State guide
California
California uses a state policy framework, but permits are usually issued by local agencies such as county environmental health departments under the OWTS Policy and, where approved, local LAMPs. Because permitting is local, the most useful statewide page is the Water Boards contact list showing which county or city agency handles your area.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who regulates septic permits
- California's State Water Resources Control Board sets the OWTS Policy, while permits are generally issued and administered by local agencies such as county environmental health departments under local ordinances or approved LAMPs.
- Who can do the soil or perc test
- Who performs the percolation or soil work depends on the local agency; official county pages show local agencies review the work, while counties may require qualified professionals such as engineers, geologists, soil scientists, or registered environmental health specialists.
- Official septic permit page
- Official page →
- State fee
- Not published by an official source we could verify. Ask the office.
Official resources in California
Statewide policy page explaining the OWTS program, tiers, and local agency permitting role.
Official state list showing which local agency or regional board handles OWTS permitting by county and region.
Official policy PDF defining permits and statewide standards for siting, design, operation, and maintenance.
County example of an official public list of accepted septic designers and percolation professionals.
County example with OWTS construction application, submittal guidance, and local qualified-provider materials.
Key facts for California
- The State Water Board says the OWTS Policy authorizes local agencies, such as county environmental health departments, to issue OWTS permits.
- The statewide OWTS contact list tells residents to contact their local agency directly for permitting and case-specific questions.
- California's OWTS Policy defines a permit as a document issued by a local agency allowing installation and use of an OWTS.
- El Dorado County requires a site evaluation field report before a sewage-disposal permit application will be accepted.
- San Bernardino says percolation reports are completed by Engineers, Geologists, or Environmental Health Specialists.
- No statewide OWTS permit fee was found on the state Water Boards pages; fees are commonly set by local agencies.
County septic and soil-evaluation offices in California
| County office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Dorado County Environmental Management - Liquid Waste Disposal El Dorado | Not published* | Not published* | County program page for septic approvals, site evaluation forms, and inspection information. |
| San Bernardino County Public Health Environmental Health Services - Application for Percolation Review San Bernardino | San Bernardino | Not published* | Official county percolation-review application page for unincorporated-area OWTS work. |
| Riverside County Department of Environmental Health - Septic Systems Riverside | Riverside | 951-955-8980 | County septic page with OWTS construction application, submittal guidelines, and local office contact for land-use septic work. |
| Mendocino County Environmental Health - Land Use Mendocino | Ukiah | Not published* | County land-use page for septic permits and site-evaluation coordination. |
| Shasta County Environmental Health Division Shasta | Redding | 530.225.5787 | County environmental health page with online septic and well permit research and land-use review services. |
| San Luis Obispo County Environmental Health San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | (805) 781-5544 | County environmental health contact page residents use to reach the office handling septic-related environmental health questions. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Use the state contact list first to identify the exact county or city agency with OWTS authority over your parcel.
- Then check that local agency's LAMP, permit checklist, and accepted-professional requirements before ordering field work.
- Ask the local agency whether they publish an accepted designer or percolation-tester list; some counties do and some do not.
Not seeing your county office or county?
Not every county office publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from California's population center, for comparison only):
- Southern Nevada Health District, Residential ISDS Permits, Nevada · about 225 miles
- Nye County Building and Safety Department, Nevada · about 225 miles
- Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, OSDS Program Coordinator, Nevada · about 251 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.California State Water Board OWTS Policy page
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the California page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.