Off-grid site report
Greensville County, VA
36.6976, -77.5619 · 118 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Greensville 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 rulesGreensville County, VA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedGreensville County has its own adopted countywide Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Ordinance administered by the Planning Department; raw land occupancy without approved structures/septic is not broadly permitted. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific ordinance on tiny homes, Appendix Q, or RVs as permanent dwellings was found; the statewide USBC applies to new structures generally. Confirm with Building Inspections before assuming RV/tiny-home occupancy is allowed. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedGreensville County Building Inspections issues permits under Virginia's Uniform Statewide Building Code and requires a Certificate of Occupancy, with Health Department sign-off if a well or septic is involved. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedOn-site sewage systems require a Virginia Department of Health construction permit before the county issues a building permit, and an operations permit before occupancy; composting toilets fall under the same statewide VDH rules. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedNo county-specific greywater ordinance was found; greywater handling falls under Virginia Department of Health's statewide onsite sewage and water rules. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county-specific rainwater ordinance exists; rainwater harvesting is governed by Virginia Department of Health's statewide Tier 4 permit and non-potable system registration program. source
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells require a Virginia Department of Health construction and operations permit where a parcel isn't served by the Greensville County Water & Sewer Authority's public water system. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Greensville County rule requiring grid-tied electricity was found, but a Certificate of Occupancy still requires approved water and septic systems regardless of electric-grid status. source
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
- 1,386 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 45 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 3 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,717 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 4 to Nov 4
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center - 1.4 mi
- Fire station
Emporia Volunteer Fire Department - 1.4 mi
- Hardware store
Emporia Building Center - 1.1 mi
- Grocery
Food Lion - 1.1 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 23847).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Greensville 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.