What does A-R zoning actually allow?
Much of rural Mohave County is zoned A-R (Agricultural-Residential). Under Section 15 of the county zoning ordinance, A-R permits single-family dwellings including site-built homes, manufactured homes, and factory-built buildings, plus light farming, gardens, poultry for domestic use, and home occupations. RV parks and manufactured home parks need special use permits. Other common rural zones (R-E Residential Recreation, and the R-RV zone built specifically around recreational vehicles under Section 24) have their own rules, which is why the zone lookup comes before the plan.
Can I live in an RV while building?
Yes. Under the county's general provisions (Section 37.K), a travel trailer or RV can be permitted as a temporary residence for one year in any zone while you build a permanent home, evidenced by your zoning permit for the build. Extensions can be granted by the Planning and Zoning Commission for good cause. The construction has to be real and moving; the RV permission rides on the building permit, not the other way around.
Can I live in an RV permanently?
Sometimes, depending on the zone. In A-R and R-E zones, an RV can be issued a zoning permit as a temporary residence for one year, renewable annually, which in practice is how many owners live long-term. The R-RV zone exists specifically for single-family RV living. What doesn't work is parking an RV on any parcel and calling it a residence without a permit; that's the situation code enforcement responds to. Rules and fees change, so before you buy a parcel around an RV plan, contact Development Services Planning & Zoning and confirm the current permit path for that specific zone.
What about septic, water, and solar off-grid?
Septic comes first. Once you're living on the parcel, the county requires an approved wastewater system; composting and portable toilets don't satisfy the requirement. A permitted conventional or alternative septic system is typically what turns camping into legal residence. (And when you eventually sell improved property, Arizona's septic transfer inspection applies.)
Water is your problem to solve, legally and practically. Wells, hauled water, and districts are covered in the water guide; none of them are forbidden, all of them take planning.
Solar is simply legal. There's no rule forcing a grid connection. Permanent structures still need building permits, and that's true whether they're powered by the grid or panels.
Skipping permits is the expensive shortcut. Unpermitted dwellings surface at sale time, in insurance claims, and in code-enforcement complaints from neighbors. Doing it right once is cheaper.
How to check a parcel's zoning in five minutes.
Keep going.
The land buyer's guide
Zoning is one of seven checks. Here's the whole picture.
Read the guide →Due-diligence checklist
Run every check, in order, before money moves.
Open checklist →Water on rural parcels
Wells, hauled water, and districts, compared honestly.
Check the water →Hiring for the build?
Check AZ ROC license status and red flags before you hire.
Contractor checklist →