Off-grid site report
Page County, VA
38.4849, -78.6253 · 948 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Page 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 rulesPage County, VA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedPage County has countywide zoning (Chapter 125 of the county code), and it only allows one permitted principal residential structure per lot or tract of land. Confirm your parcel's zoning district and any current updates with the Page County Zoning Office. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedRVs, travel trailers and motor homes can sit on a lot without a separate placement permit as long as they carry current DMV registration and inspection, but since only one principal residence is allowed per lot, an RV likely can't function as a legal second dwelling. Tiny homes on foundations would follow the state's Appendix Q baseline, but Page County specifics aren't confirmed, so check with the Building Inspections Department. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedPage County has adopted the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and issues permits through its Building Inspections Department, but health department (well/septic) approval and a zoning permit must be secured before a building permit is issued for new construction. Reach out to the Building Inspections Department to walk through the sequence for your project. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems, including composting toilet/privy setups classified as Type IV under state rules, are permitted through the Virginia Department of Health, and that VDH permit must be obtained before Page County will issue a building permit. The Page County Health Department (540-743-6528) handles this locally. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyI couldn't find a Page County-specific greywater ordinance, so this falls back on Virginia's state VDH greywater regulations. For how that's applied locally, it's worth calling the Page County Health Department directly. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyVirginia has a state-level rainwater harvesting permitting and registration framework through VDH, but no Page County-specific rainwater ordinance or process turned up in official sources. Check with the Page County Health Department or VDH directly for how the state rules apply to your setup. source
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedPrivate wells need a VDH permit before a building permit will be issued, and Page County zoning adds a wrinkle: wells in Commercial, W-C, and Agricultural districts must be Class III 'B' and keep a fifty-foot setback from property lines next to larger agricultural parcels, though a variance route exists through the Board of Zoning Appeals or Health Department certification. Confirm details with the Page County Zoning Office and Health Department. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Page County ordinance was found requiring hookup to grid electricity, so going off-grid on power itself doesn't appear barred. That said, your water and septic systems still need VDH health department approval before you can get a building permit, so off-grid electric alone won't get you out of that step; not separately confirmed for solar or generator-only setups.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.9 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.7 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,369 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 54 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 6,525 (cold)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Sentara RMH Medical Center - 13.6 mi
- Fire station
Shenandoah Fire Dept - 0.1 mi
- Hardware store
R. L. Hensley Inc. - 0.1 mi
- Grocery
Food Lion - 5.6 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 22849).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Page 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.