Off-grid site report
Butte County, ID
43.6053, -113.2394 · 5,319 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Butte County, ID, 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 rulesButte County, ID
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedButte County has adopted a Zoning Ordinance (originally Ordinance 1999-3) and Comprehensive Plan, administered by the county Planning & Zoning department. This is not an unzoned county, and land in Arco's area of city impact is still administered by the county under a joint arrangement. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo specific county provision on tiny homes or RVs as permanent dwellings was found; the zoning ordinance chapters may address dwelling definitions but this wasn't confirmed. Ask Butte County Planning & Zoning directly. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedButte County requires a building permit and enforces the 2009 International Building Code per Ordinance 2011-02. Property inside Arco city limits is permitted separately through the City of Arco's own building department. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedIdaho state law requires a septic permit before installation, and for Butte County that permit is issued and inspected by Southeastern Idaho Public Health, a regional public health district, not the county government itself. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Butte County-specific greywater ordinance was found; greywater systems fall under the same state IDAPA onsite wastewater rules administered by Southeastern Idaho Public Health. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo official Butte County or Idaho state page specifically addressing residential rainwater harvesting was found; status is not confirmed, so check directly with the county before building a large catchment system.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedWells require a standard Idaho Department of Water Resources drilling permit, but Butte County sits within actively administered groundwater districts facing curtailment orders after some districts missed a 2024 state-mandated mitigation deadline. Confirm current curtailment status with IDWR's Eastern Region office before relying on a well. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo explicit Butte County ordinance addressing off-grid or utility-disconnected occupancy was found; occupancy is generally governed through the standard building permit and inspection process.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.4 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 2.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,555 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 10 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 8,009 (severe)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Lost Rivers Medical Center - 3.7 mi
- Fire station
- none within range
- Hardware store
- none within range
- Grocery
A & A Market - 3.8 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 83213).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Butte County, ID?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 21, 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.