State guide
Virginia
Virginia’s onsite sewage program is run by the Virginia Department of Health through its Division of Onsite Water and Wastewater Services and local health districts. For most new septic evaluations and designs, VDH now expects applicants to submit work from licensed private-sector professionals unless the owner qualifies for VDH services through a petition and hardship or means-testing route.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who regulates septic permits
- Virginia onsite wastewater is regulated by the Virginia Department of Health through the Division of Onsite Water and Wastewater Services and administered through local health districts.
- Who can do the soil or perc test
- Site and soil evaluations and percolation work may be done by VDH environmental health staff when VDH services are available, or by licensed private-sector Onsite Soil Evaluators and Professional Engineers; VDH also publishes the official percolation test procedure.
- Official septic permit page
- Official page →
- Licensed evaluators or designers
- Official page →
- State fee
- Construction permit for treatment works only with OSE/PE documentation, ≤1,000 gpd: $225
Official resources in Virginia
State program page for permits, regulations, FAQs, and onsite system owner information.
Explains Virginia’s private-sector application process and when owners may request VDH services.
Official VDH forms page with fee information, soil and site forms, and percolation test procedure.
Official DPOR license lookup for onsite soil evaluators and other regulated onsite sewage professionals.
VDH data page for septic service providers and related program information.
Key facts for Virginia
- Virginia’s local health districts issue onsite sewage permits under VDH’s onsite water and wastewater program.
- Owners are eligible for VDH evaluation and design services only if they submit a petition and meet means-testing or hardship criteria.
- Private-sector applications may be prepared by licensed Onsite Soil Evaluators or Professional Engineers.
- VDH Form 6 is the official site and soil evaluation report.
- Virginia publishes a percolation test procedure in its official onsite sewage forms and guidance.
- The statewide fee for a construction permit for treatment works only with OSE/PE documentation, ≤1,000 gpd, is $225.
County septic and soil-evaluation offices in Virginia
| County office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince William Health District Onsite Sewage and Water Services Prince William County | Not published* | Not published* | District page for onsite septic and private well records and program assistance. |
| Fauquier County Environmental Health Office Fauquier County | Warrenton | Not published* | County environmental health office within VDH that handles sewage and water services and publishes its fee schedule. |
| Powhatan Health Department Environmental Health Powhatan County | Not published* | Not published* | Handles onsite sewage and well water program questions, forms, complaints, and information requests. |
| Spotsylvania Environmental Spotsylvania County | Fredericksburg | Not published* | Environmental health office for sewage and water services in Spotsylvania County. |
| Blue Ridge Health District Home Well and Sewage Information Albemarle County | Not published* | Not published* | District onsite sewage and water program page serving Charlottesville/Albemarle and nearby counties. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Before filing, confirm whether your project must come with private OSE or PE documentation; most applicants now need that package first.
- Use the DPOR license lookup to verify that your soil evaluator or engineer is currently licensed.
- Submit a complete application package with plat, sketch, and the required soil and design documents to the local health department.
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 Virginia's population center, for comparison only):
- St. Mary's County Health Department - Perc Testing, Maryland · about 72 miles
- Department of Buildings Walk-in Center, District of Columbia · about 84 miles
- Department of Energy and Environment, District of Columbia · about 84 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Division of Onsite Water and Wastewater Services
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 Virginia page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.