State guide
Michigan
Michigan does not use one single statewide residential septic permit office; primary regulation is carried out by local health departments. EGLE provides oversight, training, and permitting for certain larger or groundwater-discharge situations.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
- Who regulates septic permits
- Michigan gives primary regulatory authority over most onsite septic systems to local health departments, with EGLE providing oversight and handling certain larger or groundwater-discharge permitting matters.
- Who can do the soil or perc test
- Michigan does not appear to have one uniform statewide rule for who performs every perc or soil evaluation; official county and district health pages commonly state that local sanitarians or environmental health staff perform site or soil evaluations and issue or support permits.
- State fee
- Not published by an official source we could verify. Ask the office.
Official resources in Michigan
EGLE Onsite wastewater management
EGLE’s statewide onsite wastewater program page explaining the state unit’s role and local health department relationship.
FAQ: Septic systems
EGLE homeowner FAQ for septic basics and links back to local health department help.
Local Health Department Maps
Official MDHHS map to find the local health department that issues most residential septic permits in Michigan.
Wastewater Permitting Authorities Explained: A Guide for Local Health Departments
Official EGLE guide explaining when local health departments approve sanitary sewage permits and when EGLE groundwater permitting is involved.
Permits and licenses
EGLE page stating onsite wastewater systems require a local health department permit, or an EGLE permit where applicable.
Key facts for Michigan
- Michigan says local health departments have primary regulatory authority over onsite septic systems under Public Health Code sections 2433, 2435, and 2441.
- EGLE says its Onsite Wastewater Management Unit is a required service for local health departments.
- EGLE says onsite wastewater systems need a local health department permit, or an EGLE permit where applicable.
- Grand Traverse County says sanitarians conduct field evaluations, review plans, and issue onsite septic permits.
- District Health Department #10 says it evaluates the site, designs the septic system, and inspects the final work.
- Midland County says its sanitarians conduct soil evaluations, inspections, and permitting for septic systems.
County septic and soil-evaluation offices in Michigan
| County office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Traverse County Health Department - Environmental Health Grand Traverse | Traverse City | 231-995-6051 | Issues onsite septic permits, conducts site evaluations, and provides forms, records, and fee schedule links. |
| Livingston County Environmental Health - Septic Services Livingston | Howell | Not published* | Requires an approved soil evaluation before septic permitting and posts permit requirements, records, and fee schedule. |
| Allegan County Environmental Health - Field Services Allegan | Allegan | Not published* | Handles septic construction permits, perc test applications for raw land, and existing-system evaluations. |
| Jackson County Health Department - Environmental Health Division Jackson | Jackson | 517-788-4433 | Issues permits after well or septic soil evaluations and requires installation inspection by a sanitarian. |
| Midland County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health Services Midland | Midland | (989) 832-6380 | Offers raw land perc test evaluations, existing or replacement structure evaluations, and printed septic permit applications. |
| Barry-Eaton District Health Department - On-Site Sewage Systems Eaton | Charlotte | 517-543-2430 | Explains that the district evaluates the site, issues the permit, and completes final review for onsite sewage systems. |
| Health Department of Northwest Michigan - Sewage Systems Emmet | Petoskey | Not published* | Provides septic permit applications and explains county-specific applications for Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet, and Otsego. |
| District Health Department #10 - Residential Well & Septic Crawford | Grayling | Not published* | Issues permits, evaluates sites, designs septic systems, and inspects final work for counties in the district. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Find your county or district health department first; that office usually controls your residential septic permit, soil evaluation, and final inspection.
- Ask whether your county requires a department-performed site evaluation or accepts installer or homeowner participation under local code before scheduling any digging.
- If your project is larger, commercial, or may involve groundwater discharge, ask the local health department whether EGLE review is also required.
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 Michigan's population center, for comparison only):
- Medina County Health Department - Sewage Treatment Systems, Ohio · about 173 miles
- Geauga Public Health - Household Sewage System, Ohio · about 185 miles
- Wayne County Health Department - Sewage Treatment Systems, Ohio · about 188 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.EGLE Onsite wastewater management
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 Michigan page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.