Off-grid site report

Billings County, ND

46.9149, -103.5252 · 2,277 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Billings County, ND, 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 rulesBillings County, ND

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedBillings County has its own countywide zoning administered by the Planning & Zoning Department, and a Zoning Certificate is required before building or bringing structures onto land. This differs from counties in ND with no zoning at all. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

RestrictedThe county zoning ordinance sets minimum lot width and depth, allows only one principal residence per lot, requires public right-of-way access, and is actively updating rules for RVs, campgrounds, and glamping. Tiny home minimum size wasn't confirmed. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedThe county Building Department requires a Zoning/Building Certificate application, and builders must also comply with State of North Dakota building codes on top of county conditions. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted under state NDDEQ licensing rules, with local permits issued through the Southwestern District Health Unit; composting toilets likely fall under the same framework but aren't separately addressed in county text I found. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Billings County or clear state provision on greywater reuse was found; this inherits the state's general ambiguity. Ask the Southwestern District Health Unit before installing one.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county-specific rainwater rule was found, so the state baseline applies: rainwater harvesting is generally legal statewide, though a building permit may be needed for underground storage tanks.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedNorth Dakota doesn't directly regulate private well placement or water quality, small domestic use under 12.5 acre-feet/year doesn't need an appropriation permit, and all drilling must be done by a state-licensed contractor. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo provision requiring grid-electric or municipal water/sewer hookup was found in the county ordinance sections reviewed, but the full ordinance wasn't exhaustively checked, so confirm directly with Planning & Zoning.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.9 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.0 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,422 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 15 in/yr
Snowfall: 30 in/yr
Heating degree days: 8,297 (severe)
Frost-free season: May 20 to Sep 16

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital CHI St. Alexius Health Dickinson: 33.3 mi
Fire station Historic Fire Hall: 0.1 mi
Hardware store Rohan Ace Hardware: 22.7 mi
Grocery Beach Food Center: 22.7 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 58645).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

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.