Septic System Regulations in Arkansas

In Arkansas, onsite wastewater (septic) systems are regulated by Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), Environmental Health Services, Onsite Wastewater Program, which issues onsite wastewater permits directly. 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.

counties

with records we hold

1,049

records held statewide

3 bus. days

records-request deadline

Who regulates septic systems in Arkansas

The state-level regulator is Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), Environmental Health Services, Onsite Wastewater Program (official program page). ADH's Onsite Wastewater program sets statewide policy and directly reviews/permits systems, with Environmental Health Specialists staffing county health department offices as ADH's own local presence (rather than independent county-government health departments); ADH issues both the construction permit and the operation permit for onsite systems.

The statewide onsite-wastewater code is cited as Arkansas State Board of Health "Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems" (Arkansas Administrative Code, Agency 007, Division 04, Rule 007.04.19), adopted under Act 402 of 1977, as amended. 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 Arkansas; treat this as the shape of the process, and get the actual numbers from the agency linked above or from the county office.

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.
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.
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.
Installation and open inspection. The installer builds the system, and it is inspected before backfill while it is still open to view.
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

Design	"Designated Representative" license issued by ADH: applicant must be a registered professional engineer, registered land surveyor, licensed master plumber, registered sanitarian, or other similarly qualified individual (e.g., soil science background), and must demonstrate competency and pass an ADH licensing exam to design systems, conduct percolation tests, and perform final inspections.
Installation	Licensed Septic Tank Installer (or "Advanced Septic Installer" for more complex systems), licensed by ADH after passing an examination administered by a committee of Registered Professional Sanitarians employed by the Department, per Act 402 of 1977.

Getting septic records in Arkansas

Records requests in Arkansas are governed by the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, which sets a response deadline of 3 business days.

This state's public records law is residency- or citizen-gated: some offices will only accept a request from a state resident, so an out-of-state requester may need a local proxy. We record this because it changes how you should actually file the request, not to discourage it.

Fees: actual reproduction cost + mailing; no statutory per-page cap found

Counties in Arkansas we hold records for

We hold 1,049 septic records across 1 of 75 Arkansas counties. Each county page below shows exactly where its records are kept and how many we hold.

County	Records held
Benton	1,049

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

Common questions

Who regulates septic systems in Arkansas?

Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), Environmental Health Services, Onsite Wastewater Program. ADH's Onsite Wastewater program sets statewide policy and directly reviews/permits systems, with Environmental Health Specialists staffing county health department offices as ADH's own local presence (rather than independent county-government health departments); ADH issues both the construction permit and the operation permit for onsite systems.

What is the septic permit process in Arkansas?

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 Arkansas?

Licensed Septic Tank Installer (or "Advanced Septic Installer" for more complex systems), licensed by ADH after passing an examination administered by a committee of Registered Professional Sanitarians employed by the Department, per Act 402 of 1977.

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

Records requests are governed by the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, with a 3 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

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.