Septic System Regulations in Alabama

In Alabama, onsite wastewater (septic) systems are regulated by Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), Bureau of Environmental Services, Division of Community Environmental Protection — Soil and Onsite Sewage Branch; licensing separately handled by the Alabama Onsite Wastewater Board (AOWB), which sets the statewide code, and permits are issued and inspections carried out by county or local health jurisdictions. Installing, replacing or repairing a septic system here means, in sequence: a site and soil evaluation, a design, a permit application, an inspection while the system is open, and a final as-built record once it is approved.

Who regulates septic systems in Alabama

The state-level regulator is Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), Bureau of Environmental Services, Division of Community Environmental Protection — Soil and Onsite Sewage Branch; licensing separately handled by the Alabama Onsite Wastewater Board (AOWB) (official program page). ADPH's Soil and Onsite Sewage Branch coordinates the onsite sewage program and sets statewide rules, but property owners obtain permits for new systems or repairs from their local (county) health department, which carries out permitting, site inspection, and approval. Licensing of installers and other onsite-wastewater professionals statewide is handled by the separate Alabama Onsite Wastewater Board (AOWB), created by statute in 1999.

The statewide onsite-wastewater code is cited as Alabama Administrative Code, Chapter 420-3-1 (State Board of Health Rules, Onsite Sewage and Disposal); Alabama Onsite Wastewater Board authorized under Code of Alabama 1975, Section 34-21A. We link the agency's own page above rather than restating specific numeric requirements from it, since those change by rule revision and by local amendment.

The permit sequence

The order of operations is broadly consistent across the country, even though the specific numbers in each step vary by state and often by county. None of the figures below are specific to Alabama; treat this as the shape of the process, and get the actual numbers from the agency linked above or from the county office.

1. Site and soil evaluation. A qualified evaluator (see licensing below) digs test pits or runs a percolation test, and records the soil profile, depth to seasonal water table, depth to any restrictive layer, and slope. This determines whether the lot can support a conventional system or needs an alternative design.
2. Design. Under most state codes, daily design flow is set from bedroom count, not square footage. That flow drives tank capacity, and the soil evaluation sets the drainfield application rate and therefore its size. The designer also lays out setbacks to wells, property lines, surface water, foundations and a reserve/replacement area.
3. Permit application. Submitted to whichever office issues permits here (state agency or county/district health office, per the delegation model above), along with the design and soil work.
4. Installation and open inspection. The installer builds the system, and it is inspected before backfill while it is still open to view.
5. As-built and approval. A final drawing of what was actually built is filed once the system is approved. That as-built is the document a future owner, pumper or inspector needs, and it is what ends up in the county record.

Who can design and install a septic system

Getting septic records in Alabama

Records requests in Alabama are governed by the Alabama Open Records Act, which sets a response deadline of 15 business days.

Fees: reasonable fee for copies/staff time; discretionary for standard requests, mandatory for time-intensive (>8hr) requests; in-person inspection free

Counties in Alabama we hold records for

We hold 325 septic records across 12 of 67 Alabama counties. Each county page below shows exactly where its records are kept and how many we hold.

Full Alabama county-by-county index · Open the parcel map

Common questions

Who regulates septic systems in Alabama?

Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), Bureau of Environmental Services, Division of Community Environmental Protection — Soil and Onsite Sewage Branch; licensing separately handled by the Alabama Onsite Wastewater Board (AOWB). ADPH's Soil and Onsite Sewage Branch coordinates the onsite sewage program and sets statewide rules, but property owners obtain permits for new systems or repairs from their local (county) health department, which carries out permitting, site inspection, and approval. Licensing of installers and other onsite-wastewater professionals statewide is handled by the separate Alabama Onsite Wastewater Board (AOWB), created by statute in 1999.

What is the septic permit process in Alabama?

The sequence is a site and soil evaluation, a design sized from the evaluation and (under most state codes) bedroom count, a permit application, an inspection before backfill, and a final as-built filed once the system is approved. Exact numeric requirements are set by the agency's own code, not restated here.

Who can install a septic system in Alabama?

AOWB-licensed installer (Basic Installer or Level I/II Installer license), issued by the Alabama Onsite Wastewater Board, which licenses over 1,200 persons performing onsite wastewater work in Alabama. Board site: https://aowb.alabama.gov/

How do I get septic records for a property in Alabama?

Records requests are governed by the Alabama Open Records Act, with a 15 business-day response deadline. Records themselves are generally filed at the county or district office that issued the permit, not the state agency; see the county's page for that county's specific portal or contact.

Sources

• https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/onsite/
• https://aowb.alabama.gov/
• https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/onsite/before-construction.html

Regulatory information on this page was researched against official state agency sources and last verified 2026-08-31. It is informational only: the agency linked above is authoritative, and requirements can change. We are not lawyers, not a government body, and not affiliated with, licensed or certified by any agency named on this page.