Installing or expanding a septic system on a property to serve a home or business requires a septic system permit (Improvement Permit and Construction Authorization) and final approval (Operation Permit) prior to receiving a certificate of Occupancy from Building Inspections.  See the steps below about applying for a septic system through Chatham County Environmental Health.  Professional Engineers or Licensed Soil Scientists can also issue septic system permits.

• Application 
• Fee
• Site Plan (Instrucciones en Español)
• Flood Plain Determination
• Stream Identification Form, from Environmental Services (if you are subdividing the property)
• Legal Representation Document, if applicable

New - Online Application and Payment Portal Link for Environmental Health

(Instructions for Creating an Online Application Portal Account)

2.  Once all the proper paper work and fee have been submitted  an appointment will be scheduled for the applicant and the appropriate Environmental Health Specialist to meet on the property. The applicant will need to know where the proposed house site is located and will need to be able to show the EHS where the property corners are. The applicant can request flagging to help mark house site location and property line locations.

3. If the soil is suitable for a septic system, the Improvement Permit will be issued and will be valid for 5 years. If you applied for a perpetually-valid permit, then a plat which meets NCGS 13A-334(7a) must be submitted to the Environmental Health Office within 30 days once the evaluation is complete. 

4. Applying for the Construction Authorization. When you are ready to build you must submit a Construction Authorization application. Submit the following:

• Application
• Updated Site Plan

5. Once all the proper paper work and fee have been submitted an appointment will be scheduled for the applicant and the appropriate Environmental Health Specialist to meet on the property.

6. The Construction Authorization will be issued and will be valid for 5 years from the date on the corresponding Improvement Permit.

7. The septic system can be installed at any time (depending upon the weather) once the Construction Authorization has been issued.

8. Once a certified septic contractor has installed the system and the EHS has approved the installation, the Operation Permit will be issued and the Building Inspections office will be notified that the septic system has been approved.

For more information, please contact our office.

NOTE:

If a newly constructed private drinking water well will be the water source for the affected property, the Environmental Health Specialist will also need to complete the well inspection including water sampling before the building inspections office will be able to schedule a building final.

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The Environmental Health Division can be reached from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at (919) 545-8460.