State guide
Utah
Utah’s onsite wastewater program is state-directed by the Division of Water Quality, but residents are told to work primarily with their local health department for septic permits and related approvals. Utah also certifies onsite professionals by level, and local permit pages commonly require a certified professional for soil and percolation work.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who regulates septic permits
- Utah’s onsite wastewater program is overseen by the Utah Division of Water Quality, but DEQ says the local health department is the primary contact for septic systems.
- Who can do the soil or perc test
- Utah certifies onsite professionals by level; DEQ says Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 certifications include soil evaluations and percolation testing, and local pages often require a Utah-certified onsite professional.
- Official septic permit page
- Official page →
- Licensed evaluators or designers
- Official page →
- State fee
- $40 for each new onsite wastewater system installed; local health department permit fees vary by county or district.
Official resources in Utah
State program page explaining professional certification levels, rules, and onsite wastewater contacts.
Directory showing that the local health department is the primary contact for septic systems and listing the responsible district by county.
Official certification forms and fee information for Utah onsite professionals.
Example local permit portal with new wastewater applications, system review, abandonment, feasibility, and lookup forms.
Official DEQ-hosted certified onsite system professionals list.
Key facts for Utah
- Utah DEQ says the local health department is the primary contact for septic systems.
- Utah certifies onsite professionals at Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3.
- Level 1 covers soil evaluations and percolation testing.
- Level 2 covers conventional system design, inspection, and maintenance, including soil evaluations and percolation testing.
- Level 3 covers alternative or conventional system design, inspection, and maintenance, including soil evaluations and percolation testing.
- DEQ materials tell local programs to collect $40 for each new onsite wastewater system installed.
County septic and soil-evaluation offices in Utah
| County office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah County Health Department - Onsite Wastewater Utah | Provo | (801) 851-7525 | County page offers new onsite wastewater applications, existing system review, septic lookup, abandonment, and subdivision feasibility forms. |
| Davis County Health Department - Onsite Wastewater Systems Davis | Clearfield | Not published* | County page explains feasibility review, soil evaluation, perc-test oversight, permit steps, and published wastewater fees. |
| Southwest Utah Public Health Department - Septic Systems Washington | St. George | (435) 986-2580 | District page says permits are required before installing, replacing, or modifying a system and requires a Utah-certified onsite professional for soil and perc testing. |
| Bear River Health Department - Environmental Health Cache | Logan | Not published* | District environmental health page provides septic applications, fees, and a certified percolation testers list. |
| Summit County Health Department - Water / Onsite Wastewater Summit | Coalville | 435-336-3234 | County wastewater page covers site evaluations, permitting, and perc testing for new systems. |
* 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 or district health department, not the state office, for permit submittal and local process details.
- Hire a Utah-certified onsite professional early if your county requires a designer’s soil report or perc testing package.
- Ask whether your local fee schedule adds county charges on top of the statewide $40 new-system fee.
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 Utah's population center, for comparison only):
- Uinta County Planning & Zoning - Wastewater / Septic System, Wyoming · about 82 miles
- South Central Public Health District — Septic Records assistance, Idaho · about 200 miles
- Eastern Idaho Public Health — Bonneville County Environmental Health, Idaho · about 217 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Utah DEQ Onsite Wastewater Program
Website →Phone: (385) 600-9401 (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 Utah page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.