Who may replace a pump or float
On the owner-occupied single-family home you live in, you may replace the part yourself, subject to all permitting requirements. For paid work, it's a registered septic tank contractor or a plumber state-licensed under section 489.105(3)(m), and the plumber's exemption reaches only the registration.
DEP's FAQ warns that offering septic contracting without registration and business authorization can bring citations and fines.
A float switch in Florida: our range
The model's float switch range is $75 to $315 per float switch, an estimate, not a quote. It's a single national range, widened 15 percent each side and scaled by the servicer wage ratio of 0.91; no Florida company price for the job was there to count.
A pump has its own row. Neither one includes a permit fee, if the county charges one.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $75 to $315 per float switch | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Florida septic tank servicer wage ratio (0.91). Two Florida septic companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Florida company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Estimated range for a pump replacement, not a quote | $385 to $1,575 per pump replacement | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Florida septic tank servicer wage ratio (0.91). Two Florida septic companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Florida company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Servicer wage in Florida | $23.36 an hour | BLS, May 2025, Florida septic servicers; not the price of a part. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (1 source), adjusted by Florida's septic tank servicer wage ratio to the US (0.91, BLS May 2025). Not a quote. Two Florida septic companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. We have no counted Florida company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 24, 2026.
If the unit is aerobic
Rule 62-6.012 makes a current contract with an approved maintenance entity a condition of approval. That entity inspects the unit at least two times a year and reports to the department, so it's the first number to call when the alarm sounds.
In the Florida Keys, where central sewer was scheduled and the owner has paid a connection fee, the statute allows a holding tank, and that tank needs a high-water alarm.
Does swapping a pump need a permit?
Section 381.0065 requires a permit to repair or modify a system without naming pumps or float switches. So before the part is swapped, ask the county health department whether it treats the job as a repair, which comes with a 90-day permit.
Alarm signs that cannot wait
- The alarm is sounding and water is backing up into the house or standing over the tank.
- An alarm that has cleared after the water was used less and drains are normal.
Before anyone replaces a part
- Note when the alarm sounded and what was running at the time.
- If the unit is aerobic, find the maintenance contract and call the entity it names.
- Ask the company for its registration or plumbing license number before it starts.
- Ask the county health department whether the swap needs a permit.
Permit question for a pump swap
An aerobic unit already holds an operating permit, valid 2 years. Whether a pump swap adds a repair permit is the call of the county health department, or of DEP in the 17 counties it permits.
Questions people ask
Who can replace a septic pump or float switch in Florida?
A registered septic contractor, a state-licensed plumber, or you at your own owner-occupied home. Your owner exemption covers registration only, so the permitting requirements still apply to you.
My aerobic unit alarm is going off. Who do I call in Florida?
The maintenance entity named in your contract. Rule 62-6.012 requires the contract as a condition of approval, and the entity inspects the unit at least twice a year.
How much does a septic float switch cost in Florida?
The model's float switch range is $75 to $315 per float switch, an estimate and not a quote. It scales a national range by Florida servicer pay, and the pump is priced in its own row.
- s. 381.0065, F.S. (2025) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- DEP: Septic Contracting FAQ Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Rule 62-6.012, F.A.C. (flrules.org chapter file) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners (SOC 47-4071), Florida, mean hourly wage Read Oct 24, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners (SOC 47-4071), United States, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- SepticMatch: how we estimate costs, Florida (editorial policy) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- DEP: Onsite Sewage FAQ - Permitting Read Oct 24, 2026.