Septic rules in Travis County
Travis County's fiscal year 2027 fee schedule, effective 2026-10-01, puts a Private Sewage Permit for up to 500 gpd at $819 per application, and $144 for each 500 gpd above that. An Engineered Construction Permit for up to 500 gpd is $1,452, with the same $144 step, and an Engineered Adjustment Permit is $575. Each septic row prints one amount, so the schedule doesn't split these fees between inside and outside the City of Austin's extraterritorial jurisdiction.
The smaller rows: a TCEQ state fee of $10 per application, a Maintenance Contract Fee of $287, and Septic Subdivision Review at $603 per plat, with $73 per lot over 4. A 30-day extension is $158. Septic Verification costs $106, and an OSSF inspection that isn't tied to a permit is $124. Travis County Transportation and Natural Resources, Development Services, takes residential and commercial applications on its online permitting platform, under types such as "Residential On-Site Wastewater." It answers at (512) 854-4215, and the permit desk is open Monday to Thursday, 9:00 to 2:00.
Aerobic or advanced treatment, or surface or drip irrigation, changes the paperwork. The residential checklist then asks for an Affidavit to Public for OSSF Requiring Maintenance, and a maintenance contract goes in with the application when maintenance is required. If your design uses one of those systems, have both documents ready before you start the online application.
The county's rules, line by line
- Who permits septic systems
- Travis County Transportation and Natural Resources, Development Services; (512) 854-4215; permit desk Monday to Thursday 9:00 to 2:00.
- Governing code
- Travis County Development Related Fees Schedule, FY2027, effective 2026-10-01 (OSSF block).
- Inspection at sale
- No rule found in the county's published code. The county's septic pages state no inspection rule for a sale or transfer. The state's Seller's Disclosure Notice, TREC form 55-1, only records whether the seller reports a septic system; it is a disclosure, not an inspection.
- Permit steps
- Apply through the online permitting platform (application types Residential On-Site Wastewater and Residential Development and On-Site Wastewater). Systems with aerobic or advanced treatment, or surface or drip irrigation, need an Affidavit to Public for OSSF Requiring Maintenance and, when maintenance is required, a maintenance contract.
- Still to confirm with the county
- The OSSF rows print one amount per row; the schedule's Outside / In City of Austin ETJ columns are not split for this block.
Septic fees in Travis County
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| TCEQ state fee | $10 | Per application; FY2027 schedule effective 2026-10-01 |
| Private Sewage Permit (up to 500 gpd) | $819 | Per application; $144 per 500 gpd above 500 gpd; FY2027 schedule effective 2026-10-01 |
| Engineered Construction Permit (up to 500 gpd) | $1,452 | $144 per 500 gpd above 500 gpd; FY2027 schedule effective 2026-10-01 |
| Engineered Adjustment Permit | $575 | FY2027 schedule effective 2026-10-01 |
| Maintenance Contract Fee | $287 | FY2027 schedule effective 2026-10-01 |
| Septic Subdivision Review | $603 | Per plat, $73 per lot over 4; FY2027 schedule effective 2026-10-01 |
| 30-day extension | $158 | FY2027 schedule effective 2026-10-01 |
| Septic Verification | $106 | FY2027 schedule effective 2026-10-01 |
| Non-permit-related OSSF inspection | $124 | FY2027 schedule effective 2026-10-01 |
Rules and fees change every year, so confirm a line with Travis County Transportation and Natural Resources 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 Travis 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.