The research framework
An off-grid property is a chain of permissions.
Use these ten investigations to assemble a property decision: what to obtain, who to ask, and which assumptions to test before committing to the land.
For worked examples, system comparisons and worksheets, use the practical home and land guides alongside these approval questions.
May I live here?
Land use & residential eligibility
Can the parcel legally support the residence and occupancy you have in mind?
Begin with the parcel number and the intended residential use. Ask planning to identify the governing boundary, current zoning, legal-lot status and overlays on the same map. A mailing address or acreage figure is not enough to establish which rules apply. Describe the number of homes and whether occupancy will be permanent, seasonal or temporary.
Evidence to collect
- A parcel and jurisdiction map, with the current use table and definitions.
- Written planning guidance identifying any discretionary approval and its application process.
Ask the responsible office or adviser
For this parcel and dwelling, which residential use is allowed, and what approvals must precede a building application?
Watch for: Treating “unrestricted” in a listing as a documented land-use determination.
- Investigate a property before buying
- Arizona: land and building authority
- Oregon: investigate land use first
Private restrictions & legal access
Deeds, covenants, easements, road duties, and enforceable private rules.
Build a second file for recorded documents. Request the title commitment and copies of the instruments it references, then compare easements with the survey and the actual route to the home site. Send questions about enforceability or the scope of an access right to a qualified local attorney. Keep construction access, everyday access and road maintenance in the same investigation.
Evidence to collect
- Deed, title exceptions, recorded covenants, easements and any association documents.
- Survey and written road or shared-system agreements, including cost allocation.
Ask the responsible office or adviser
Which recorded rights let me reach, build on and service this site, and which documents limit the proposed dwelling or utilities?
Watch for: Assuming a visible road or an open gate establishes a permanent access right.
- Assemble the title and access file
- Colorado: access and winter logistics
- Texas: overlapping property controls
Building permits & legal occupancy
The approvals, inspections, and final sign-off required before move-in.
Ask for the entire approval sequence before commissioning final plans. Separate land use, structural review, electrical and plumbing work, wastewater approval and the final permission to occupy. For an existing house, investigate the approved use and records of alterations. Ask the responsible office to explain missing records rather than assuming age establishes approval.
Evidence to collect
- A permit list naming each office, adopted code edition, amendments and required design information.
- Inspection records and the certificate or other document the authority requires before occupancy.
Ask the responsible office or adviser
Which approvals and inspections must be completed before this specific dwelling can be occupied?
Watch for: Treating a permit exemption for one kind of work as permission to live in the finished structure.
- Inspect an existing home and its records
- Oklahoma: building and trade authority
- Cochise County: owner-builder pathways
Dwelling types & minimum standards
How the law classifies cabins, tiny homes, manufactured homes, and more.
Give the reviewer the manufacturer, model, dimensions, chassis or foundation design, certification and proposed use. A marketing description such as “tiny cabin” leaves too much unspecified. HUD’s homeowner resources explain the certification labels used for manufactured homes. Identify the actual category before researching placement. Match the construction documents to the unit being purchased.
Evidence to collect
- Plans or manufacturer documentation, certification labels and installation specifications.
- Written confirmation of the dwelling classification, placement rules and site-work approvals.
Ask the responsible office or adviser
How does your office classify this exact structure, and what is required to place and occupy it on this lot?
Watch for: Paying a nonrefundable dwelling deposit before confirming the unit can be placed on the property.
- Choose the correct dwelling approval path
- HUD: manufactured housing homeowner resources
- Texas: manufactured-home pathway
How may I live here?
RVs, camping & temporary living
Where storage ends and residential occupancy begins.
Describe actual overnight use: who will stay, for how long, in what vehicle, with which hookups, and whether a permitted construction project is active. Request separate answers for storage, visiting, recreational camping and living while building. Include where wastewater will go and what happens if construction pauses or the temporary permission expires.
Evidence to collect
- The local use definition, applicable duration limit and any temporary-use approval.
- An accepted water and wastewater plan, renewal conditions and an exit plan.
Ask the responsible office or adviser
May these occupants stay in this RV for these dates, and what construction, sanitation and renewal conditions apply?
Watch for: Using an RV storage allowance or a campsite rule as evidence for year-round residence.
- Separate RV storage from residential occupancy
- Cochise County: a local RV case study
- Build a precise occupancy brief
Water supply & water rights
Whether wells, rain, hauled water, springs, or shared systems can work.
Keep five questions separate: legal use, permission to develop the source, dependable quantity, quality and acceptance for the dwelling. Ask for evidence for the driest or highest-demand period, not just a successful test on one day. EPA places responsibility for safe household well water on the private well owner; include testing and treatment in the operating plan.
Evidence to collect
- Source rights or supply agreement, well and permit records, yield information and laboratory results.
- Demand estimate, storage and backup plan, and the approval office’s source requirements.
Ask the responsible office or adviser
What proof of source, quantity and quality will you accept for this residence, and what must be filed before drilling or installation?
Watch for: Treating a neighboring well or a tank on the property as a guaranteed approved supply.
- Plan water demand storage and backup
- Arizona: water sources and proof
- EPA: private drinking water wells
Wastewater & sanitation
Septic, alternative treatment, toilets, graywater, and disposal.
Investigate the soil and disposal area before fixing the dwelling footprint. Show every wastewater stream, including sinks, bathing and laundry, to the permitting office. For an existing system, compare its approved capacity and layout with the proposed household and any additions. EPA’s buyer guidance recommends an inspection before purchasing a home served by septic.
Evidence to collect
- Site evaluation, system design, construction and operating records, plus inspection findings for an existing system.
- A layout showing setbacks, any replacement area and access for maintenance.
Ask the responsible office or adviser
Can this site support the complete wastewater flow from this dwelling, and which approval is needed before work starts?
Watch for: Assuming a composting toilet resolves disposal of the rest of the household wastewater.
- Account for the whole wastewater system
- Arizona: account for every drain
- EPA: homebuyer’s septic guide
Power, heating & utility obligations
Independent systems, permits, connection rules, and mandatory charges.
Define whether the home will remain connected, operate entirely independently or use a backup source. Then take the proposed electrical, battery, heating and fuel layout to the relevant reviewers. Investigate water and sewer connection duties separately from electricity. The utility guide below includes specific Arizona and Texas examples and a request you can send to the responsible office.
Evidence to collect
- A load and seasonal supply assessment, equipment layout, permit list and inspection sequence.
- Written utility service conditions, applicable tariff or fee schedule, and any connection or disconnection decision.
Ask the responsible office or adviser
Can this dwelling receive occupancy approval with these independent systems, and which connections or charges remain required?
Watch for: Assuming solar installation permission also establishes permission to disconnect every utility.
- Build an electricity load list
- Power and utility obligations: evidence guide
- Compare the same project in Arizona and Texas
Will it keep working?
Site constraints & practicality
Flood, fire, slope, soil, access, climate, and year-round resilience.
Put the proposed house, access, water, sanitation, energy equipment and fuel storage on one site plan. Overlay the survey with the hazard and jurisdiction maps identified by the state guide. Use maps to direct field investigation; then commission the surveys, soil work or engineering needed to resolve actual conditions. Test delivery and maintenance access as well as everyday access.
Evidence to collect
- A coordinated site layout with easements, setbacks, drainage and identified hazard overlays.
- Site-specific investigation and estimates for access, earthwork, mitigation and seasonal maintenance.
Ask the responsible office or adviser
Which constraints affect this layout, what field evidence is required, and is enough usable area left for all systems?
Watch for: Comparing total acreage while ignoring the small area where all required components can fit.
- Investigate the site as one layout
- Florida: groundwater and coastal constraints
- Alaska: remote-site logistics
Required costs & ongoing obligations
Fees, inspections, service charges, maintenance, and renewals.
Build a budget from this site’s approval path and written estimates. Separate acquisition, investigations, design, construction, recurring charges and future replacements. Record what each quote excludes and how long it remains valid. Model a difficult first year as well as normal operation: a delayed permit, poor well yield or major access work can change the decision.
Evidence to collect
- Dated fee schedules and quotes with assumptions, exclusions, payment stages and expiration dates.
- A recurring-cost schedule for taxes, insurance, roads, utilities, testing, maintenance and replacement reserves.
Ask the responsible office or adviser
What must I pay before occupancy, what continues each year, and which unresolved conditions could change those amounts?
Watch for: Treating the land price plus equipment prices as the complete cost of an inhabitable property.
- Build the project and ownership budget
- Build the property budget checklist
- Compare evidence and stop conditions
From framework to evidence
Use the state guide to find the next authority.
These are due-diligence prompts, not a nationwide permit checklist. The linked state guides and official resources explain their own scope. Take your exact plan and parcel details to the office responsible for each decision, then save the response with the source and date.
Editorial guidance updated September 27, 2026. Federal resources linked here were checked on that date; state guides show their own source dates.
Find your state guide →