What happens in a septic inspection, and what the report should tell you

By the SepticRated team · Facts checked against the sources listed below on November 1, 2026. General information, not professional advice.

Routine visit or full inspection

EPA's SepticSmart advice is to have a system inspected, in general every three years, by a licensed contractor, and its frequently asked questions recommend inspections every one to three years. A full inspection, as EPA describes it below, looks at the whole system, from the records to the drainfield, so ask what a visit includes before you book.

The checks EPA lists

EPA says that, in general, a septic inspection will involve:

• reviewing the permit, design and installation records, including the system's age
• reviewing pumping and maintenance records
• opening and inspecting all tanks: the septic tank, any pump tank and the distribution box
• evaluating the sludge and scum levels and deciding whether the tank needs pumping
• checking the effluent filter, if there is one
• looking for leaks, such as a low water level in the tank, and for signs of backups, such as staining in the tank above the outlet pipe
• checking the tank and the inlet and outlet pipes for damage and corrosion
• confirming that electrical connections, pumps, controls and wiring are intact
• possibly running a camera through pipes and leach lines to look for blockages or collapse
• checking the drainfield for signs of failure, such as standing water or uneven drainage, and possibly digging up parts of it
• checking the distribution box and whether the drain lines get equal flow
• reviewing water use records and any inspections, monitoring and reports required for local compliance

EPA's rule-of-thumb levels for when to pump are in our guide to how often to pump a septic tank.

Before the inspector arrives

• Gather the paperwork. Permit, design and pumping records are the first things on EPA's list. If you don't have them, the county health or environmental department can usually provide the as-built drawing; our guide to finding your septic tank lists where to ask in each of our areas.
• Know where the tank is. EPA's list includes opening all tanks, so knowing where the lids are saves time and digging.
• Clear access. Move anything parked or stored over the tank, the lids or the drainfield.
• Expect the lid to come off. The University of Arizona tells sellers to expect the tank lid to be removed during a transfer inspection.

Arizona: the home-sale inspection

Arizona requires an inspection when a home with a septic system changes hands. The rules are in Ariz. Admin. Code R18-9-A316, and the University of Arizona's extension guide for homeowners explains them:

• The inspection is required by state law and cannot be waived by the parties to the sale. The only exception is a system that has never been used.
• The seller must hire a qualified inspector within six months before the transfer. If the home hasn't sold within six months of the inspection, a new one is needed.
• Inspectors must hold a certificate from a course approved by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (which the university's 2018 guide says only the National Association of Wastewater Technicians provided) and a license in one of several categories, such as an Arizona-registered engineer or sanitarian, a septage pumper or certain registered contractors.
• The tank is normally pumped so the inspector can check its integrity. The exceptions are a system less than a year old, manufacturer instructions that say otherwise, or no accumulated waste.
• The inspector checks the soil treatment area for ponding and spongy or damp soil, and may run a camera through the distribution lines.
• The report should include a scale drawing of the system as installed, and it rates the system Functional, Functional with Concerns or Not Functional. There is no pass or fail.
• Repairs don't have to be done before the report is final; that is between buyer and seller. The report describes conditions on the day and doesn't guarantee future performance.

The University of Arizona says to expect the inspector to contact the county Environmental Health Department for the system's records, or to include a statement from the county that none are on file, and that permitting documents are public record. Before the transfer the seller gives the buyer the completed report and any permitting, operation and maintenance documents, and within 15 calendar days after the transfer the buyer files a Notice of Transfer, with its fee, under R18-9-A316. The fees and where to file are in our state rules guide.

Florida, Georgia and Suffolk County

In our other areas, local rules bring inspections and evaluations into play in other ways:

• Lee County, FL: for a home addition, the Department of Health office says its Existing System and System Repair Evaluation Form is not required if no bedroom is being added and the addition won't encroach on the existing system, but the form must be included when an addition adds a bedroom.
• Gwinnett County, GA: GNR Public Health publishes an Existing Septic System Evaluation Application. UGA says septic repairs in Georgia must be permitted and inspected by the health department, and GNR has required a Level 3 soil report for all septic permits, including repairs, since February 7, 2022.
• Suffolk County, NY: the Office of Wastewater Management's residential forms include a Certification of Existing Subsurface Sewage Disposal and Water Supply Facilities for a Single Family Residence (WWM-072).

Reading the report

A useful report should say what was opened and measured, what was found and what the inspector recommends, and it should match the checks above. If it recommends pumping, compare the sludge and scum measurements with EPA's trigger levels. If it finds damage or a failing drainfield, ask whether the repair needs a permit and who will apply for it; in Georgia, for example, UGA says repairs must be permitted and inspected by the health department. Keep the report with your records, since EPA's checklist starts with reviewing past records.

Common questions

Sources

• Frequent Questions on Septic Systems, US EPA
• SepticSmart homeowner tips flyer, US EPA
• Ariz. Admin. Code R18-9-A316, Transfer of Ownership Inspection
• What You Should Know When You're Having Your Septic System Inspected for the Transfer of Ownership Program, University of Arizona Extension az1554 (2018)
• Existing Septic System Application for Addition, Florida Department of Health in Lee County
• Septic Systems, GNR Public Health (Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale)
• A Beginner's Guide to Septic Systems, UGA Extension Bulletin 1421 (rev. 2024)
• Residential Permits, Suffolk County Office of Wastewater Management