Septic rules in Shiawassee County
Shiawassee County's point-of-sale ordinance dates from a June 28, 2001 Board of Commissioners meeting, with inspections beginning in January 2002, and it reaches the tank as well as the paperwork. No one may sell, transfer or convey a parcel with an onsite system until the seller files an evaluation by a county-certified inspector and septage hauler and the department authorizes the transfer. An evaluation is needed unless certification was done in the previous 12 months, and if the tank has not been pumped within two years, servicing is required.
Exemptions include transfers between spouses, foreclosure, homes built in the prior 24 months, and a home where public sewer will be available within six months and the system is not failing. A failed system triggers a corrective plan within 30 days, work within 180 days and an escrow of one and a half times the cost. Inspectors must register, pay an annual $195 certification fee, complete $300 of county training and carry liability insurance, and the department will not accept reports from uncertified individuals.
The 2026 schedule lists $502 for a sewage-only evaluation by the department, $747 with well, $362 for a new septic permit, $243 for repair or replacement and $118 for a tank replacement. Installers register for $195. This describes the 2001 ordinance as the department posts it; we did not check later amendments, so ask whether it has been amended. Evaluation reports are public under FOIA. Owosso, with 85.8 percent of homes built before 1980, is the Shiawassee city here. See the sale guide.
The county's rules, line by line
- Who permits septic systems
- Shiawassee County Health Department, Environmental Health Division
- Governing code
- A Sanitary Code (ask the department for the text) and the county ordinance Regulations for the Inspection of On-Site Water and Sewage Disposal Systems at the Time of Property Transfer (adopted June 28, 2001)
- Inspection at sale
- Required. No sale, transfer or conveyance until the seller files an evaluation by a county-certified inspector and septage hauler and the department authorizes the transfer. Valid if certification was done within 12 months; the tank must be serviced if not pumped within two years. Failed systems: corrective plan within 30 days, work within 180 days, escrow of 1.5 times the cost.
- Permit steps
- Point of Sale page offers buyer and seller information, a request form, an inspector application and the list of certified inspectors; online fee payment.
- Installers and evaluators
- Point-of-sale inspectors must be registered ($195 certification, $300 training, insurance). Installers register ($195).
- Records
- Evaluation reports are public under FOIA and kept for as long as the property has a system plus 3 years.
- Still to confirm with the county
- The ordinance text is the 2001 version; later amendments were not checked.
Septic fees in Shiawassee County
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| New septic permit, conventional | $362 | 2026 schedule |
| Repair or replacement, existing development | $243 | Same schedule |
| Tank replacement only | $118 | Same schedule |
| Point-of-sale evaluation by the department, sewage only | $502 | Well and septic $747; plus a processing fee |
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.
What septic work costs
These are the Michigan-wide estimates from our model, not Shiawassee 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 Shiawassee County
These cities, each with 10,000 or more residents, follow Shiawassee County rules for septic. Each city page points back here.