Septic System Regulations in Tennessee

In Tennessee, onsite wastewater (septic) systems are regulated by Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Water Resources, 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.

Who regulates septic systems in Tennessee

The state-level regulator is Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Water Resources (official program page). Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems (SSDS) are permitted directly by TDEC's Division of Water Resources through its regional Environmental Field Offices (not county health departments); a TDEC Environmental Scientist conducts the required site evaluation and the Division inspects each installation for compliance.

The statewide onsite-wastewater code is cited as Tennessee Code Annotated Title 68, Chapter 221, Part 4 (Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems). 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 Tennessee; 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 Tennessee

Records requests in Tennessee are governed by the Tennessee Public Records Act, which sets a response deadline of 7 business days.

Fees: statute references a "schedule of reasonable charges" for copies; exact TDEC rate not confirmed this pass

Counties in Tennessee we hold records for

We hold 225,264 septic records across 44 of 95 Tennessee counties. Each county page below shows exactly where its records are kept and how many we hold.

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

Common questions

Who regulates septic systems in Tennessee?

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Water Resources. Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems (SSDS) are permitted directly by TDEC's Division of Water Resources through its regional Environmental Field Offices (not county health departments); a TDEC Environmental Scientist conducts the required site evaluation and the Division inspects each installation for compliance.

What is the septic permit process in Tennessee?

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 Tennessee?

Subsurface Sewage Disposal System Installer Permit, required to construct, install, alter, extend, or repair an SSDS; expires Dec 31 annually, issued by TDEC Division of Water Resources

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

Records requests are governed by the Tennessee Public Records Act, with a 7 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.tn.gov/environment/permits/water/septic-systems-permits.html
• https://www.tn.gov/environment/permits/water/septic-systems-permits/ssp/permit-water-septic-system-construction-permit.html
• https://www.tn.gov/environment/permit-permits/water-permits1/septic-systems-permits/ssp/ssds-soil-consultant.html
• https://www.tn.gov/environment/permits/water/septic-systems-permits/ssp/wr-sds-active-installers-pumpers.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.