Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-03
6 of Iowa's 99 counties — 6% — allow living in an RV on private land. That is the 11th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Jefferson County (77/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 444 counties nationwide → Iowa: no building codes → Iowa: no zoning → Iowa: no codes, no zoning → Iowa: owner-builder → Iowa: tiny homes → Iowa: no minimum home size → Full Iowa profile →
6 of 99 Iowa counties · sorted by Index score
Unincorporated Jefferson County: no county rule sets this, because Jefferson County's own reviewed answer confirms it has no county-wide zoning ordinance. Septic, floodplain, su…
Questions - Jefferson County Iowa Government ↗Unincorporated Des Moines County: no county rule sets this, because Des Moines County's own reviewed answer confirms it has no county-wide zoning ordinance. Septic, floodplain, …
Land Use Department - Des Moines County Government - Iowa ↗Unincorporated Taylor County: no county rule sets this, because Taylor County's own reviewed answer confirms it has no county-wide zoning ordinance. Septic, floodplain, subdivis…
Taylor County Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan 2022–2027, Planning Area Profile and Capabilities ↗Unincorporated Chickasaw County: no county rule sets this, because Chickasaw County's own reviewed answer confirms it has no county-wide zoning ordinance. Septic, floodplain, su…
Land Use Office - Chickasaw County Government - Iowa ↗Unincorporated Iowa County: no county rule sets this, because Iowa County's own reviewed answer confirms it has no county-wide zoning ordinance. Septic, floodplain, subdivision …
Zoning - Iowa County Government ↗Unincorporated Hamilton County: no county rule sets this, because Hamilton County's own reviewed answer confirms it has no county-wide zoning ordinance. Septic, floodplain, subd…
Services - Where Do I Go? ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Iowa state page for all 99 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these Iowa counties? The kit we'd start with:
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General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
