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Happy New Year!
The St. Louis County Onsite Wastewater Division wishes all of you a Happy New Year! What a year the 2025 construction season proved to be. It was another busy year with high permit activity.
Overall, the Division processed over 3,100 septic records. Of those, there were:
- 878 septic permits to construct
- 877 compliance inspections
- 184 new operating permits
- 374 operating permit renewals
In 2026, the Division is looking forward to improving our capacity to continue administering the septic permit program and to provide positive customer experiences.
Tank counts have also been completed. Installers may contact the Onsite Wastewater Division to verify the number of tanks installed during the 2025 construction season.
New 2026 Fee Schedule
St. Louis County Onsite Wastewater has updated its 2026 permit fee schedule. The fee structure remains the same, but you will see an approximate 4% inflationary increase in permit fees. We have updated our forms to reflect these new fees. Please visit the Onsite Wastewater web pages to access the updated forms.
County Forms and Submittal Requirements
To better serve you promptly with greater consistency and efficiency, Onsite Wastewater will require the use of our most up-to-date forms, including the SSTS application and design summary, the St. Louis County compliance inspection report, the MPCA compliance inspection report, and the operating permit renewal, among others. All updated forms have been uploaded to the Onsite Wastewater website for septic professionals to download. Additionally, Onsite Wastewater will require installer documents, such as as-built drawings, abandonments, and pressure tests, during the final inspection within the required time frames.
Below are a couple of essential requirements reminders for installation contractors:
- Ensure all work is carried out in accordance with the approved design report.
St. Louis County understands that during septic system construction, issues may arise that require altering the approved design. When this occurs, the County and the designer need to be notified before the alteration occurs so design changes and permit approvals can be made. Communication with the County and the designer will go a long way in preventing undesirable situations.
- Provide as-built drawings, in addition to other installer documents, if necessary, to the owner and local unit of government per required time frames.
As-builts are required to be submitted to St. Louis County. If you have any questions regarding this process, please call the County offices for clarification.
Point of Sale Requirements During the Winter Season
Please be mindful that frozen ground conditions apply to winter-season point-of-sale requirements. As a friendly reminder, if a system is over 10 years old and hasn't had a compliance inspection in the last three years, the following are required for point-of-sale transactions:
- Completed Transfer Agreement Form 3030
- Estimate from a licensed and certified installer for the replacement of the system
- Escrowing 100% of said estimate at the time of closing until conditions allow for a compliance inspection
IMPORTANT NOTE: If any questions arise regarding this process, we highly encourage you to contact the Onsite Wastewater Division to confirm the proper steps are being followed. This quick verification can prevent major issues for sellers, buyers, realtors, and closing agencies alike in the future.
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