Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 234

Is It Legal to Live Off the Grid?

Many years ago when I decided to live off the grid, everyone around me thought I was crazy. Fast forward 25 years and now everyone wants to know how it is that I do what I do. 

Living off the grid is now becoming an increasingly common choice for a long-term lifestyle. Just like anything else, it has it’s pros and cons but so does living in suburbia. 

One of the questions I most commonly encounter is whether or not it is legal to do so. I’ve certainly heard a read about a number of people that have ran into trouble with local authorities for just trying to live a simple life. 

So join me in this episode where I am going to discuss it it legal to live off the grid. 

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E235 Is It Legal to Live Off the Grid? 

In this episode I want to discuss why living off the grid is a growing movement. Despite that fact, there are some common misconnects about off grid living. Additionally there are some legal restrictions to deal with such as zoning laws which vary widely. Even with all of this to think about I want to explore where it is legal to live off the grid, what makes it possible and what to watch out for. If your goal is to live off the grid, what can you do to make that possible without running into legal issues.

Good News Story of the Week

This week’s story is about bullfrogs and turtles. 

Most of us likely have some concept of the impact on invasive species. On a global basis, human activity has introduced nearly 37,000 invasive species. These little aliens can have significant impacts on the environment, economy, and human health. Environmentally, invasive species can degrade wildlife habitats, outcompete native plants and animals, reduce biodiversity, and even cause the extinction of endangered species. 

But the good news is that when an invasive species is eradicated, the native species tend to return and thrive. Thus is the case with the American bullfrog and the northwestern pond turtle. 

The American bull frog is an invasive species and has essentially been introduced around the globe. The problem is that this frog is very large and it will literally eat anything that fits into its mouth. 

But in Yosemite National Park, the eradication of these frogs has lead to the return of California’s only native turtle species, the northwestern pond turtle. 

A UC Davis Ph.D. candidate, Sidney Woodruff, has been conducting research on whether bullfrog elimination could lead to a return of the pond turtle, or if their decline was a multifaceted event.

Between 2016 and 2022, Woodruff chronicled the life and times of bullfrogs and the northwestern pond turtles in four sites inside Yosemite National Park.

The study observed and documented the effects of bullfrog removal and proved conclusively that these big mouthed bullies had to croak before the peaceful turtle can return.

In ponds without bullfrogs, population counts were between twice and 100-times as high as ponds with bullfrogs. The eradication took a couple of years. But now the little turtles are finally thriving. This weeks round of applause goes to Sidney Woodruff for helping to save the northwestern pond turtle. 

And now let’s move onto to this weeks episode about the legalities of living off the grid. 

Since I’ve been living off the grid for over 25 years, I often question whether or not living off the grid was an easier option years ago when I made that choice and whether or not any one making a similar choice today would run into significant challenges.

Unfortunately I have known people and read news stories of people living off the grid and literally getting evicted off of their property. However, it is interesting to note that living off the grid is indeed a growing movement both in the United States and globally. 

When I made the choice to live off the grid it was not a popular thing and most people thought I was crazy. But I had, and still have, a strong desire to live as independently as possible, be as self sufficient as possible, and make my own choices. To some degree, my lifestyle is the very thing that made it easier for me to get completely out of debt. 

There is no doubt that living off the grid is a growing movement. In the United States and in Europe, the number of people living in off-grid communities has doubled over the past decade. Current estimates are that 180,000 families in the US live off the grid and globally the numbers are far greater. Additionally, the off-grid housing market is expected to double by 2030.

It is interesting to note that this off-grid movement is driven by several factors. 

-Economics of course plays a part, such as rising housing costs. One couple I came across that lives in Arizona was saving $2000/month by living off grid. There are two other couples that I am personally acquainted with in Colorado and have chosen to live in travel trailers because it is an inexpensive alternative to skyrocketing housing costs. A third couple that I know sold their house in town, bought a property with an established off grid cabin, and now have a simpler, debt free lifestyle.  

-Environmental concerns: The second reason I found for those choosing to live off-grid was environmental concerns. Many people are motivated by the desire to reduce their carbon footprint. Off-grid living often involves the use of renewable energy sources, especially solar, which of course contributes to a more sustainable lifestyle. 

-Self sufficiency: The third most common reason I found was the desire for self sufficiency. More people are looking for independence from traditional utilities as well as other constraints associated with modern society.

-Simpler way of life and connection with nature: A lot of people now have this desire to disconnect from mainstream, have a simpler way of life in a place with a stronger sense of community. 

Common Misconceptions About Living Off the Grid

Now before we go any further,  I feel as if I would be remiss if I did not address some of the common misconceptions about living off the grid. 

-Living off the grid means being self sufficient. In many ways, being off-grid depending on your location, does offer more opportunities to be self sufficient. We do in fact produce a great deal of our own food. However, we still have to go to the supermarket and we still have to leave home to work a regular job. 

-Living off the grid means greener living. This is another common misconception. Even if you live in the middle of no where, you still have an impact on the local environment, the local water shed, and regional wildlife. You might not be supporting the local utility company but you still purchase fossil fuels, drive a lot, waste food and produce other kinds of waste. I have certainly spoken before about the use of my vehicle being the single biggest impact I have because I live in the middle of no where. That said, I have managed to reduce my driving by as much as 60%. 

-Living off grid means not having modern amenities. This is certainly not true and how we live is a testament to that.  Many people think that living off grid means going back to the old ways. As I like to say, modern off grid living is a great combination between old country wisdom and modern technology. 

-Living off grid is cheap. To this I will say it can be but not necessarily. Certainly, in my opinion, living off grid is a more direct way to get completely out of debt. However, you still have to buy land, build a house, set up a power system, have a water system, put in a garden, perhaps build a barn for chickens, and have a sanitary way to deal with your waste. All of that costs money. My best recommendation is to start small, pay as you go, and you will eventually be debt free. 

-Living off grid means disappearing from society. Off grid living is often associated with disappearing ad prepping for the apocalypse. But most people, myself included, still work for a living, visit family and friends, and are a member of society. Granted, you might be living outside of main stream but living off grid does not mean you completely disappear. 

-Living off grid means living in a remote place. Granted, most people I know that live off grid are outside of a town. But that does not mean living remotely. Although our nearest supermarket is 20 miles away, our nearest neighbor is 1 1/2 miles away. 

-Living off grid is easy. This is certainly not true. It is easy to shop online for a house and finally decide “I want that one.” It is not easy to plan out and build an off grid house, set up a solar electric system, decide how you will heat and cool that house, and set up a septic. Managing most of your own resources is rewarding and gives you a great sense of personal security, but it is not necessarily easy. Yes it is easy to find a parcel of unrestricted land and park a camper or travel trailer on it and live off the grid. However, if you are planning on doing this long-term you need to think about establishing a decent standard of living. 

-Living off the grid is illegal. Actually it is perfectly legal to live off the grid anywhere you want, under certain conditions. 

One thing to understand is that globally 60% of people live in cities or in the suburbs. In the United States, that is as much as 80%. With that many people living close together, there has to be infrastructure to maintain sanitary conditions and a decent standard of living. Otherwise there would be trash and even human waste in the streets. That said, as a general rule, the more people you have around the more rules there are going to be in order to maintain specific standards. More often than not, people who live off the grid live in rural areas. 

The Basic Legal Considerations to Consider 

That said, if you want to do this, and do it right to make sure you stay out of trouble, there are certain basic legal considerations you are going to have to take into consideration. If you want to have a nice, quiet, peaceful existence, then make sure you stay legal. Here are some things to think about: 

Electricity: If you live in a residential area with an existing electrical connection, it may be illegal to disconnect from the power grid due to the local municipal code. However, that does not prevent you from installing solar and running your entire home off of renewable energy with battery back up. This way you stay legal but you are not dependent on the utility company. 

If you live remotely, your only choice may be a solar electric system. Stay away from homemade systems. The price of solar has dropped so dramatically over the last 10 to 15 years it is inexpensive to purchase quality products. 

Water: Quiet often in order to get a certificate of occupancy you have to have a water supply. That means being connected to municipal water or drilling a well. However, in some states it is acceptable to haul in water and dump it into a cistern. Not all states allow the collection of rain water. 

Sewage: Sewage and gray water disposal is another legality you may have to contend with. If you are not connected to municipal water or sewage then you will have to install a septic system. Typically this has to be done by a licensed contractor. 

Building and zoning codes: Building codes basically tell you how you can build your house. Zoning laws dictate how you can use your land. Such laws help to manage urban growth and development and make sure that land use is compatible and beneficial to the community. For example, if you purchased a nice piece of farm land you would not want an oil refinery built next door. 

In summary, rules and regulations about electricity, water, sewage, building and zoning codes are the biggest legalities you are going to have to face up to. What this means is that it is legal to live off the grid anywhere you want. But, with certain conditions. 

Where is it legal to live off the grid? 

Of course this begs the question of where can you really go to live off the grid and how do you do this? 

First off, to keep yourself out of trouble, before you decide to live in a specific area, check out the local regulations regarding the points mentioned above. As a general rule, the more rural you live the fewer the regulations and the easier it is to do whatever you want. Some rural counties have very little infrastructure, fewer people, a very small tax base, not to mention no one around to even enforce the rules if they are even in place. 

Most people I know that want to live off the grid also want to disconnect from modern society in some way. From a personal perspective, living in the middle of the forest and being able to pick and choose how I deal with the world is one of the things about my lifestyle that keeps me sane and in good health. 

That said, as I stated above, if you plan on living off the grid long-term you are going to have to establish a decent standard of living. And guess what that means. It means having an environmentally friendly form of power, such as solar. It means having access to clean, potable water and being able to properly dispose of your waste. It means having a safe place to live in that will stand the test of time. Consequently, considerations such as electricity, water, sewage, and decent, safe structure to live in are needed regardless of local laws. 

Where Can You Go? 

All of that being said, where can you go to live peacefully and legally off the grid? Well, the not so simple answer to that question is it depends.  

I’ve seen people’s homes get bulldozed due to their home being considered an illegal building.  I’ve seen people get evicted off their own land because they were living off the grid and drawing a lot of attention to themselves.  But I’ve also seen people build an off grid home without proper permits and live a quiet peaceful life for many years without being questioned by local authorities. 

So, once again, it depends. 

What this means is that you have to pick and choose carefully. Colorado, which is where I live, is one of the most friendly states when it comes to living off the grid. Arizona, Montana, Idaho, and New Mexico are much the same. The reason for this is that these states still have large areas with very few people and little or no infrastructure. If you build a home or a small cabin far from any infrastructure it may be that the only way to power your home is with an off grid electrical system. 

Some areas in Arizona have nothing but off grid houses and cabins. There may in fact be a central, community well where people fill up tanks and haul water back to their homes. Some counties in Montana don’t care much about what you build on your property because they don’t enforce building codes. But if you are going to live there your electrical system has to comply with local codes and you have to have a septic system professionally installed. 

The Bottom Line

You would think that we would all have the option of living off the grid if that is what we choose to do. Technically it is legal to live off the grid anywhere you want. But the caveat is rules differ depending on location. 

Consequently, you have to choose carefully. If you do not comply with local regulations it is entirely possible for the  “authority having jurisdiction” over your property to actually condemn your home. 

It’s absolutely crucial to research the county or township where you want to settle in order to avoid any legal issues surrounding electricity, water, waste disposal, and building and zoning regulations. I cannot say enough about due diligence. If you have questions then consult an experienced real estate attorney. 

States Friendly to Off-Grid Living 

-Arizona

• Looser zoning in rural counties
• Solar-friendly and water catchment allowed

- New Mexico

• Encourages sustainable homes
• Minimal building restrictions in rural zones

-Colorado (some counties)

• Park County & Costilla County are popular
• Must meet septic and building standards

-Montana

• Sparse population, self-reliant culture
• Limited enforcement in remote areas

-Missouri

• Few zoning restrictions in rural areas
• Allows alternative septic and power setups

The thing to note here is that these states combine relaxed rural laws, affordable land, and an openness to alternative energy. However,  it’s always county-level rules that matter most. For example, some counties in Colorado are very relaxed about living off the grid. Other counties in Colorado have bull dozed people houses because they built something without permission. 

If you want an off-grid property you are much better off looking in rural less developed areas with more relaxed rules and regulations. That is exactly what I did years ago and I am still there.

Final Tips for Going Off-grid and Doing It Legally

✅ Buy land in a rural or unincorporated area
 ✅ Check county zoning & building codes
 ✅ Use permitted alternative systems (solar, septic)
 ✅ Be prepared to explain your plans to inspectors

✅ Maintain at least basic code compliance even if you are aiming for total independence
 ✅ Join local homesteading/off-grid communities

The best way to avoid legal problems is to be proactive. In my opinion off-grid living is about building a life with more personal freedom. However, that still comes with some responsibility. While I do recognize that many of us get weary of rules, rules, rules. But, it’s important to know the law, follow the essential codes, and build a lifestyle that is in line with your values but also respects both the land and the law.