The Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System (OSTDS) permitting program is excited to begin the phased transition from the Florida Department of Health (DOH) to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). DEP will begin permitting OSTDS in Northwest Florida and transition the remaining 51 counties from July 2025 through December 2026.

Transition Timeline

  • Phase 1 (Escambia County to Jefferson County): January 2, 2025.
  • Marion County: July 1, 2025.
  • Remaining counties: July 2025 through December 2026.

How do I get a permit to construct a septic tank system or other onsite sewage treatment and disposal system (OSTDS)?

By 2026, OSTDS permitting in all Florida counties will be administered by DEP. During the transition period, applicants will apply for permits and services in two separate ways, depending on which county they are requesting a permit. Please see the table below for instructions for your county:

CountyInstructions
Bay
Calhoun
Escambia
Franklin
Gadsden
Gulf
Holmes
Jackson
Jefferson
Leon
Liberty
Okaloosa
Santa Rosa
Wakulla
Walton
Washington
 

To apply for a permit, download and complete an Application Form (DEP4015, page 1), complete a Site Plan (DEP4015, page 2), obtain a copy of the building’s floor plan and use the new online permit and service request portal to complete the application.

Important: A site evaluation (DH4015, page 3) assesses soil, topography and other conditions to determine the suitability of the property for OSTDS installation. Applicants may choose to have DEP conduct the evaluation or hire a qualified private site evaluator.

If you choose to hire a private site evaluator, the evaluation must be completed before submitting this application. Additionally, the completed site evaluation must be uploaded as part of your application.

Paper submissions will still be accepted by mail; however, using the portal will guarantee your information is in the database immediately and will reduce processing time. Applicants can mail documents to the following address:

Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection
Division of Water Resource Management
Onsite Sewage Program
2600 Blair Stone Road
MS #3599
Tallahassee, FL 32301

Alachua
Baker
Bradford
Brevard
Broward
Charlotte
Citrus
Clay
Collier
Columbia
DeSoto
Dixie
Duval
Flagler
Glades
Hamilton
Hardee
Hendry
Hernando
Highlands
Hillsborough
Indian River
Lake
Lee
Levy
Madison
Manatee
Marion
Martin
Miami-Dade
Monroe
Nassau
Okeechobee
Orange
Osceola
Palm Beach
Pasco
Pinellas
Polk
Putnam
Sarasota
Seminole
St. Johns
St. Lucie
Sumter
Suwannee
Taylor
Union
Volusia

Permits for OSTDS in these counties are issued by the Environmental Public Health Program of the Florida Department of Health's local county health department. To apply for a permit, download and complete an Application Form (DEP4015, page 1) and submit it, along with a Site Plan (DEP4015, page 2), a building floor plan and the required application fee to your local county health department. A Site Evaluation (DH4015, page 3) is needed to determine the conditions on your property and must be performed by a qualified professional. If you wish, your county health department can perform the site evaluation for a fee.

Your county health department will also determine the total permitting fee (including any county fees) based on the type of system needed for your property and the services you ask them to provide. The information in your application, site plan, building plan and site evaluation will allow the Florida Department of Health to determine the construction needs for the system to serve your property.

Applicants may also choose to hire a private site evaluator at their own expense.

Please note that many counties have local ordinances that may exceed state requirements for OSTDS.

 

Septic Tank Standards 

Standards for septic tank systems and other OSTDS are found in section 381.0065, Florida Statutes and Chapter 62-6, F.A.C. 

General Questions 

If you have any general questions about septic tanks or other OSTDS permits, please contact OSTDS_Feedback@FloridaDEP.gov.

Last Modified: Thursday, Jan 02, 2025 - 11:07am