Off-grid site report
Tarrant County, TX
32.8814, -97.3839 · 787 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Tarrant County, TX, 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 rulesTarrant County, TX
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyUnincorporated Tarrant County has no zoning, per Tarrant County Engineering Services, but does enforce platting, floodplain, drainage, and lot-size rules. If the parcel is in a city's ETJ (Fort Worth, Mansfield, Haslet, etc.), that city can require its own clearance and effectively control land use. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Varies locallyNo residential building permit is required in unincorporated areas, but homes built for resale need a filed notice and inspection, and new construction since 2009 must meet the IBC unless an ETJ city's own code applies. Full-time RV or tiny-home-on-wheels residency is not addressed in official county sources, so treat it as unclear and confirm with the Fire Marshal or Engineering Services. source
Building permits & codes
Varies locallyThere's no general county building-permit office for single-family homes, but the Tarrant County Fire Code (since 2018) requires a construction permit for new commercial, public, and multifamily buildings in unincorporated areas. Residential builds are governed instead by the county's 2009 adoption of IBC standards. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedTarrant County Public Health administers OSSF (septic) permitting under state authority (TCEQ, Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 366). As of a November 2025 Commissioners Court order, new subdivided single-family lots must be at least one acre net of floodplain/drainage easements; composting toilets aren't separately addressed and likely fall under the same review. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo standalone county greywater ordinance was found; it appears folded into the OSSF/TCEQ permitting framework rather than treated separately. Confirm specifics with Tarrant County Public Health's Environmental Health Division.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county restriction on rainwater harvesting was found, and the Northern Trinity Groundwater Conservation District actively promotes rainwater collection as a conservation practice, consistent with the state's supportive stance.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedThe Northern Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, created in 2007, covers all of Tarrant County. Domestic wells under about 17.36 gallons per minute are exempt from permitting, metering, and fees, but registration is required, especially for wells drilled after October 1, 2010. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance requiring connection to electric, water, or sewer utilities was found for unincorporated areas. Any mandatory hookup requirement is more likely to come from a city's code if the property sits within its ETJ.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.6 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.5 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,565 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 38 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 2 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,338 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 12 to Nov 24
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Texas Health Heart & Vascular Hospital Arlington - 18.0 mi
- Fire station
Haltom City Fire Station 3 - 6.8 mi
- Hardware store
K C Enterprises Mobile Power - 7.0 mi
- Grocery
ALDI - 0.8 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 76131).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Tarrant County, TX?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.