Off-grid site report
Santa Barbara County, CA
34.9390, -120.4200 · 253 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Santa Barbara 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 rulesSanta Barbara County, CA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedUnincorporated Santa Barbara County land use is governed by Title 35 Zoning Ordinance (with a separate Coastal Zoning Ordinance for the coastal zone), and there's no blanket allowance for off-grid homesteading on raw land. Each parcel's zone and any overlay (flood, growth management, highway corridor) determines what's allowed, so check with County Planning & Development before assuming you can occupy land off-grid. If you're in one of the eight incorporated cities, their own code applies instead. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedThe county classifies dwelling types (park trailer, manufactured home, etc.) by referencing state Health & Safety Code definitions rather than writing its own separate category, and zoning then dictates where each type can be sited. Claims floating around that tiny homes on wheels are 'permitted in all zoning districts' countywide aren't confirmed on any official county page, so verify with Planning & Development for your specific parcel. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedI didn't find any county-specific exemption from state building code (Title 24) for off-grid dwellings; new construction goes through County Planning & Building review same as anywhere else, and where there's no sewer connection, OWTS approval must be secured before a building permit is issued. No ordinance number granting a broad off-grid exemption was confirmed, so ask Planning & Development directly. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedCounty Environmental Health Services (EHS) runs the Local Agency Management Program (LAMP) for onsite wastewater systems, approved under the state's OWTS Policy, and any OWTS must meet EHS siting/design/operation standards. Cesspools and hollow seepage pits are explicitly prohibited under county code, so a simple pit toilet or dry-pit disposal setup won't fly, you need a permitted system or an approved alternative. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedI didn't find any Santa Barbara County ordinance narrowing the state's Plumbing Code Chapter 15 greywater allowance, so simple residential greywater systems appear to follow the state baseline. It's not confirmed whether county EHS layers on extra permitting steps, so it's worth a quick call to EHS to be sure.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county-specific restriction or extra permit requirement on rooftop rainwater catchment turned up in the research, so this looks like it follows the state baseline (Water Code section 10574 and AB 1750) without added county rules.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedCounty EHS is the state-designated Local Enforcing Agency for well permitting in unincorporated Santa Barbara County, and since 2022 additional review layers apply in certain groundwater basins (Cuyama Valley, Carpinteria, Montecito, San Antonio Creek Valley, Santa Ynez River Valley) tied to Sustainable Groundwater Management Act implementation. A water system permit is required before you can use a well for domestic water, and wells serving more than one parcel need easements or other legal documentation, so contact EHS directly for your basin's current rules. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyI couldn't find a standalone county ordinance that either explicitly permits or prohibits a habitable dwelling with zero utility hookups. The closest indirect signals are the OWTS/LAMP wastewater requirement and, by analogy from the City of Santa Barbara's ADU rules, an expectation that a dwelling have an approved water and wastewater solution even without a public utility connection. This isn't confirmed for raw off-grid cabins outside the ADU/permitted-dwelling context, so ask County Planning & Development and EHS directly.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 6.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.5 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,719 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 14 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,823 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Feb 19 to Dec 7
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Marian Medical Center - 1.0 mi
- Fire station
Santa Maria Fire Department Station #1 - 1.3 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's - 0.9 mi
- Grocery
Trader Joe's - 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 93454).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Santa Barbara 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.