Since zoning is not covered in an abstract of title or title insurance policy, you will have to do some research on your own to ensure that the land you want to acquire is in an area that allows for the activities you want and prohibits those you want to avoid.

All zoning regulations for a particular area are kept by the county board of supervisors, the zoning commission, the planning commission, or the building inspector. In Nevada, its the zoning commission. Ask to see the master plan of the entire area so you can determine the direction of future development. To determine the zoning for a specific parcel of land, you should have its legal description, which you can get from the seller or real estate agent. You might then have to see the tax assessor and the the tax or parcel number for the land. In Nevada, it’s the Assessors Parcel Number or APN.

Zoning restrictions to be aware of:

Seasonal Dwelling Restriction: Some secluded area are zoned for second-home summer use only.

Number of Homes Permitted: Most rural areas restrict the number of homes that can be built in an area. For example, only one dwelling will be permitted for every 20 acres of land, or one dwelling per parcel, regardless of size.

Minimum Size of a Parcel for a Dwelling: No home can be built on a parcel of less than a specified minimum area.

Prohibition of Further Subdividing: Your parcel might already be a size that prohibits further dividing. If you plan to split off and sell a parcel to raise money to pay for your remaining parcel, be sure the zoning will allow for this.

Floodplain Zoning: An area with a history of flooding might be zoned as a floodplain on which all home construction is prohibited.

Trailers & Mobile Homes: Zoning laws often prohibit the use of mobile homes, trailers, buses, and vans for dwellings.

As always, do your zoning research for rural land before pulling the trigger.

Since Zoning is not covered in an abstract of title or title insurance policy, you will have to do some research on your own to ensure that the land you want to acquire is in an area that allows for the activities you want and prohibits those you want to avoid