State guide
North Carolina
North Carolina’s on-site wastewater program is overseen by the NCDHHS Division of Public Health, but septic permitting is carried out through local health departments. State resources now include the NC On-Site Water Data portal plus private permitting pathways such as the engineer option and the Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator option.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who regulates septic permits
- State oversight is with the NCDHHS Division of Public Health, Environmental Health Section, On-Site Water Protection Branch; septic permitting is administered by local county health departments.
- Who can do the soil or perc test
- County environmental health specialists commonly perform the site/soil evaluation, and North Carolina also recognizes private options involving licensed soil scientists, professional engineers, and Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluators for certain permit paths.
- Official septic permit page
- Official page →
- State fee
- Not published by an official source we could verify. Ask the office.
Official resources in North Carolina
State program page with laws, rules, private permitting options, forms, county contacts, and permit data.
State resource page for AOWE and engineer permit options, forms, and program materials.
Official state page explaining that local health departments carry out septic permitting.
Official board page for North Carolina’s soil scientist licensing board.
Key facts for North Carolina
- The On-Site Water Protection Branch provides statewide oversight and guidance on wastewater systems and private wells.
- Local health departments carry out North Carolina’s septic system permitting.
- For on-site wastewater treatment, DEQ says to contact the county environmental health department.
- Large or industrial on-site systems over 3,000 gpd must be designed by a NC Licensed Soil Scientist and a NC Professional Engineer.
- Brunswick County says health departments no longer use traditional 'perk tests' to decide septic suitability.
County septic and soil-evaluation offices in North Carolina
| County office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston County Environmental Health Department - On-Site Wastewater (Septic Systems) Johnston | Smithfield | (919) 989-5180 | Handles septic permitting, lot evaluations, repairs, pump inspections, and septic permit image requests. |
| Brunswick County Environmental Health Brunswick | Bolivia | 910-253-2150 | Issues on-site wastewater permits; Brunswick also publishes septic applications, fee schedules, and wastewater permitting options. |
| Union County On-site Wastewater Disposal (Septic) Systems Union | Monroe | Not published* | Performs soil and site evaluations, issues permits, and inspects septic systems; page says evaluations are by an Environmental Health Specialist or Licensed Soil Scientist. |
| Buncombe County Environmental Health Buncombe | Asheville | (828) 250-5360 | County page for septic permits, perc tests, repair applications, and septic permit lookup. |
| Henderson County On-Site Wastewater Program Henderson | Hendersonville | (828) 694-6060 | County program page for septic applications, site visits, forms, fee schedule, and permit search. |
* 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 your county environmental health office, because permit intake and site evaluation are local in North Carolina.
- If you want a private path, review the Engineer Option and AOWE forms before paying county fees.
- Gather a plat or site plan and any zoning or planning approvals your county page requires before requesting evaluation.
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 North Carolina's population center, for comparison only):
- Lancaster Office, South Carolina · about 85 miles
- Florence Office, South Carolina · about 94 miles
- Sumter Office, South Carolina · about 118 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.NCDHHS On-Site Wastewater Program
Website →Phone: (919) 707-5000 (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 North Carolina page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.