Septic rules in Lake County
Lake isn't on DEP's list of the Panhandle counties and Marion where DEP permits septic systems itself, so permits here come from the Environmental Public Health Program of the local county health department, which also sets the total permitting fee, county fees included. DEP's Onsite Sewage Program sends a question that sits entirely within one county to that county's health department, and takes statewide questions at 850-245-4070. DEP's pages give no Lake County office number, so ask that statewide line for the Lake contact.
Clermont, Leesburg, Eustis and the other places over 10,000 people in Lake, 8 in all, count 185,891 residents. EPA's inventory shows Clermont East Water System serving 39,279 people from ground water; the inventory doesn't identify septic users. Where public sewer becomes available, state law gives the owner of a working septic system 365 days after written notice to connect, and an owner whose system needs repair or modification 90 days after notice from the department.
The county's rules, line by line
- Who permits septic systems
- The Environmental Public Health Program of the local county health department (DEP permits only in the Panhandle counties and Marion). No Lake County office contact appears in DEP's pages; DEP statewide Onsite Sewage Program: 850-245-4070, OSTDS_Feedback@FloridaDEP.gov.
- Inspection at sale
- The county says it has no such rule. The rule comes from the statute, not an ordinance: section 381.0065(4)(v), Florida Statutes, forbids a mandated point-of-sale inspection and keeps the permit with the title.
- Still to confirm with the county
- The county health department sets the total permitting fee, including any county fees. Sewer connection: 365 days after written notice for a working system, 90 days for one needing repair or modification.
Rules and fees change every year, so confirm a line with the health department before you rely on it. "No rule found" means the pages and code we have say nothing on that line, which isn't the same as the county telling you there's no rule. To compare counties, use the county rules lookup.
What septic work costs
These are statewide Florida estimates from our model, so they aren't Lake County prices; where the county posts its own permit fees, they are on this page.
| Job | Estimated range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Septic pumping | $230 to $730 | per visit |
| Septic inspection | $115 to $470 | per inspection |
| Drain field | $675 to $4,550 | per repair |
These are estimates, not quotes. How we estimate costs.