Buying Land in Mohave County, AZ: Wells, Septic, Power

Before you buy vacant land in unincorporated Mohave County, Arizona, confirm five things: recorded legal access, a water plan (usually a private well permitted through the Arizona Department of Water Resources), a septic permit path through Mohave County Development Services, an electric provider that serves the parcel, and the flood zone. The seller must also give you an Affidavit of Disclosure under Arizona law. This guide covers Golden Valley, Kingman-area acreage, Fort Mohave and similar areas outside city limits.

What should be on my land due diligence checklist?

Work through these steps before your contingency period ends. All rules below are Arizona and Mohave County rules.

1. Read the seller's Affidavit of Disclosure as soon as you receive it.
2. Order a preliminary title report and look for recorded access easements.
3. Check road maintenance status on the Mohave County GIS map.
4. Confirm zoning and minimum lot size with county Planning & Zoning.
5. Check whether the parcel came from a legal land division.
6. Plan your water source: new well, shared well, or hauled water.
7. Have a county-approved site investigator evaluate the soil for septic.
8. Call the electric utility for the parcel and get a written line extension estimate.
9. Pull the FEMA flood map for the parcel.
10. Check the Treasurer's records for unpaid or delinquent taxes.

What does the Arizona Affidavit of Disclosure cover?

A.R.S. 33-422 covers sales of up to five unsubdivided parcels outside city limits. The seller must hand you a completed, notarized affidavit, sworn under penalty of perjury, no later than seven days before closing.

Expect questions on these topics, among others:

• Getting there: legal and physical access, and who maintains the road
• Water and waste: the water source (hauled water and shared wells included), any septic system and past perc tests
• Land and services: flood zone, utilities, and whether the parcel meets zoning and land division rules

After you receive it, you have five days to cancel the purchase. The seller records the affidavit along with the deed.

How do I confirm legal access and road maintenance?

Arizona law defines legal access as "a public right of vehicular ingress and egress" in A.R.S. 11-831. A dirt track across a neighbor's land is not legal access unless an easement or right-of-way is recorded.

A public road is not always a maintained road. Mohave County Public Works keeps up about 2,100 miles of road. It estimates there are more than 8,500 additional miles of public rights-of-way that the county does not maintain. On the county GIS map, grey marks paved county roads, orange marks unpaved roads the county maintains, and red marks private rights-of-way.

If your road is private or unmaintained, ask whether a recorded road maintenance agreement exists. The affidavit asks this too.

How do I get water on vacant land in Mohave County?

Most rural lots rely on a private well, a shared well, or hauled water.

Drilling a private well

You must file a Notice of Intent to drill with the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) before drilling. A licensed well-drilling contractor must do the work. The authorization is valid for one year.

A domestic well equipped to pump 35 gallons per minute or less is an "exempt well." The filing fee depends on the well type and whether you are inside an AMA or INA; it is listed on ADWR Form 55-40.

Mohave County requires at least 100 feet between your well and your septic system, and 100 feet from any neighbor's septic. It strongly recommends a 50-foot buffer from property lines.

Active Management Areas and the Hualapai Valley INA

ADWR's list of Active Management Areas as of November 2026 names eight: Prescott, Phoenix, Pinal, Tucson, Santa Cruz, Douglas, Willcox and Ranegras Plain. None is a Mohave County basin.

The Hualapai Valley Irrigation Non-Expansion Area is in Mohave County. It bars irrigating farm acreage that was not irrigated in the five years before October 12, 2022. A court invalidated it, but the Court of Appeals stayed that ruling on June 11, 2026, so ADWR says the restrictions remain in place.

Shared wells and hauled water

If the parcel shares a well, get a copy of the recorded shared well agreement. If water is hauled, the affidavit must say so. Price the hauling and storage tank into your budget.

How do septic permits work in Mohave County?

In unincorporated areas, septic permits come from Mohave County Development Services, acting for ADEQ. You get a Construction Authorization before work starts, the county inspects the finished system, and then it signs off with a Discharge Authorization.

Step one is a site investigation done by someone on the county's approved investigator list, with notice to the county two business days in advance. Per the county's notification form, the investigator must evaluate the soil; a perc test by itself is accepted only when the site has no limiting conditions.

As of November 2026, the county lists a residential conventional system permit at $518 and an alternative system at $940. Alternative systems are often needed where soils or groundwater are limiting.

Which electric company serves my parcel?

Two utilities serve much of the county. UniSource Energy Services names Kingman and Lake Havasu City in its service area. The City of Bullhead City lists Mohave Electric Cooperative as serving most of the city.

Service lines do not follow community names. For Golden Valley, Fort Mohave or remote acreage, call both utilities with the parcel number. Line extension costs vary widely with distance, so get a written estimate before you close.

What permits do I need to build?

Building, zoning and septic all run through Mohave County Development Services at 3250 E Kino Ave, Kingman, (928) 757-0903. The Building Division requires an approved septic system for any project with plumbing.

Planning & Zoning confirms the zoning and minimum lot size. Ask before you buy if you plan a manufactured home, a second dwelling, or animals.

How do I check the flood zone?

The Mohave County Flood Control District runs a FEMA map viewer searchable by parcel number. You can also make a FIRMette at FEMA's Map Service Center.

Zones A, AO, AE and AH carry a 1% annual chance of flooding. Zone D means no analysis has been done. Arizona requires structures in a Special Flood Hazard Area to sit at least one foot above the Base Flood Elevation. Call the district at (928) 757-0925.

What are wildcat subdivisions and lot splits?

In Arizona, dividing land into six or more lots generally makes it a subdivision that needs a public report from the Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE). Parcels of 36 acres or more are excluded under A.R.S. 32-2181.

Using a series of owners or deeds to dodge that rule is unlawful under A.R.S. 11-831. For you, the risk is practical. If a split lacked legal access or zoning compliance, the deed may note the deficiency, and the county can withhold building permits until the requirements are met. Check before you buy.

The county's illegal subdivision brochure lists warning signs: many lot splits in a short period, double escrows, cash earnest money, and unusually low down payments.

How do property taxes work on Mohave County land?

The Assessor sets values. The Treasurer collects taxes. The bill comes in two halves. Pay the first half by 5:00 p.m. on November 1 and the second by 5:00 p.m. on May 1 to stay current.

Anything paid late picks up interest at 16% a year. Ask escrow to confirm all prior years are paid at closing.

What are the biggest red flags on rural land?

• No recorded access. A parcel without a recorded easement or public right-of-way may be landlocked.
• Back taxes. Unpaid taxes can lead to a tax lien sale. Mohave County's 2026 sale covered parcels with 2024 and earlier delinquent taxes.
• Tax deeds. A county tax deed sale conveys a quit claim deed, as-is, with no warranty. A seller holding only a tax deed needs a close review by your title company.
• Lot splits with no history. Check the land division before you rely on getting a permit.
• Zone A or D flood mapping. Building costs and insurance may rise.

How Pleasant Hill can help

Our Kingman office works with land buyers across Mohave County. Search homes and land, get a free home valuation if you are selling first, or talk with Lana Stephens in Kingman or broker Dustin Bynum. You can also contact us with a parcel number.

General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Rules, fees and rates change; confirm with the agency linked above or ask us. Pleasant Hill Real Estate Group · CA DRE Corp. #01997374 · AZ Entity Lic. #LC694532000 · Equal Housing Opportunity.