Septic inspection checklist for Texas home buyers

This is general information from Texas agencies, not legal advice. Ask your agent and your local permitting authority about your property.

What the state does and does not require

• TCEQ says a mortgage company may require a septic evaluation before a sale, but TCEQ does not require or regulate that evaluation. (TCEQ OSSF homeowners)
• Under Texas Real Estate Commission standards, a home inspector does not have to inspect a private sewage system. If they agree to, they must report the type of system, where the drain field is, and visible problems like surfacing effluent or broken aerators. They are not required to dig up the system. Ask in writing for anything more.

Before the option period ends

1. Find your permitting authority with TCEQ's authorized agent lookup. In most East Texas counties this is the county, outside city limits.
2. Ask for the permit file and approved plans. They show the system type, tank size and the number of bedrooms it was designed for.
3. Find out if the system is conventional (tank and drain field) or aerobic (control panel, air pump, sprinkler heads).
4. For an aerobic system, ask for the current maintenance contract and recent service reports. A homeowner must keep a contract with a licensed maintenance provider for the first two years, and after that either keep one or maintain it personally where the county allows.
5. Ask the seller when it was last pumped, by whom, and about alarms, backups or repairs.
6. If you are adding a bedroom or a second home, ask if the system is permitted for it.
7. Hire a licensed pro to evaluate it. Licensed maintenance providers and site evaluators are listed by county.

After closing

• TCEQ says to notify your permitting authority that you are the new owner.
• TCEQ recommends pumping a conventional tank every three to five years.

Check any license holder with TCEQ's license search and any home inspector with TREC's license search.