Selling Your Home with Septic

In Summit County, any residential home that has a sewage treatment system (STS) or a private water system (PWS) is required to have an inspection prior to the transfer of the property. Approximately 2,600 homes in Summit County have private septic systems. And when one of these homes transfers ownership, an Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Use Permit is required. By being proactive and transparent about the septic system, sellers can instill confidence in potential buyers and streamline the selling process. A registered contractor must be hired to evaluate the system(s). Click Here To find out more about the OWTS Use Permits

What to expect during inspection

Make sure that there is access to the septic tank lids. If buried, lids will need to be uncovered prior to the inspection. Note that having the inspection while there is not snow on the ground is most ideal. The tanks can be burried under 5ft of snow or more during the winter, and make it costly to uncover. The inspection will take approximately 1-2 hours and the inspector will need access inside the home. The inspector will run water to test the flow rate of the PWS, as well as the functionality of the STS.  

Exemptions

Certain properties may be exempt from getting a POS inspection. All requests must be submitted by the buyer. The following situations may qualify for an exemption:  

• The STS or PWS had a POS inspection completed within the last two years

• The STS or PWS has been replaced within the last two years

• The buyer will abandon the STS/PWS and replace/connect to city water/sewer within 6 months

• If the property is exempt from the conveyance fee through the Summit County Fiscal Office

• An exemption application must be submitted for review. Please send completed application(s) to wqpos@schd.org

Private Point of Sale Inspections

When a private company completes the inspection, they will submit the inspection report to SCPH for review. SCPH will complete the review within 3 business days and will issue a Certificate of Transfer.