Updated October 2026. Examples checked against county and state records pages.
Septic records are usually kept by your county or local health department, which issues the permit when a system is installed. Ask for the permit file and the as-built drawing, a map of how the system was actually installed. Many counties now let you search these online by address or parcel number. If the county has nothing, check your home purchase paperwork and ask septic companies that have pumped the tank. Homes built before permits were required may have no record at all.
The order matters because the health department file is the most complete record, and it’s often free. Each later source fills gaps the one before it couldn’t.
What a septic record shows
A complete file can answer most questions about your system without anyone digging:
| Record | What it tells you | Who usually has it |
|---|---|---|
| Installation permit | When the system was approved, its design capacity and the number of bedrooms it was sized for | Health department or state environmental agency |
| As-built (record) drawing | Where the tank, lids and drainfield actually are, with measurements from the house | Health department, the engineer or installer |
| Repair permits | Any drainfield replacement or major repair since installation | Health department |
| Inspection reports | Condition at past home sales or required inspections | Health department, past owners, your home inspector |
| Pumping records | How often the tank was pumped and how full it was | Septic pumping companies, sometimes the county |
Clallam County, Washington, describes an as-built as a drawing by a licensed engineer of how the system was actually installed, which can differ from the original design when site conditions forced changes. That is why the as-built, not the design plan, is the one you want.
Step 1: Contact your local health department
Call or email the environmental health office for the county where the house sits. In some places the office is part of a city, a regional health district or a state agency instead. In Florida, for example, septic permitting moved from the Department of Health to the Department of Environmental Protection on July 1, 2021, so older records may sit with one agency and newer ones with the other.
Have this ready so they can find the file quickly:
- The parcel number from your property tax bill
- The street address, plus any older address the house had
- The year the house was built
- Names of past owners, if you know them
Ask for “the septic permit file and the as-built or record drawing.” Records are generally public. Some counties charge a small copying fee; Clallam County provides septic records free to homeowners.
Step 2: Search county records online
Many counties have scanned their septic files. Search for “[your county] septic records” or “[your county] septic as-built.” Three examples show what these look like:
- King County, Washington has an online septic records search and a separate database for operation and maintenance reports.
- Clallam County, Washington lets you search by parcel number and open the as-built under the permit’s attachments.
- Sarasota County, Florida has digitized septic permits from 1972 to the present and posts them in a searchable database.
If nothing turns up online, don’t stop there. King County notes that some records are still on microfiche and not yet digitized, and that searching under the house’s original address can help.
Step 3: Check your own paperwork
If you bought the house in the last few years, the closing documents may already have what you need. Look through:
- The seller’s disclosure, which in many states asks about the septic system
- The home inspection or septic inspection report from the sale; see should you get a septic inspection when buying a home?
- Any binder of manuals, receipts or warranties the previous owner left behind
Step 4: Ask septic companies that serviced the tank
Pumping companies keep service records, and many note the tank location and lid depth. Call the local pumpers and ask whether they have your address on file. A receipt in the house, a sticker on the electrical panel or a neighbor’s recommendation can point you to the right company. In some Washington counties, pumpers and inspectors file reports in a shared online system that homeowners can search.
Need the tank found or pumped?
A local septic company can locate the tank, open the lids and pump it in one visit. Ask them to note the location for your records.
Calls are answered by a pay-per-call partner network that connects you with a local septic company. Calling is free; we may be paid for referrals.
Step 5: Try the building department, installer or engineer
If the health department file is missing, the city or county building department may hold a copy of the permit with the house’s original building plans. If you know who designed or installed the system, ask them too; King County suggests contacting the system’s designer for a copy of the record drawing.
What if there are no septic records?
It happens, mostly with older homes. King County says homes built before the early 1970s generally have no online septic record, and many records from before 1998 are less accurate or detailed. Clallam County’s records go back to 1968 but are most reliable for systems installed since the mid-1980s. Systems installed without a permit have no record at all.
Then the job becomes finding the tank yourself and starting your own record:
- Find where the main sewer line leaves the house, usually a pipe about 4 inches across in the basement or crawlspace, and follow its direction into the yard.
- Gently probe the ground along that line with a thin metal rod until you hit the tank top. Our guides cover how to find a septic tank, how to find the lid and using a metal detector.
- Have the tank pumped and ask the pumper to tell you the tank size and the number of lids.
- Measure from two fixed points, such as house corners, to each lid. Sketch it, photograph it and keep it with your house papers.
- Consider adding risers so the lids are at ground level next time.
Once you have a sketch, some health departments will add it to your property file. It costs nothing to ask, and it helps the next owner.
Quick answers
Are septic records public?
In most places, yes. Permits and inspection records held by a government agency are generally public records, so you can request them even if you are not the owner, such as when you are buying the house.
How do I know if my septic system is registered or permitted?
Ask the local health department to look up your parcel. If they have an installation permit on file, the system was permitted. If they don’t, it may predate permit rules or have been installed without one.
Why does the as-built not match what I find in the yard?
Older drawings can be rough sketches, and the house or yard may have changed since. Treat the measurements as a starting point and confirm by probing.
How often should I pump once I find the tank?
The EPA recommends pumping every 3 to 5 years for most homes and an inspection every 3 years. See how often to pump a septic tank.
Sources
- King County, Washington, On-site sewage system records (checked October 2026)
- Clallam County, Washington, Septic system as-built record drawings (checked October 2026)
- Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, Onsite sewage program (checked October 2026)
- U.S. EPA, How to care for your septic system