Septic rules in Bell County
Since 2024-09-01, Bell County rejects a septic application that arrives without its affidavit already recorded with the County Clerk. The original, in wet ink, goes to the Clerk first, with a $10.00 filing fee; the Clerk's office is at 254-933-5160. The Bell County Public Health District, Environmental Health, runs the program from 4236 Lowes Dr., Temple 76502, at 254-532-9800. Its fee revision of May 15, 2024, in force since 2024-09-01, lists $610 for a standard single-family system and $710 for a professional design.
Non-single-family runs $810 for 0 to 1,249 gpd and $910 for 1,250 to 4,999 gpd. Design reviews, initial or additional, are $150, as is a partial inspection the installer asks for. Some charges are set as a share of the permit fee. Repairing existing treatment or disposal costs half the current permit fee, and new treatment or disposal costs the full fee. A failed inspection costs half the permit fee.
An unpermitted installation costs double. Contract verification is $20 per contract year, and a subdivision evaluation is $100 and $20 per lot. The same sheet lists a $200 real estate inspection, one the district performs for a sale. The sheet doesn't say a sale requires it, so it's an inspection a buyer or seller can choose to order from the district.
The county's rules, line by line
- Who permits septic systems
- Bell County Public Health District, Environmental Health, 4236 Lowes Dr., Temple 76502; 254-532-9800.
- Inspection at sale
- No rule found in the county's published code. The district's fee sheet lists a $200 real estate inspection that it performs for a sale, but the county's septic pages state no rule requiring one.
- Permit steps
- Since 2024-09-01 every affidavit must be recorded with the County Clerk (original wet-ink, $10.00 filing fee, 254-933-5160) before the septic application is submitted; applications without the recorded affidavit are rejected.
- Still to confirm with the county
- Alteration or repair of existing treatment or disposal is one half the current permit fee and new treatment or disposal the full fee; a failed inspection costs one half the permit fee; an unpermitted installation costs twice the permit fee.
Septic fees in Bell County
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Single family residential, standard | $610 | Revision May 15, 2024, effective 2024-09-01 |
| Single family residential, professional designs | $710 | Revision May 15, 2024, effective 2024-09-01 |
| Non-single-family, 0 to 1,249 gpd | $810 | Revision May 15, 2024, effective 2024-09-01 |
| Non-single-family, 1,250 to 4,999 gpd | $910 | Revision May 15, 2024, effective 2024-09-01 |
| Initial and additional design reviews | $150 | Revision May 15, 2024, effective 2024-09-01 |
| Partial inspection at installer's request | $150 | Revision May 15, 2024, effective 2024-09-01 |
| Real estate inspection | $200 | Revision May 15, 2024, effective 2024-09-01 |
| Maintenance inspection / contract verification | $20 | Per contract year; revision May 15, 2024 |
| Subdivision evaluation | $100 | Plus $20 per lot; revision May 15, 2024 |
Rules and fees change every year, so confirm a line with the Bell County Public Health District 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 Texas estimates from our model, so they aren't Bell County prices; where the county posts its own permit fees, they are on this page.
| Job | Estimated range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Septic pumping | $300 to $600 | per visit |
| Septic inspection | $110 to $455 | per inspection |
| Drain field | $690 to $4,650 | per repair |
These are estimates, not quotes. How we estimate costs.