Richmond · Columbia · McDuffie · Burke

Septic Permits in Georgia

County health departments, not a state portal. A twelve month clock, a twenty day decision window, and an inspection before you backfill.

County health

Issues the permit

12 months

Permit validity

20 days

Decision window

Before backfill

County inspects

The short answer

In Georgia, onsite sewage permits are issued by the county Board of Health rather than a state agency. Richmond, Columbia, McDuffie and Burke counties all fall under the East Central Health District, District 6, reachable at (706) 721-5800. A construction permit is valid for twelve months, the department has a twenty day decision window on a complete application, and the county must inspect the system before it is backfilled. There is no self-inspection option in Georgia.

The process, step by step

1
Application to the county
The application goes to your county Board of Health, not to a state portal. For the CSRA counties that is the East Central Health District, District 6.
2
Site evaluation
County environmental health staff evaluate the soil and site. Augusta sits on the Fall Line, so soil can change from Piedmont clay to Coastal Plain sand across surprisingly short distances.
3
Twenty day decision window
On a complete application the department works to a twenty day decision. Incomplete applications restart that clock, which is the single most common reason a Georgia build loses two weeks.
4
Design requirements
Tank sizing follows bedroom count, and Georgia adds fifty percent to the required capacity where the home has a garbage grinder. Two-compartment tanks are the standard.
5
Installation
Built to the approved design and to the setbacks the county requires.
6
County inspection before backfill
Mandatory, every job, no exceptions. Georgia has no equivalent of the South Carolina Tier 3 self-inspection provision. Cover the system before the county sees it and you will be uncovering it.

We do not publish Georgia permit fee figures on this page. We have not been able to verify them from a primary source, and putting a wrong number in front of a builder is worse than putting none. Call the district on (706) 721-5800, or call us and we will confirm before you budget.

What tends to go wrong

The twelve month clock

Pull the permit too early on a phased build and it expires before the house exists.

Incomplete applications

The twenty day window only starts on a complete submission. Missing information is silent time loss.

Backfilling before inspection

It happens, and it is expensive. The county has to see the system open.

Assuming South Carolina rules apply

They do not. Different issuer, different validity, different inspection, different tank rules.

Garbage grinders

Fifty percent additional tank capacity in Georgia. Easy to miss at design stage, impossible to fix cheaply afterwards.

Using a contractor licensed on one side only

Plenty of operators work one side of the river. If your project touches both, that becomes your problem to manage.

Georgia permit questions

Who issues septic permits in Richmond and Columbia County, Georgia?

The county Board of Health, operating under the East Central Health District, District 6. The district can be reached at (706) 721-5800. Georgia does not have a single state ePermitting portal the way South Carolina does.

How long is a Georgia septic permit valid?

Twelve months for a construction permit. South Carolina, across the river, allows five years.

How long does the Georgia permit process take?

The department works to a twenty day decision window on a complete application. Incomplete applications restart that clock.

Does the county have to inspect before backfill?

Yes, on every installation, without exception. There is no self-inspection provision in Georgia.

Does a garbage disposal change my tank size in Georgia?

Yes. Georgia requires fifty percent additional tank capacity where a garbage grinder is installed. South Carolina has no equivalent requirement.

What does a Georgia septic permit cost?

Fees are set by the county health district. We deliberately do not publish a figure here because we have not verified it from a primary source. Call (706) 721-5800 or ask us and we will confirm the current amount.

Are two-compartment tanks required in Georgia?

Two-compartment tanks are the standard specification. Your approved design will confirm what your specific property requires.

Can you file the Georgia permit for me?

Yes. We are certified in Georgia as well as Tier 3 licensed in South Carolina, and we handle the county process as part of the job.

Doing it yourself

You do not have to use a contractor to file. If you would rather handle it yourself, these are the official pages. They open in a new tab.