Septic rules in Macomb County
Macomb County's Environmental Health Services Division in Mount Clemens permits septic systems and has run a sale program since 2002. Under the county regulation, a property for sale that relies on a septic system or well must be evaluated before closing, for contracts entered on or after Aug 1, 2002. The owner is responsible, the evaluation comes from health department staff or a county-registered evaluator, and the report must reach the department at least five days before closing.
A report is valid for a year, and the tank must be pumped with the evaluator on site, but not within 30 days before the evaluation. A failed result does not block the sale: the county asks for a corrective plan and escrow, with repairs within 180 days of plan approval. Exemptions include connecting to municipal water and sewer within six months, a refinance only, and an evaluation within the prior 12 months.
The 2026 fee schedule lists $384 for a health department evaluation, excluding pumping, a $243 soil evaluation and $489 for a new septic permit. For new construction the soil evaluation comes first, through the county's online portal, with the applicant supplying the backhoe. Macomb has eight of our cities, from Warren and Sterling Heights to Mount Clemens. See the pre-sale inspection page and the county-by-county sale guide.
The county's rules, line by line
- Who permits septic systems
- Macomb County Health Department, Environmental Health Services Division, Mount Clemens
- Governing code
- Macomb County regulation on property transfers (in effect for contracts on or after Aug 1, 2002); the county pages do not name the septic code
- Inspection at sale
- Required before closing. Owner responsible; report to the health department at least 5 days before closing; valid 1 year. A failed result needs a corrective plan and escrow, repairs within 180 days of plan approval.
- Permit steps
- Soil evaluation first (online application, site plan, MISS DIG ticket, backhoe from the applicant), then the septic permit application with parcel ID, legal description and a professionally prepared site plan.
- Installers and evaluators
- County registers property-transfer evaluators ($220). No county installer or pumper license found.
- Records
- A homeowner pamphlet revised Nov 2023 lists failure signs.
Septic fees in Macomb County
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Soil evaluation | $243 | 2026 schedule |
| New septic permit | $489 | 2026 schedule |
| Repair permit | $150 | 2026 schedule |
| Health department transfer evaluation | $384 | Excludes pumping |
| Evaluator registration | $220 | Registered evaluators set their own fees |
Rules and fees change every year. Confirm with the health department before you rely on a line. "No rule found" means the pages and code we have say nothing on that line; it is not the county saying there is no rule. Use the county rules lookup to compare counties.
Septic services in Macomb County
- Septic pumping in Macomb CountyMacomb County requires the tank to be pumped with the evaluator on site, but not within 30 days before the evaluation.
- Septic inspection in Macomb CountyA Macomb County sale inspection is done by the health department for $384 or by a county-registered evaluator who sets their own fee.
- Drain field in Macomb CountyMacomb County permits start with a soil evaluation, and its isolation distances are a question for Macomb County's health department.
What septic work costs
These are the Michigan-wide estimates from our model, not Macomb County prices. The county's own permit and evaluation fees are in the table above.
| Job | Estimated range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Septic pumping | $255 to $810 | per visit |
| Septic inspection | $130 to $520 | per inspection |
| Drain field | $890 to $6,025 | per repair |
Estimates, not quotes. How we estimate costs.
All septic services
Cities in Macomb County
These cities, each with 10,000 or more residents, follow Macomb County rules for septic. Each city page points back here.