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo official Wilson County source specifies tiny-home minimum size or RV/permanent-occupancy rules; this is not confirmed and should be checked directly with County Planning. The state baseline (NC Appendix Q, G.S. 160D-702(c)(1)) allows small code-compliant homes and limits local minimum-size rules.
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedBuilding permits are issued by the Wilson County Inspections Division following the mandatory NC Residential/Building Code, after a zoning permit is obtained. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted and inspected by Wilson County Environmental Health under state rules (15A NCAC 18E, NC DHHS); holding tanks are not approved as a permanent wastewater solution for new construction. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Wilson County-specific greywater rule exists; it is folded into the Environmental Health on-site wastewater permitting process under the state's wastewater law (G.S. 143-350). source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo Wilson County restriction on rainwater harvesting was found; North Carolina state law protects rainwater collection statewide and bars local bans.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted through Wilson County Environmental Health's On-Site Water Supply Program, with a fee that includes water sampling; large-capacity wells face an added state permit requirement because the county sits in the Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo explicit Wilson County ban on disconnecting from utilities was found, but the required zoning-then-building-then-Environmental Health approval sequence functionally expects an approved water and sewage system before occupancy; confirm specifics with Inspections. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.2 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.2 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,477 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 47 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 2 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,166 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 23 to Nov 11
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Wilson Medical Center - 1.1 mi
- Fire station
Sims Volunteer Fire Department - 6.0 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's Home Improvement - 0.2 mi
- Grocery
Harris Teeter - 0.8 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 27893).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Wilson County, NC?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 21, 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.