State guide
Indiana
Indiana’s residential onsite sewage program is locally permit-driven: the Indiana Department of Health sets statewide standards, but local health departments issue most residential permits. Indiana’s current residential rule requires an on-site evaluation with a soil profile description before permit issuance or replacement/alteration of a soil absorption system.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who regulates septic permits
- Indiana Department of Health sets statewide onsite sewage standards, while local health departments issue most residential onsite sewage permits and review residential applications; IDOH also reviews commercial systems and certain delegated technologies.
- Who can do the soil or perc test
- Indiana’s current residential rule requires the soil profile to be described by a soil scientist, and counties commonly direct applicants to use an Indiana Registered Soil Scientist for the required soil evaluation.
- Official septic permit page
- Official page →
- Licensed evaluators or designers
- Official page →
- State fee
- Not published by an official source we could verify. Ask the office.
Official resources in Indiana
State program page with rules, forms, directories, and the overview that local health departments issue residential onsite permits.
State page linking to the soil evaluation form and other onsite sewage rules and forms.
Current published residential onsite sewage rule text including on-site evaluation requirements.
Official roster residents can use to find registered soil scientists for septic-related soil evaluations.
Explains how to locate a consulting soil scientist by county or office area.
Key facts for Indiana
- Indiana says local health departments issue more than 15,000 permits per year for new residential onsite systems and about 6,000 permits for repairs.
- Before issuance of a residential onsite permit, an on-site evaluation including a description of the soil profile must be conducted.
- Indiana’s current residential rule says soil properties at each site shall be described by a soil scientist.
- Monroe County says septic permit applications must include a soil analysis by a professional soil scientist registered with the Indiana Registry of Soil Scientists.
- Tipton County says a soil test is needed in all cases to determine the area of the absorption field.
- Washington County says soil testing is required for both repairs and new septic installations.
County septic and soil-evaluation offices in Indiana
| County office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County Health Department — Soil Analysis Monroe | Bloomington | 812-349-2543, option 3 | County page says all septic permit applications must include a soil analysis by a professional soil scientist registered with IRSS. |
| Brown County Health Department — Septic & Waste Water Brown | Nashville | Not published* | County page explains site evaluations, septic permits, inspections, investigations, and contractor registration. |
| Tipton County Health Department — Onsite Sewage Systems Program Tipton | Tipton | (765) 675-8741 option 4 | County page says a permit is required before construction or repair and that a soil test is needed in all cases. |
| Fountain County Health Department — Septic Systems Fountain | Covington | Not published* | County page publishes septic permit fees and states soil testing is done by a certified soil scientist. |
| Union County Health Department — Septic Inspection and Permits Union | Liberty | Not published* | County page says a Certified Soil Scientist must perform the soil evaluation for the septic permit process. |
| Washington County Health Department — Septic Systems Washington | Salem | 812-883-5603 ext. 4 | County page explains new and repair steps, including when a soil scientist is required for absorption field repairs. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Start with the county health department where the parcel is located; that office usually issues the residential permit and sets the county fee.
- Hire an Indiana Registered Soil Scientist early, because the soil report is typically required before plan review and permit issuance.
- Ask the county whether it keeps local installer rosters, because many counties publish or maintain approved or registered installer lists.
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 Indiana's population center, for comparison only):
- Crawford County Health Department — Private Sewage, Illinois · about 111 miles
- Coles County Health Department — Private Sewage Systems, Illinois · about 112 miles
- Clay County Health Department — Private Sewage, Illinois · about 153 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Indiana Department of Health — Onsite Sewage Systems Program
Website →Phone: (800) 457-8283 (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 Indiana page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.