Off-grid site report
Marion County, FL
29.1610, -82.1750 · 85 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Marion County, FL, 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 rulesMarion County, FL
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyMarion County's Land Development Code sets zoning classifications with specific setbacks and permitted uses; whether raw-land living is allowed depends on the parcel's zoning district. Confirm with Growth Services Planning & Zoning. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedRVs are capped at five per Temporary Use Permit (six or more needs a Special Event Permit with health department sign-off) and code language limits using RVs as full-time permanent housing outside a park; certified manufactured homes are allowed by right in zones permitting residential use. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedMarion County Building Safety enforces the Florida Building Code for all permanent structures; no county-specific size or fee details were confirmed, so check with Building Safety directly. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedAs of July 1, 2025, Florida DEP directly issues OSTDS (septic) permits in Marion County, an exception to the usual county health department process used elsewhere in Florida. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Marion-specific greywater ordinance was found; the county appears to defer to Florida's statewide Building Code restriction limiting greywater reuse mainly to toilet/urinal flushing.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo official Marion County or state source specifically addressing residential rainwater cisterns was found; not confirmed either way.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedMarion County is a state-delegated county, meaning the county health department, not St. Johns River Water Management District directly, issues well construction permits. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo explicit Marion County ban on disconnecting from utilities was found, but required septic/building compliance means unpermitted off-grid setups could still draw code enforcement.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.6 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,541 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 51 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 809 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Feb 25 to Dec 7
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
HCA Florida West Marion Hospital - 2.1 mi
- Fire station
Ocala Fire Station Number 4 - 0.5 mi
- Hardware store
The Home Depot - 0.7 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 0.6 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 34474).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Marion County, FL?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.