Septic System Regulations in West Virginia

In West Virginia, onsite wastewater (septic) systems are regulated by West Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Office of Environmental Health Services (OEHS), Public Health Sanitation Division, 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 West Virginia

The state-level regulator is West Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Office of Environmental Health Services (OEHS), Public Health Sanitation Division (official program page). OEHS's Public Health Sanitation Division sets and updates statewide technical standards (64CSR47) and provides rule interpretation/technical assistance, but permitting, percolation testing, and final inspection of individual sewage systems are carried out by county health departments (county sanitarians) under state oversight; a West Virginia Sewage Advisory Board advises the Bureau's Commissioner on program issues.

The statewide onsite-wastewater code is cited as West Virginia Code of State Rules, Title 64, Series 47 (64CSR47, 'Sewage Treatment and Collection System Design Standards'); systems are also permitted/installed per 64 C.S.R. 9. 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 West Virginia; 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 West Virginia

Septic records in West Virginia 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 West Virginia yet; check with the county office listed on its records page below, or with West Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Office of Environmental Health Services (OEHS), Public Health Sanitation Division.

Counties in West Virginia we hold records for

We hold 450 septic records across 26 of 55 West Virginia counties. Each county page below shows exactly where its records are kept and how many we hold.

Full West Virginia county-by-county index · Open the parcel map

Common questions

Who regulates septic systems in West Virginia?

West Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Office of Environmental Health Services (OEHS), Public Health Sanitation Division. OEHS's Public Health Sanitation Division sets and updates statewide technical standards (64CSR47) and provides rule interpretation/technical assistance, but permitting, percolation testing, and final inspection of individual sewage systems are carried out by county health departments (county sanitarians) under state oversight; a West Virginia Sewage Advisory Board advises the Bureau's Commissioner on program issues.

What is the septic permit process in West Virginia?

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 West Virginia?

Certified Class I or Class II Sewage System Installer — certification requires passing an exam administered by OEHS/local health department; certifications are valid for five years. Contact: Office of Environmental Health Services, Public Health Sanitation Division (oehsphssewage@wv.gov).

How do I get septic records for a property in West Virginia?

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

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.