Whether a new off-grid home can legally get its own water in Idaho: the state well and water-rights rules, then the 25 counties where a specific groundwater basin adds a catch — each cited to the state water agency.
Idaho water rules
Household well
Exempt — no permit or water right
Groundwater for domestic purposes up to 13,000 gpd is exempt from permitting; critical-area and moratorium closures generally target new PERMITTED (non-exempt) appropriations, so a household can still drill a domestic-exempt well even inside a critical groundwater area.
Limit: 13,000 gpd (homes, stockwater, irrigation of ≤0.5 acre) under Idaho Code 42-227
Actively managedBannock CountyMalad Valley Ground Water Management Area58
Actively managedBear Lake CountyBear River Ground Water Management Area60
Actively managedCaribou CountyBear River Ground Water Management Area62
Actively managedFranklin CountyBear River Ground Water Management Area64
Actively managedNez Perce CountyLewiston Plateau Ground Water Management Area60
ManagedBonner CountyRathdrum Prairie Ground Water Management Area61
ManagedKootenai CountyRathdrum Prairie Ground Water Management Area51
The Bolthole Index Letter
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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.