Do You Need a Septic Permit Before Building a Custom Home?

Building a custom home typically requires many permits, even if you are building on already developed land. If you are building on undeveloped land that lacks any sewer access, you may need additional permits than you originally bargained for.

You need a septic permit to add sewer access to an undeveloped plot of land. To get a septic permit, you need to have a soil evaluation performed and a percolation test. The results of these assessments influence the sewer system design, which is then submitted to your local municipality for approval. Homeowners should get septic permits first and include those permits in their applications for general construction permits before they can start building.

For custom home planning and building, reach out to Blythe Custom Homes today.

When Do You Need a Septic Permit Before Building a Custom Home?

Homeowners building custom homes need what feels like countless permits, some of which may be less obvious than others, depending on the amount of land preparation and development necessary for a custom build.

Generally, you need a septic permit if you are building a custom home on a piece of undeveloped land that does not already have sewer access. You may also need a septic permit for any detached accessory dwelling unit you add to a property later on to serve as an in-law suite, guest house, or even short-term rental opportunity.

Always ask your contractor about permit compliance and make sure all mandatory permits are obtained before work begins.

When Don’t You Need a Septic Permit Before Building a Custom Home?

Septic permits aren’t mandatory for all new custom builds, and we can explain whether it’s a necessary expense and item to check off the to-do list heading into the construction process.

If you are building a custom home on a piece of land that is already developed and has sewer access, or a pre-existing certified septic tank system suitable for your planned home size and the number of bedrooms, you may not need to apply for and obtain a septic permit.

Never assume you don’t need a particular permit before new home construction, and let our builders research and follow local permitting rules.

How Do You Get a Septic Permit Before Building a Custom Home?

There are several steps involved in obtaining septic permits, including soil evaluations and percolation tests. It can take some time for septic permit applications to be reviewed and approved, so keep that in mind when setting your target construction start date.

Soil Evaluation

One of the first steps involved in obtaining a septic permit is performing a soil evaluation on your lot. The soil test will evaluate the soil depth, chemical composition, different rock layers, and the water level, all of which is crucial information for running new sewer lines to an undeveloped piece of land.

Septic permit applications won’t be approved unless soil evaluations are included in the application, making them an essential step for homeowners building on totally undeveloped land.

A soil evaluation is important for other reasons, too, and can tell us what foundation type is best and what pre-construction land improvements are necessary.

Percolation Test

The next step is getting what’s known as a “percolation test,” which measures how well water drains through the soil so that the absorption drain field is ultimately the right size.

The absorption drain field is an essential part of a septic system that allows for safe and natural filtration of wastewater from a septic tank through underground trenches filled with small, crushed stone.

System Design

It is then time to design the septic system using all of the information from the soil evaluation and percolation test and following local building codes and rules for sewer and septic systems. The plans should be permit-compliant from the get-go so there are no issues obtaining approval after homeowners submit septic permit applications to their local municipalities.

Permit Request and Approval

Septic permit applications should include the results of all soil evaluations, percolation tests, and the final outline of the system design when they are submitted to a local municipality for approval. If system plans are code-compliant, a septic permit should be issued within the following days or weeks.

How Much Does it Cost to Get a Septic Permit?

In addition to the cost of installing sewer access and an entirely new system on undeveloped land, it’s important to consider the cost of simply obtaining the permitting approval you need to do so.

Soil evaluations and percolation tests can cost several hundred dollars each, and you need to complete both in order to get a septic permit. Then there are the permit filing fees, which can be even more expensive, depending on the scope of the project.

Why Do You Need to Get a Septic Permit Before Building a Custom Home?

Septic permits are among the first permits homeowners need to obtain before building custom homes, making them often integral to the process.

To Protect Health and Safety

Septic permits are mandatory for the health and safety of homeowners and their neighbors, ensuring wastewater doesn’t contaminate groundwater. Septic systems are typically permitted for a particular number of bedrooms, so consider adding a larger system if you plan to expand your home with an addition or accessory dwelling unit that would require plumbing.

To Obtain General Construction Permits

You cannot get the general construction permit you need to begin building a custom home without submitting a septic permit along with the application, if there is currently no sewer access to the property. Sewer systems must be fully designed and approved before you can make any meaningful progress toward construction.