Septic System Regulations in New York

In New York, onsite wastewater (septic) systems are regulated by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Bureau of Water Supply Protection (state code owner); permits/inspections administered by county or multi-county Local Health Departments, 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 New York

The state-level regulator is New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Bureau of Water Supply Protection (state code owner); permits/inspections administered by county or multi-county Local Health Departments (official program page). NYSDOH owns the statewide design standard (10 NYCRR Appendix 75-A) and companion design handbook, but Local Health Departments (county or multi-county) administer permits and inspections in most of the state; counties may adopt stricter, but not weaker, requirements. NYC is a special case handled by NYC DEP, and larger (above ~1,000 gpd) or subdivision-scale systems fall to NYSDEC under 6 NYCRR Part 750 (SPDES) rather than the county-permitted Appendix 75-A track.

The statewide onsite-wastewater code is cited as 10 NYCRR Appendix 75-A ("Wastewater Treatment Standards - Residential Onsite Systems", within 10 NYCRR Part 75). 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 New York; 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 New York

Septic records in New York are generally held by the county or local health jurisdiction that issued the permit, not by the state agency, and are released under the state's public records law. We have not logged the specific statute name and response deadline for New York yet; check with the county office listed on its records page below, or with New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Bureau of Water Supply Protection (state code owner); permits/inspections administered by county or multi-county Local Health Departments.

Counties in New York we hold records for

We hold 2,941 septic records across 32 of 62 New York counties. Each county page below shows exactly where its records are kept and how many we hold.

Full New York county-by-county index · Open the parcel map

Common questions

Who regulates septic systems in New York?

New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Bureau of Water Supply Protection (state code owner); permits/inspections administered by county or multi-county Local Health Departments. NYSDOH owns the statewide design standard (10 NYCRR Appendix 75-A) and companion design handbook, but Local Health Departments (county or multi-county) administer permits and inspections in most of the state; counties may adopt stricter, but not weaker, requirements. NYC is a special case handled by NYC DEP, and larger (above ~1,000 gpd) or subdivision-scale systems fall to NYSDEC under 6 NYCRR Part 750 (SPDES) rather than the county-permitted Appendix 75-A track.

What is the septic permit process in New York?

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 New York?

No single statewide installer license; county/local health departments set their own septic installer certification or registration requirements (e.g., county-run installer certification courses), so requirements vary by county.

How do I get septic records for a property in New York?

Septic records are generally held by the county or district health office that issued the permit. See our county-by-county New York index for the specific office and portal in each county.

Sources

• https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/septic_systems.htm
• https://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/nycrr/title_10/part_75/appendix_75-a.htm
• https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-york/10-NYCRR-app-75-A-SS-75-A-8
• https://broomecountyny.gov/sites/default/files/dept/hd/pdfs/BCHD%20Septic%20System%20Installer%20Certification%20Course.pdf

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.