Off-grid site report
Kern County, CA
35.4490, -119.0811 · 512 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Kern 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 rulesKern County, CA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedKern County Planning and Natural Resources Department assigns zoning districts under Title 19 with specific permitted uses and lot sizes; raw land occupancy isn't a recognized permanent use in any district, and other agencies (fire, health, water quality) can add further restrictions. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedCounty code allows only temporary RV/travel trailer occupancy, and only on lots of a minimum size in qualifying zones; permanent tiny-home or RV living outside that provision isn't permitted county-wide. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedKern County Public Works Building and Code Division issues building permits for unincorporated areas, and all site-built homes must meet the state's Title 24 code as locally adopted; no off-grid exemption was found. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedKern County Public Health's Environmental Health Services Division administers septic (OWTS) permitting under the county's state-approved program, requiring a soils/engineering report; holding tanks are allowed only in limited circumstances. Composting toilet rules are not confirmed, so ask this office directly. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedNo Kern-specific greywater ordinance was found beyond the county's adoption of the California Plumbing Code, so the state baseline appears to govern.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county ordinance restricting rooftop rainwater capture was found; this appears to defer entirely to California's state Rainwater Capture Act framework, not confirmed to differ locally.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedKern County Public Health permits and enforces well construction and destruction, with added review by the Kern County Water Agency in certain groundwater-sensitive areas, plus a required Groundwater Sustainability Agency sign-off under a 2022 state executive order. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Kern County rule directly addressing full disconnection from electric or public water utilities was found; any legally occupied dwelling still needs code-compliant water and waste systems, so ask Planning or Environmental Health for specifics on your parcel.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 6.2 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,705 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 8 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,369 (mild)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Adventist Health Specialty Bakersfield - 5.0 mi
- Fire station
Fire Station #63 - 3.6 mi
- Hardware store
Ergo Safe - 0.7 mi
- Grocery
Albertsons - 2.5 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 93308).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Kern 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.