Off-grid site report
Brunswick County, VA
36.6476, -77.8705 · 361 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Brunswick 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 rulesBrunswick County, VA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedBrunswick County has adopted its own Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances under state Title 15.2 authority; a minimum of one acre is generally required to place a home, one dwelling per lot, with setbacks varying by district. Confirm your parcel's district and setbacks with the Planning Department. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Varies locallyManufactured/modular homes are processed through a specific county permit application, but tiny homes on wheels or RVs as permanent dwellings are not addressed on an official Brunswick County page I found. Assume the general state stance that RVs aren't dwellings unless the county Building Inspection office says otherwise. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedBrunswick County Building Inspection enforces Virginia's Uniform Statewide Building Code locally; permits are required for most construction, though structures 256 square feet or less are exempt, and permits run for six months with extensions per inspection. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedThe Virginia Department of Health's Southside Health District permits septic systems for properties not on public sewer, and that VDH approval is required before the county issues a building permit. No Brunswick-specific composting toilet rule was found, so the state VDH framework controls. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Brunswick County ordinance on greywater reuse was found; this falls to the state Board of Health's general framework administered through the local health district. Ask the Southside Health District's environmental health office for specifics. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Brunswick County-specific rainwater harvesting rule was found; Virginia's Division of Onsite Water and Wastewater Services handles rainwater system registration and Tier 4 permits at the state level. source
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedVDH permits private wells (except monitoring wells) through the Southside Health District, which checks setbacks from contamination sources and sets minimum construction requirements. No Brunswick-specific well ordinance beyond this state process was found. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyI found no Brunswick County ordinance requiring grid electric connection or banning off-grid power systems, but occupancy still requires a building permit plus approved well and septic, which function as the practical gatekeepers. Confirm directly with the Building Inspection office if you plan to go fully off-grid electrically.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,390 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 46 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 3 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,852 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 13 to Oct 26
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center - 18.8 mi
- Fire station
Gasburg Volunteer Fire Department - 5.8 mi
- Hardware store
Ace Hardware - 8.6 mi
- Grocery
Food Lion - 7.0 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 23857).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Brunswick 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.