Is Collecting Rainwater Legal? Laws by State (2026)

Quick Answer

Collecting Rainwater is legal in 29 states as of 2026. It's restricted with conditions in 21. Laws vary significantly — what's perfectly fine in one state can carry criminal penalties next door.

29 Legal

21 Restricted

0 Illegal

Last verified: April 2026 · About our research

Collecting Rainwater Legality Map

Legal

Restrictions

Illegal

Unverified

All 50 States

State	Status	Summary
Alabama	LEGAL	In Alabama, collecting rainwater is legal and generally unregulated. There are no specific statutes restricting the capt...	Details →
Alaska	LEGAL	Alaska permits rainwater harvesting without restrictions. There are no state laws limiting the collection or use of rain...	Details →
Arizona	RESTRICTED	Arizona regulates rainwater harvesting under ARS § 45-1121, allowing limited collection of rainwater for certain uses bu...	Details →
Arkansas	LEGAL	Arkansas allows rainwater collection without restrictions. There are no state statutes limiting the capture or use of ra...	Details →
California	LEGAL	California encourages rainwater harvesting and has no restrictions on residential rainwater collection under California ...	Details →
Colorado	RESTRICTED	Colorado now allows limited residential rainwater collection after decades of prohibition. House Bill 16-1005 (2016) per...	Details →
Connecticut	LEGAL	Connecticut does not have laws restricting rainwater collection. Homeowners may collect and use rainwater without permit...	Details →
Delaware	LEGAL	Delaware permits rainwater harvesting without restrictions. There are no state statutes limiting the collection or use o...	Details →
Florida	LEGAL	Florida encourages rainwater harvesting and has no restrictions on residential rainwater collection under Florida Statut...	Details →
Georgia	LEGAL	Georgia allows rainwater harvesting without restrictions. There are no state laws limiting the capture or use of rainwat...	Details →
Hawaii	RESTRICTED	In Hawaii, collecting rainwater is generally allowed but regulated under the state's water rights system. According to H...	Details →
Idaho	RESTRICTED	Idaho allows rainwater collection but regulates water rights under the prior appropriation doctrine. According to Idaho ...	Details →
Illinois	RESTRICTED	Illinois permits rainwater collection for non-potable uses, but the practice is governed by state plumbing codes and a p...	Details →
Indiana	LEGAL	Indiana law does not restrict rainwater collection. There are no statutes or regulations prohibiting individuals from ha...	Details →
Iowa	LEGAL	Iowa permits rainwater harvesting without restrictions. There are no state laws prohibiting the collection or use of rai...	Details →
Kansas	RESTRICTED	Kansas regulates rainwater collection under its water appropriation laws. According to Kansas Statutes Annotated §82a-70...	Details →
Kentucky	LEGAL	Kentucky does not have laws restricting rainwater collection. Individuals may collect and use rainwater without permits ...	Details →
Louisiana	LEGAL	Louisiana permits rainwater harvesting without restrictions. There are no state statutes limiting the collection or use ...	Details →
Maine	LEGAL	Maine allows rainwater collection without restrictions. There are no state laws prohibiting or regulating rainwater harv...	Details →
Maryland	LEGAL	Maryland permits rainwater harvesting without restrictions. There are no statutes or regulations limiting the collection...	Details →
Massachusetts	LEGAL	Massachusetts allows the collection of rainwater without specific restrictions under state law. There are no statutes pr...	Details →
Michigan	LEGAL	Michigan permits rainwater harvesting without restrictions. There are no state statutes limiting the collection or use o...	Details →
Minnesota	LEGAL	Minnesota allows rainwater collection without state restrictions. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources encourag...	Details →
Mississippi	LEGAL	Mississippi does not have laws restricting rainwater collection. The state encourages water conservation, and rainwater ...	Details →
Missouri	LEGAL	Missouri permits rainwater harvesting without restrictions under state law. There are no statutes limiting collection or...	Details →
Montana	RESTRICTED	Montana regulates rainwater collection due to prior appropriation water rights. According to Montana Code Annotated § 85...	Details →
Nebraska	RESTRICTED	Nebraska regulates rainwater collection under its water rights system. The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources requ...	Details →
Nevada	RESTRICTED	Nevada restricts rainwater collection due to its prior appropriation water rights system. NRS 533.024 prohibits unauthor...	Details →
New Hampshire	LEGAL	New Hampshire allows rainwater harvesting without restrictions. There are no state laws prohibiting collection or use of...	Details →
New Jersey	LEGAL	New Jersey permits rainwater collection without restrictions. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection supp...	Details →
New Mexico	RESTRICTED	In New Mexico, rainwater harvesting is legal but regulated under the State Engineer's Office. The state allows limited c...	Details →
New York	LEGAL	New York permits rainwater harvesting without specific restrictions. There are no state statutes prohibiting the collect...	Details →
North Carolina	LEGAL	North Carolina allows rainwater harvesting without restrictions. The state encourages rainwater collection for irrigatio...	Details →
North Dakota	LEGAL	North Dakota permits rainwater harvesting without restrictions. There are no state laws limiting the collection, possess...	Details →
Ohio	LEGAL	Ohio allows rainwater harvesting without specific state restrictions. There are no laws prohibiting collection, storage,...	Details →
Oklahoma	RESTRICTED	Oklahoma permits rainwater harvesting but regulates it under the prior appropriation water rights system. Collection of ...	Details →
Oregon	RESTRICTED	Oregon allows rainwater harvesting but regulates it under the state's water rights system. Small-scale collection for do...	Details →
Pennsylvania	RESTRICTED	Collecting rainwater is legal with restrictions in Pennsylvania with no state-level restrictions. Pennsylvania does not ...	Details →
Rhode Island	LEGAL	Rhode Island allows rainwater harvesting without restrictions. The state encourages rainwater collection as a water cons...	Details →
South Carolina	LEGAL	South Carolina permits rainwater harvesting without restrictions. There are no state laws limiting the collection, posse...	Details →
South Dakota	LEGAL	South Dakota allows the collection of rainwater without specific restrictions. There are no statutes prohibiting rainwat...	Details →
Tennessee	RESTRICTED	Collecting Rainwater is legal with restrictions in Tennessee. There are no state statutes limiting possession or sale of...	Details →
Texas	RESTRICTED	Collecting Rainwater is legal with restrictions in Texas. 1421 which promotes rainwater collection. There are no restric...	Details →
Utah	RESTRICTED	Utah allows rainwater collection but with restrictions under the Utah Division of Water Rights. Collecting rainwater is ...	Details →
Vermont	LEGAL	Vermont permits rainwater collection without restrictions. There are no state statutes limiting possession or sale of ra...	Details →
Virginia	RESTRICTED	Virginia allows rainwater harvesting without state restrictions. There are no laws prohibiting possession or sale of col...	Details →
Washington	RESTRICTED	Washington State allows rainwater collection but with restrictions under the prior appropriation water rights system. Co...	Details →
West Virginia	RESTRICTED	West Virginia permits rainwater collection without specific restrictions. There are no state statutes limiting possessio...	Details →
Wisconsin	RESTRICTED	Wisconsin allows rainwater harvesting without restrictions. There are no state laws limiting possession or sale of colle...	Details →
Wyoming	RESTRICTED	Wyoming regulates rainwater collection under its prior appropriation water rights system. Personal rainwater collection ...	Details →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is collecting rainwater legal in the United States?

Collecting Rainwater is legal in 29 states as of 2026. It's restricted with conditions in 21. Laws vary significantly — what's perfectly fine in one state can carry criminal penalties next door.

How many states allow collecting rainwater?

As of 2026, collecting rainwater is legal in 29 states, restricted with conditions in 21 states. Use the map and table on this page to check your specific state.

Can you travel across state lines with collecting rainwater?

Crossing state lines changes which laws apply. If collecting rainwater is legal in your home state but illegal in the state you're entering, you can face criminal charges the moment you cross the border. Always check the laws of every state on your route.