Off-grid site report
Caroline County, VA
38.0237, -77.3404 · 217 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Caroline 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 rulesCaroline County, VA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedCaroline County has a countywide zoning ordinance adopted by the Board of Supervisors covering all unincorporated land, with districts like Agricultural Preservation and Rural Residential that govern land use, including raw-land occupancy. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Varies locallyManufactured homes have dedicated zoning districts and permit requirements, but no county-specific rule for tiny houses or long-term RV living was confirmed; the state baseline likely controls until you check with Planning & Community Development. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedThe county's Building Official enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code locally out of the Bowling Green office; this is a state code administered at the county level and applies to any permanent structure. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted through the local health department (Rappahannock Area Health District, Virginia Department of Health), requiring a perc test and individually designed system; installing one without approval is unlawful under county code. Composting toilets aren't addressed by county-specific rules, so the state VDH baseline should be presumed to apply. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Caroline County-specific greywater ordinance or health department guidance was found; ask the county health department (VDH Rappahannock Area Health District) about the state baseline rule that applies here.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance on rainwater harvesting was located; the state VDH baseline (small rain barrels generally exempt, larger systems requiring registration) is presumed to apply, but confirm with the county.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted through the local health department under the Rappahannock Area Health District, which evaluates and approves well construction, the same office that handles septic permits. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo standalone ordinance requires grid-electric hookup, but county permitting ties occupancy approval to septic and well sign-off, so fully off-grid water/waste setups without health department approval would not get a Certificate of Occupancy. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.9 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.4 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,331 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 43 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 13 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 4,419 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 17 to Oct 23
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center - 15.9 mi
- Fire station
Department of Fire Rescue and Emergency Management - 0.0 mi
- Hardware store
A&M Home Center - 1.9 mi
- Grocery
Food Lion - 1.9 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 22514).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Caroline 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.