State guide
Florida
Florida’s onsite sewage program moved to DEP, but permitting and inspections still run through county health departments, with DEP directly permitting the Panhandle transition counties and Marion County. Applicants in county-health-department counties can hire a qualified private site evaluator or pay the county health department to do the site evaluation.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who regulates septic permits
- Florida’s onsite wastewater program is administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, while permitting and inspections continue through county health departments; DEP directly handles permitting in certain transition counties.
- Who can do the soil or perc test
- A site evaluation must be performed by a qualified professional; applicants may hire a qualified private site evaluator, or the county health department may perform the site evaluation for a fee.
- Official septic permit page
- Official page →
- State fee
- Not published by an official source we could verify. Ask the office.
Official resources in Florida
Explains which counties apply through DEP versus local county health departments and what documents are needed for an OSTDS permit.
Online application portal for counties where DEP is handling OSTDS permits and services.
Houses the current DEP 4015 construction permit form and related onsite sewage forms.
Directory of county environmental public health offices residents use for local septic permitting and records.
Official statewide CEHP page with the active CEHP listing; useful because OSTDS program staff are certified environmental health professionals.
Key facts for Florida
- DEP says county health department offices continue septic permitting and inspection under the 2020 Clean Waterways Act.
- DEP’s FAQ says applicants may hire a qualified private site evaluator, or the county health department can perform the site evaluation for a fee.
- As of January 2, 2025, DEP manages septic permitting in 16 Panhandle counties; Marion County transitioned July 1, 2025.
- DEP’s forms page includes DEP 4015, Application for Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System Construction Permit, updated June 2026.
- Florida law requires certification for people working within OSTDS programs as CEHPs.
County septic and soil-evaluation offices in Florida
| County office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Department of Health in Putnam County – Onsite Sewage Disposal Putnam | Palatka | 386-326-3200 | County page says county health department offices continue permitting and inspection for septic tanks and links residents to local bill pay. |
| Florida Department of Health in Suwannee County – Online Septic Search Suwannee | Live Oak | 386-362-2708 | Provides public access to applications, permits, site evaluations, inspections, and repair/existing-system documents. |
| Florida Department of Health in Marion County Marion | Ocala | 352-622-7744 | County contacts page lists the Marion environmental public health office; Marion is one of the counties DEP says transitioned for septic permitting. |
| Florida Department of Health in Lake County Lake | Tavares | 352-253-6130 | County contacts page lists the local environmental public health office residents use for environmental health services. |
| Florida Department of Health in Highlands County Highlands | Sebring | 863-402-6550 | County contacts page lists the Highlands environmental public health office for local contact on septic matters. |
| Florida Department of Health in Okeechobee County Okeechobee | Okeechobee | 863-462-5806 | County contacts page lists the Okeechobee environmental public health office for local septic-related inquiries. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Check DEP’s county table first so you apply to the right office before paying fees or ordering a site evaluation.
- If you use a private site evaluator in a DEP county, complete the site evaluation before uploading the permit application.
- For county-health-department counties, ask the local office for its total permit fee because DEP says local totals vary by services requested.
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 Florida's population center, for comparison only):
- Aiken Office, South Carolina · about 393 miles
- Orangeburg Office, South Carolina · about 394 miles
- Baldwin County Health Department Environmental and Vital Statistics, Alabama · about 407 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.DEP Onsite Sewage FAQ - Permitting
Website →Phone: (850) 245-2118 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Florida page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.