Off-grid site report
New Castle County, DE
39.6621, -75.5663 · 16 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for New Castle County, DE, 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 rulesNew Castle County, DE
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedNew Castle County administers its own zoning through the Unified Development Code and Chapter 40 of the county Code. Some districts like Suburban Estate anticipate septic/well setups, but occupying raw land without an approved structure isn't a recognized use. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedTiny homes appear to be treated as Accessory Dwelling Units requiring a foundation and full building code review; RVs and tiny houses on wheels appear restricted to licensed RV parks for full-time living. This isn't confirmed against exact ordinance text, so verify with Land Use. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedBuilding permits are required under Chapter 6 of the New Castle County Code, enforced by the county alongside the UDC. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedNew Castle County has no independent septic authority; DNREC's Wastewater Disposal Program regulates siting, design, and permitting statewide under Delaware code. Composting toilets as an alternative are not confirmed. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo New Castle County-specific greywater ordinance was found; this falls under DNREC's statewide onsite wastewater framework. Whether the county adds any further restriction is not confirmed. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedOrdinary residential rainwater collection appears unrestricted; the county's Drainage Code updates target larger-scale stormwater and land-disturbance projects, not typical rooftop rain catchment. source
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedDNREC's Well Permits Program issues well construction and use permits statewide and requires a licensed water well contractor; the county does not issue its own separate well permit. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo explicit county ban on off-grid living was found, but a Certificate of Use requires meeting building code, which practically assumes an approved water source and wastewater system. Full disconnection isn't confirmed as a legal path either way. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.7 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.2 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,345 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 43 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 20 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 4,819 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 8 to Nov 1
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Wills Eye Hospital - 29.4 mi
- Fire station
Deepwater Fire Department - 4.3 mi
- Hardware store
ICS - 4.5 mi
- Grocery
Food Lion - 3.4 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 19726).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
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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.