Off-grid site report
Charles City County, VA
37.3869, -77.1573 · 98 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Charles City County, VA, 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 rulesCharles City County, VA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedCharles City County has adopted its own countywide Zoning Ordinance (Agricultural, Residential, and other districts), administered by the Department of Community Development. There's no unzoned land here; district rules apply. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyThe county requires construction to conform to the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and county zoning, but no county-specific rule on tiny homes or RV occupancy was found. This likely inherits the state baseline; confirm with the Building Official. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedBuilding permits are required and enforced locally under the state's Uniform Statewide Building Code by the county's Building Official Department, including for accessory structures like sheds and carports over a certain size. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted through Virginia Department of Health's Chickahominy Health District under state regulation, with an added county Septic System Control Ordinance layered on top, including periodic inspection requirements in Bay Preservation Areas. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific greywater rule was found; this appears to inherit Virginia's state-level greywater regulation administered through the Chickahominy Health District. Confirm specifics with that office. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Charles City-specific rainwater harvesting page was found. The state's VDH rainwater harvesting program, with tiered permitting, appears to apply by default. source
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells require a VDH permit before construction, alteration, or abandonment, administered locally by the Chickahominy Health District, which inspects for safe distances from contaminants before approval. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo explicit county rule requires grid electric connection, but the county will not issue a building permit without health department approval of sewage and water systems, making full off-grid self-sufficiency without approved septic/well impractical. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.0 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.7 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,393 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 46 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 4 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,150 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 29 to Nov 8
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center - 18.5 mi
- Fire station
Burrowsville Volunteer Fire Department - 2.6 mi
- Hardware store
Stony Counters - 11.2 mi
- Grocery
Food Lion - 9.3 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 23030).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Charles City County, VA?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 22, 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.