What Can You Live in on Your Property in Tennessee

A lot of people who want to live the off-grid dream are fatigued to Tennessee because of its long growing flavor, moderately-priced land and beautiful nature.

But, earlier yous wait for land in Tennessee, information technology's of import to understand what laws might go far the manner of off-grid living.

Tabular array Of Contents

1 Is Living Off-Grid Legal in Tennessee?
two All-time Places for Off-Filigree Living in Tennessee
- 2.1 Tennessee Zoning Laws and Off-Grid Living
- 2.2 Building Codes and Permits in Tennessee
- 2.3 Qualifying As a Subcontract in Tennessee
3 Off-Grid Electricity in Tennessee
four Off-Filigree Water in Tennessee
- iv.1 Surface Water
- 4.ii Well H2o
- 4.iii Rainwater
5 Sewage and Waste Removal
- 5.1 Graywater Recycling
- 5.ii Compost Toilets
- v.three Outhouses/Latrines
6 RVs and Tiny Homes

Related:

All States Off Grid Laws
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Is Living Off-Grid Legal in Tennessee?

With the exception of some urban places where building codes might brand it illegal, going off-grid is completely legal in Tennessee.

The biggest legal hurdles you are probable to encounter while going off-grid in TN is sewage hookup requirements and culling waste disposal systems.

Best Places for Off-Grid Living in Tennessee

Exterior of urban areas, it's fairly easy to become off-grid in any area of Tennessee. However, many areas of Tennessee have big problems with poverty, drug use (meth specially), and crime.

There are also occasional floods and tornadoes in Tennessee. Because of these issues, the Eastern office of Tennessee is considered best for going off-grid. You'll find many people living off-grid and laws friendly to the lifestyle.

Some practiced places to go off-grid in TN include:

Morgan County
Cannon Canton
Polk County
Chester Canton
Lawrence Canton (home to this eco community)

If you lot are looking for land in TN, you lot might want to check out the Knoxville Permaculture Guild and Homesteaders in Middle TN Facebook group for communication.

Tennessee Zoning Laws and Off-Grid Living

Zoning laws are local rules which dictate how you can use land. The rules typically regulate things like minimum plot sizes, whether y'all are allowed to farm, and what type of structures you can put on your land. Compared to other states, Tennessee has very relaxed zoning laws.

Many areas of Tennessee don't have whatever zoning at all, which essentially means you are gratis to employ the land how you want.

When it is in zoning, much of Tennessee land is zoned every bit "Agricultural" or "Rural." There are very few restrictions on how you tin apply this land. The only times yous are likely to encounter problems with zoning laws while trying to go off-grid is in urban areas or conservation areas.

Building Codes and Permits in Tennessee

One pleasant surprise virtually Tennessee is that many areas don't require building permits. For example, Morgan Canton doesn't require building permits for any structure (you always need a permit in TN for septic and grid-tied electric). Chester County also doesn't require building permits outside of cities.

Annotation, however, that you will withal be required to follow building codes even if a allow is not required. Tennessee uses the International Edifice Lawmaking which outlines basic rules (most common sense safety measures) for plumbing, electric, etc.

In areas of Tennessee where no building permits are required, you could always take a take chances and build a construction which isn't up to code. All the same, it'south a large risk: Local laws could change and suddenly you finish upward with inspectors at your door and facing steep fines if you don't go your building up to code.

Qualifying Every bit a Farm in Tennessee

The Agricultural, Wood and Open up Space Land Act of 1976 (aka Greenbelt Law) allows certain lands to exist taxed at their use value instead of marketplace value. This can salve you considerable amounts on belongings taxes.

To qualify as a farmer under the Greenbelt Law, you must accept:

At to the lowest degree 15 acres of land being put to agricultural use
A minimum gross income of $ane,500 from farming per year over any three consecutive year period

Forest and open-infinite land can also qualify under the Greenbelt Law.

In addition to this, Tennessee farmers likewise get a sales tax exemption. You can read about the requirements here.

Also read: How to Protect Your Holding with a Homestead Proclamation

Off-Filigree Electricity in Tennessee

In that location are no laws in Tennessee that prevent you from disconnecting from the electric grid.

However, Tennessee laws don't do much in encouraging people to go off-grid either!

In that location are currently no state revenue enhancement incentives or rebates for installing solar power. Solar panels are usually exempt from holding taxes in virtually states just this isn't the case in Tennessee: you'll be stuck paying higher holding taxes if your solar panels increment your habitation value.

At that place are some benefits for installing filigree-tied solar panels, such every bit the rebate and net-metering offered by Tennessee Valley Association.

Likewise Read:

Things You Larn by Living Without Electricity
Off-Gridder'south Guide to Solar Power
Off Grid Refrigerators

Off-Grid H2o in Tennessee

Nether Tennessee law, you lot practise not own the h2o on your country. Every drop of water – whether from the ground, surface or rain — belongs to the land. Despite this constabulary, y'all tin can by and large employ the water on your holding with very few restrictions.

Tennessee is considered a h2o-rich state, so the fact that you don't ain the h2o usually doesn't matter. Nevertheless, droughts are becoming more than common in Tennessee. While information technology hasn't happened notwithstanding, it is possible that the government might set water-employ restrictions during times of drought. There's also a longstanding battle almost water rights betwixt Tennessee and neighboring states.

You can read details about Tennessee water rights laws here, here and hither.

Surface Water

Even though the land of Tennessee owns the water, they still follow the rules of Riparian rights. You lot are legally immune to use the water on your property or its boundary, and then long as the water is put to "beneficial employ."

You lot are even allowed to change the course of the water so long as you do not hinder the water rights of other holding owners. When ii properties are bordered by a body of water such equally a stream, their rights become to the center of the stream.

What does this hateful?

Yous could divert a small amount of water to create a pond on your holding, irrigate crops, for hydropower, etc. Merely, if diverting the water caused your downstream neighbors to have less h2o, it would be prohibited. Basically, what would exist considered a "reasonable diversion" depends on how large the bounding main is and how many other people are using information technology.

If a dispute with your neighbors occurred over water-use, you'd likely have to settle information technology in court. In times of drought or when there isn't plenty water, "domestic use withdrawals" have priority under the law: the court could rule y'all and your neighbors can use the water for drinking/bathing/flushing toilets just not for irrigating commercial crops.

Navigable Waters

Surface water rights get more complicated when it's a navigable water. All navigable waters are considered "public highways" nether Tennessee law. They can exist used past anyone for fishing, canoeing, commerce, etc. This means y'all may not exist allowed to put up a fence on your property side by side to the waterway.

Instead of having riparian rights to the eye of the waterway, yous simply have right to the h2o downwards to its low watermark on your property.

Well H2o

Yous are allowed to drill a well on your holding in Tennessee. Water sampling is non required past the state. There are only a few restrictions:

The water must be put to "benign employ"
You lot must use a licensed well-driller
A permit is required for withdrawals of more than x,000 gallons per twenty-four hours

Rainwater

Rainwater harvesting in Tennessee is completely legal, even for potable utilise. Even the Nashville Music City Convention Center uses rainwater to flush toilets in the building. Note that, in many areas, you'll exist required to follow edifice codes pertaining to potable water if you want to use rainwater indoors or for drinking water. You can detect TN codes about rainwater systems here.

There currently aren't whatever statewide incentives for installing rainwater harvesting systems in TN. However, Chattanooga city does offer incentives (run across here) and Nashville has some green edifice incentives which could apply (encounter here). Let usa know in the comments department if y'all know of any other incentives for rainwater harvesting in TN!

Also Read:

How to Get Water When Living Off Grid
Rainwater Harvesting: Intro Guide
Choosing Rainwater Barrels 101

Sewage and Waste material Removal

Tennessee laws states that,

On any lot or premise accessible to the sewer, no other method of sewage disposal shall be employed.

This law means that, if you live somewhere nigh a sewer hookup, you lot volition not legally be able to become completely off-filigree. In some places, the sewer pecker is continued to the h2o bill. And so, yous might exist required to pay monthly water utility fees too – fifty-fifty if you are not using municipal water. Y'all can see Tennessee sewage disposal law hither.

Graywater Recycling

Graywater recycling is legal in Tennessee. Information technology is regulated under Tennessee plumbing code (see the section here). The police allows you lot to use graywater for irrigation. Y'all can even use graywater from urinals and toilets, but it must exist disinfected offset.

Compost Toilets

Compost toilets are legal in Tennessee and then long as they are an approved model. All the same, the law states that they "shall not be permitted for a facility where the facility has running water available unless in that location is an acceptable ways to dispose of wastewater."

Unless you are hauling buckets of well-water into your dwelling house (or some other way to keep running water out of your home), this police force means you won't legally be able to utilize a compost toilet without also installing septic or a complex graywater disposal arrangement.

Outhouses/Latrines

Outhouses are commonly non legal in Tennessee. Like with composting toilets, they are merely immune as the sole means of waste disposal when the home has no running water. Y'all'll even so need to get a permit and approval for the outhouse, which ultimately is up to local inspectors.

Also Read:

Off-Grid Waste matter Removal Systems Explained
Modern Outhouse Designs
How Composting Toilets Work
DIY Composting Toilet Instructions
Reviewed: Best Composting Toilets

RVs and Tiny Homes

Living in an RV or tiny home is somewhat legal in Tennessee. To be legal, the home ordinarily must be on a permanent foundation and have an canonical septic organization. Nevertheless, the rules are less strict in places without zoning.

As well Read:

Off Grid Homes that You Can Buy Today
ix Off Grid RVs Suitable for Bugging Out
1 Acre Homestead Plans
Prefab Tiny House Manufacturers

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Source: https://www.primalsurvivor.net/tennessee-off-grid-laws/