Off-grid site report

Sevier County, UT

38.5864, -112.2583 · 5,581 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Sevier County, UT, 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 rulesSevier County, UT

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedSevier County has countywide zoning adopted under Utah's enabling law, and unincorporated land is divided into zoning districts that spell out what uses and occupancy are allowed on a given parcel. There's no blanket rule found for tents or yurts on raw land, so whatever you want to do would need to be checked against the specific zone's land-use matrix with the county's Planning & Zoning office. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

RestrictedThe county draws a hard line between permanent dwellings and RVs or temporary structures. For example, in the GRF-20S zone, 'permanent recreational dwellings' are allowed but habitation is capped at nine consecutive months a year, manufactured homes (at least at the town level, like Annabella) must go on a permanent foundation within a set window, and RVs used as living quarters beyond a short period generally need a Conditional Use Permit tied to active construction of a permanent home. A tiny house on wheels would likely be treated as an RV, and this isn't confirmed for every zone or town, so check with the county or the specific municipality. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedSevier County has adopted the standard suite of state construction codes (IBC, IRC, IECC, NEC, IPC, IMC, Fuel Gas Code, IFC), and any building over 120 square feet in the unincorporated county needs a permit approved by the Zoning Administrator and issued by the Building Official. Before that permit issues, the county requires a signature sheet with sign-off from the power utility, the Division of Water Rights, and the Central Utah Public Health Department. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedYou have to sort out wastewater disposal before the county will issue a building permit. The Central Utah Public Health Department requires either a septic tank permit or proof you can connect to an existing sewer system, and this sits on top of the statewide onsite wastewater rule (Utah Administrative Code R317-4) that the state Division of Water Quality administers. Composting-toilet-specific rules weren't found on an official county or health department page, so that part is not confirmed, ask the Central Utah Public Health Department directly. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Sevier County or Central Utah Public Health Department page specifically addressing greywater turned up in this research. The state's baseline greywater rule (R317-401) presumably applies since wastewater permitting is routed through the health department, but that link isn't confirmed locally, so it's worth asking the Central Utah Public Health Department how they handle greywater systems on permit applications.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo Sevier County ordinance or webpage on rainwater collection was found, so the state baseline under Utah Code 73-3-1.5 (up to 200 gallons with no registration, more with free registration) appears to be what governs here, with no local variance identified. Worth double-checking with the county if you're planning a larger catchment system.

Private wells & water rights

RestrictedThe county requires proof of an approved water source, such as a well, before it will issue a building permit, and this ties directly into the state's water rights process through the Utah Division of Water Rights (part of the same signature-sheet requirement as septic). There's no separate county well ordinance identified beyond funneling applicants through the state's standard water right and Start Card process.

Living disconnected from utilities

RestrictedThere's no standalone off-grid living ordinance in Sevier County, but the building-permit signature sheet functionally requires proof of an approved water source, wastewater disposal, and even power utility sign-off (Utah Power and Light) before a permit will issue. That could complicate a fully grid-disconnected new build, though it's not explicitly framed as a prohibition on off-grid power, just something to work through with the Building/Planning office.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.8 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 4.5 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,634 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 12 in/yr
Heating degree days: 7,130 (cold)
Frost-free season: Jun 5 to Sep 19

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Sevier Valley Hospital: 16.5 mi
Fire station Elsinore Fire Department: 8.9 mi
Hardware store The Home Depot: 13.9 mi
Grocery GG's Marketplace: 8.3 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 84766).

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.