Off-grid site report

Claiborne County, MS

31.8779, -91.1393 · 289 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Claiborne County, MS, 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 rulesClaiborne County, MS

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Unclear - verifyClaiborne County's official site lists a Zoning Permit among its Forms & Applications, confirming the Board of Supervisors administers zoning in unincorporated areas, but the district map and use standards aren't published online. Confirm parcel-specific zoning with county administration. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo official Claiborne County page addresses tiny homes, manufactured housing, or RV occupancy. This is a county-level call that hasn't been published, so ask the county directly.

Building permits & codes

Varies locallyThe county lists a Building Permit among its official Forms & Applications, so permits are required, but the specific adopted code edition isn't stated on any official county page found. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic systems and composting toilet alternatives are permitted under Mississippi's statewide on-site wastewater program (Title 41, Chapter 67), administered locally by an MSDH-assigned County Environmentalist who does soil/site evaluations and issues the required permit. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedNo Claiborne-specific greywater rule was found; greywater appears to be folded into the standard MSDH wastewater permitting process rather than allowed as separate reuse. source

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county ordinance on rainwater catchment was found, so the state's generally permissive approach to rain barrels and cisterns applies by default.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted statewide with a licensed driller, county environmentalists handle water sampling, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality oversees well construction standards; no Claiborne-specific well ordinance was found. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo Claiborne County page addresses off-grid electrical disconnection or solar interconnection requirements. Mississippi's general baseline, which does not clearly authorize full grid disconnection, should be assumed absent a local exception.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.3 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.6 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,467 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 56 in/yr
Heating degree days: 2,146 (mild)
Frost-free season: Mar 6 to Nov 20

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Claiborne County Medical Center: 10.2 mi
Fire station Port Gibson, Claiborne County Fire Station: 10.8 mi
Hardware store Claiborne Hardware: 11.2 mi
Grocery Piggly Wiggly: 10.5 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 39096).

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.