The septic permit process typically runs: soil and site evaluation, system design, permit application to the county or district health authority, installation, an open inspection before backfill, and a final as-built drawing submitted to close out the permit. Every step in that sequence produces or requires a document, which is why a permitted system generates a real paper trail and an unpermitted one does not.
The application itself typically requires the design (from the soil evaluation), a site plan showing setbacks and the reserve area, and payment of a permit fee, submitted before any ground is broken. The reviewing authority checks the design against code before issuing the permit, which is the point where an undersized or non-compliant design gets caught, ideally before installation rather than after.
The open inspection, done while the system is still uncovered, is what lets an inspector actually verify the tank, pipe, and dispersal layout match the approved design, since none of it is checkable once it’s backfilled. This step is why it matters to schedule installation with inspection availability in mind, rather than rushing to backfill before an inspector can get there.
The final as-built, submitted after completion and matching what was actually built (which can differ slightly from the original design), is the document that closes the permit and becomes the county’s permanent record — the same drawing every future pumper, inspector, or owner will rely on.
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The inspector verifies the tank, pipe, and dispersal layout as actually installed match the approved design, which can only be done before the system is backfilled.
A final as-built drawing submitted after installation, showing what was actually built, which becomes the county's permanent record for the system.
Guide last reviewed 2026-08-31.