Real-Estate Septic Inspection Checklist

Ask the seller, and ask the permit office for the official file on the system.Having these ready can answer buyer questions early.Keep these together so the next inspection, repair or sale goes faster.

• Septic permit and inspection records from the county health department (Florida DEP in Marion County) Most Florida counties' health departments issue septic permits on behalf of DEP; in Marion County, DEP has issued them directly since July 1, 2025. Some counties post records online. If the county office can't help, you can make a public records request to the Florida Department of Health.
• A site plan or permit drawing showing where the tank and drain field are Check that the permit matches the house as it is today.
• Pumping receipts, with dates and the company name
• Repair invoices, and the permit for any repair or replacement
• Past septic inspection reports
• The ATU operating permit and its expiry date In Florida an aerobic treatment unit needs an operating permit, valid for 2 years and then renewed.
• The current ATU maintenance contract and recent service reports The owner must keep a service agreement with a maintenance entity that inspects the unit at least twice a year, unless the owner of an owner-occupied single-family home is permitted to maintain it after manufacturer-certified training. Ask whether the contract can move to the new owner or a new one is needed.

Check each one once you have an answer.Have an answer ready for each one.Answers you will want on hand when you call a septic company or sell.

• When was the tank last pumped, and by which company?
• How big is the tank, and where are the tank and the drain field?
• Has the system ever been repaired or replaced? Was a permit pulled?
• Have there been backups, slow drains, odors or wet spots in the yard?
• Is it a conventional system or an aerobic unit?
• Who holds the ATU maintenance contract, and when was the last service visit?
• Has anything been built, paved or planted over the drain field?
• Is sewer available on the street, and has the county or utility said anything about connecting?

Confirm each item is in the quote, then tick it off when the report comes back.Confirm each item is in the quote, then tick it off when the report comes back.The EPA recommends inspecting a household system at least every 3 years, and alternative systems with mechanical parts generally once a year.

• Locating the tank and opening the lids
• Measuring sludge and scum
• Checking baffles, filter and drain field
• A written report
• Pumping, if included in the quote
• The aerobic unit: ask whether the inspector checks it, or whether its maintenance company should
• Asked the company: Will you pump the tank as part of the inspection?
• Asked the company: Will you check the drain field, or only the tank?
• Asked the company: What will the written report include?
• Asked the company: How soon will I get the report before closing?
• Checked that the company holds a Florida DEP septic contractor registration DEP has a public lookup for individuals and businesses.

General information, not legal advice. Ask your agent or attorney about your contract.General information, not legal advice. Ask your agent or attorney what you must disclose.General information, not legal advice.

• I know no government may require a septic inspection at sale in Florida State law says an inspection "may not be mandated by a governmental entity at the point of sale in a real estate transaction" (s. 381.0065(4)(x), F.S.). A buyer, a lender or the sales contract can still call for one; ask your agent or attorney.
• Asked my agent or attorney whether to make the sale contingent on a septic inspection
• Checked whether the property is in a springs protection area In some areas a repair must include an upgrade to a nitrogen-reducing system. In the Silver/Rainbow springs area (parts of Marion, Lake and other counties) that applies on any lot size; in Orange County's Wekiwa-Rock Springs area, on lots under 1 acre since March 1, 2025. Search the address on DEP's springs map, then confirm with the permit office.
• Checked the ATU operating permit is current and a maintenance contract is in place
• I know a septic repair usually needs a permit in Florida Routine pumping and replacing a broken lid don't count as repairs under Florida's septic rule.