We have not verified a statewide law in Michigan requiring a septic inspection at the time a property transfers. That does not mean no requirement applies where you're buying: county and municipal time-of-transfer ordinances exist in various places around the country outside the states with a statewide law. Check the county page below, and ask the local health department directly — that is the authoritative source for a local ordinance, and this page is not.
No statewide Michigan law requiring septic inspection at time of transfer. Three states do have a real, verified one — Massachusetts, Iowa, and a waterfront-only law in New Hampshire — for comparison; Michigan is not one of them, at least not at the state level. A county or municipality in Michigan could still have its own ordinance we have not audited; the local health department for the specific county is the authoritative source.
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division - Onsite Wastewater Management Unit. See the full Michigan septic regulation page for the permit sequence and licensing.
Wherever you're transacting in Michigan, the septic permit or as-built (where one exists) is almost always held by the county or district health office, not the state. How to find septic records before closing covers how to pull it; below is the county-by-county index of what we hold for Michigan.
| County | Records held |
|---|---|
| Marquette | 34,498 |
| Washtenaw | 11,810 |
| Grand Traverse | 7,428 |
| St. Joseph | 4,904 |
| Hillsdale | 2,899 |
| Branch | 2,154 |
| Macomb | 105 |
| Arenac | 84 |
| Saginaw | 71 |
| Midland | 57 |
| Alger | 55 |
| Shiawassee | 51 |
| Tuscola | 38 |
| Alpena | 33 |
| Dickinson | 31 |
| St. Clair | 30 |
| Huron | 29 |
| Baraga | 25 |
| Kalkaska | 25 |
| Ottawa | 24 |
| Clinton | 22 |
| Alcona | 20 |
| Antrim | 18 |
| Barry | 17 |
| Chippewa | 8 |
| Lenawee | 8 |
| Cass | 7 |
| Kalamazoo | 6 |
| Ionia | 5 |
| Luce | 5 |
| Presque Isle | 4 |
| Monroe | 4 |
| Lake | 4 |
| Iron | 3 |
| Kent | 3 |
| Oscoda | 2 |
| Houghton | 2 |
| Gogebic | 2 |
| Delta | 1 |
| Genesee | 1 |
| Clare | 1 |
| Jackson | 1 |
| Manistee | 1 |
Full Michigan county index · Michigan regulations · Michigan septic companies · Open the parcel map
We have not verified a statewide law requiring one in Michigan. A county or municipal ordinance could still apply; check with the local health department where the property is located.
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division - Onsite Wastewater Management Unit
At the county or district health office that issued the permit, in almost every case. See the county-by-county index on this page for Michigan, and our general guide to finding records before closing.
Reviewed 2026-08-31 against the official sources linked above (where a source is cited) or, where none is cited, left deliberately general. Laws, lender overlays and local ordinances change; confirm current requirements with the county or state agency, your lender, and a licensed inspector before you rely on this for a closing.